BCL employees disturbed by mine fatalities
Onalenna Kelebeile | Friday June 3, 2016 15:35
SELEBI-PHIKWE: The emotionally charged meeting that Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi held with BCL employees on Tuesday revealed that workers are disgruntled and seriously disturbed by the incessant loss of lives at the mine.
Following the death of 11 employees between 2014 and 2015, the mine has lost four more this week. As BCL employees waited the VP to start his address, they stood in groups discussing what could have led to last Sunday’s accident and even wondered who would be the next to fall victim to a similar unfortunate incident.
They could be heard blaming management for failure to service machinery despite such recommendations made by inspectors.
They also blamed the company’s cost saving strategies where supervisors are rewarded handsomely for disbursing unspent money from their respective sections back into the company coffers at the end of each financial year.
They said this seriously impacts negatively on maintenance of machinery and equipment and compromises health and safety as supervisors tend to overlook critical areas just to be able to disburse huge amounts and get rewarded.
They also felt that decisionmakers should be the ones facing the music following this tragedy because they failed to take necessary action.
The employees also said the gap that exists between mine workers and management also results in those at the top failing to know what is happening on the ground.
“It is not only this cage that is faulty, but also a lot of areas need to be attended to in order to meet the required safety standards. Reports that there is no money in the company has worsened the situation,” said one employee who pleaded anonymity. It was evident in their conversation that the issue of retrenchment has been hovering over their heads since March this year taking a toll on the employees.
One employee said this has weighed heavily on them hence they are bound to commit mistakes as they work. The issue of accidents involving cages transporting workers is not new as in March the cage conveying workers deep into the mine experienced mechanical problems.
Workers are reported to have refused to board this malfunctioning cage and were later charged for rioting, leading to loss of production. The charges were, however, later withdrawn.
Last year following the accident that claimed three lives in July the BCL Mine management said they have realised that whenever there is an incident, a procedure or policy would have been flouted and that such incidents are largely a result of indiscipline, failure to instill discipline and taking shortcuts.
The mine also observed that some incidents are a result of at-risk behaviours hence the introduction of Behaviour Based Care Model (BBC), which is a systematic approach to promote the reduction of behaviours that cause many incidents and injuries. This came after the realisation that management can do more to prevent employees from getting injured and also employees doing more to prevent injuries occurring in the work environment.
The model is generally intended to change the employees’ reactive mindset of avoiding failure rather than achieving success and preventing accidents. BCL’s marketing and public relations manager, James Molosankwe said in a statement this week that management and the board of directors are extremely concerned about the frequency of the fatalities at the mine’s underground operations. “We consider these incidents seriously, especially that we have been a safe mine at all times.”
He said the mine strives to achieve excellence in safety by adhering to its safety policies and procedures.
He further said that the mine observes all mining industry legislation and has deployed an integrated safety, health and environment system, which addresses operational matters.
“The company seriously rejects safety trespasses as it affects operations and output and more extremely affecting people’s lives and wellbeing. Disregarding or violation of safe working procedures and standards leads to loss of revenue to the business as evidenced in 2015.
We express heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the bereaved families, colleagues and friends of the departed and the entire team at BCL,” he stated.
Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) general secretary, Mbiganyi Ramokate said they welcome the decision by government to institute external independent assistance to investigate the root cause of the recent accident.
He, however, said the union intends to conduct parallel investigations into the deaths.
“We will map a way forward after the funerals,” he said.
He also added that BMWU is represented in the ongoing enquiries into the Sunday accident and Botswana Federation of Trade Unions secretary general, Gadzani Mhotsha accompanies them.