The Simberi Gold Company Limited (SGCL) in the New Ireland Province successfully concluded a weeklong of activities in commemorating the National Mine Safety Week recently.
The National Mine Safety Week (NMSW) was introduced by Mineral Resources Authority back in 2012 to improve safety in the mining industry after recording incidents in the mining industry.
This year’s NMSW was commemorated with the theme ‘Mobile Equipment Safety’ which began with an official opening on Monday, 24th of April and continued with a range of activities throughout the week including sports, noticeboard competition, booth set up, drawing competition for local school students, and familiarization tour of an Articulated Dump Truck (ADT).
Health and Safety Manager Leo Kola said the weeklong of activities gave an opportunity for everyone to pay attention to mobile equipment safety following frequent mobile equipment related incidents across the industry in the country as recorded by the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA).
“Mobile Equipment Safety is a very important topic in the industry with many incidents recorded by MRA in the last 24 months. We as an operation have experienced mobile equipment incidents. Let’s take the safety messages from the NMSW into our work and in our everyday lives,” Kola said.
Senior Mines Inspector Andrew Onguglo and Inspector Saki Beka from MRA were at Simberi from April 25th – 27th to see firsthand SGCL’s participation in this MRA sanctioned event.
Mr Onguglo called on employees of the mine to take ownership of their own safety.
“Safety is an individual commitment. You either take the risk or protect yourself by observing safety protocols and controls put in place,” Onguglo said.
“It is simple. Focus on yourself while working in a high-risk environment like the mine. Controls are there and if you follow them faithfully, you minimize the chances of getting involved in an incident,” he added.
The week got SGCL employees and contractors engaged in meaningful discussions around safety as the company is committed to Safety and with zero harm being the target.
