Tarkwa (W/R) May 11, GNA-Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GFGL), Tarkwa Mine has so far trained seven host community members in firefighting and evacuation.

The beneficiary communities included; Abekoase, Samahu, Pepesa, Tebe, Huniso, New Atuabo and Booboobo.

Mr Stephen Osei-Bempah, General Manager, GFGL, Tarkwa Mine, announced this when the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa marked this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work with the Mine.

The theme for this year was: “Act together to build positive safety and health culture”.

Mr Osei-Bempah stressed that “Our Health, Safety and Community Affairs Department would ensure that the remaining host communities would be covered by the end of this year”.

He said this year, they launched a robust safety engagement as part of their host community roadshow, which was organised by the Mines Community Affairs Department focused on emergency response for fire incidents and evaluation.

“Last year, we worked for 266 consecutive days without any injury. We are proud of this milestone because it’s an indication that our safety campaigns and practices are helping us to improve our safety culture” he noted.

The General Manager said the emergency stimulation they had earlier reminded them that several factors that contributed to accidents, including driver fatigue.

He announced that GFGL was one of the first mining companies in Ghana to introduce a fatigue management system in 2012 to enhance the safety of their operators and prevent equipment damage.

The system, Mr Osei-Bempah, emphasised that monitors and detects fatigue among operators, allowed them to promptly intervene to prevent accidents and injuries, adding, “I am happy to note that since we deployed the fatigue management system, we have been able to significantly reduce accidents and equipment management at our mine.

“Our commitment to safety is also the reason we do not hesitate to throw our weight behind health and safety programmes in our host communities. By preparing and supporting UMaT’s on health and safety today, we are helping to create a safety conscious community.

“As a mine, we have boldly declared that if we cannot Mine safely, we will not Mine. These are not mere words we say to show off. We mean it because safety is our number one value. Therefore, we have deployed all the safety interventions and initiatives to make our workplace safe for our employees and achieve our zero harm objectives”.

Mr Osei-Bempah commended UMaT for spearheading this important event and the security agencies as well as the emergency services for their massive support.

The Vice Chancellor of UMaT, Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwah, for his part said, they have trained 640 commercial drivers on defensive driving and other issues related to road safety, stressed that, their aim was to foster closer engagement with the community.

“It should not be like the university is sitting somewhere and the community also sitting at the other end, but we want to engage communities for our mutual benefit” he added.

GNA

Tarkwa (W/R) May 11, GNA-Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GFGL), Tarkwa Mine has so far trained seven host community members in firefighting and evacuation.

The beneficiary communities included; Abekoase, Samahu, Pepesa, Tebe, Huniso, New Atuabo and Booboobo.

Mr Stephen Osei-Bempah, General Manager, GFGL, Tarkwa Mine, announced this when the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa marked this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work with the Mine.

The theme for this year was: “Act together to build positive safety and health culture”.

Mr Osei-Bempah stressed that “Our Health, Safety and Community Affairs Department would ensure that the remaining host communities would be covered by the end of this year”.

He said this year, they launched a robust safety engagement as part of their host community roadshow, which was organised by the Mines Community Affairs Department focused on emergency response for fire incidents and evaluation.

“Last year, we worked for 266 consecutive days without any injury. We are proud of this milestone because it’s an indication that our safety campaigns and practices are helping us to improve our safety culture” he noted.

The General Manager said the emergency stimulation they had earlier reminded them that several factors that contributed to accidents, including driver fatigue.

He announced that GFGL was one of the first mining companies in Ghana to introduce a fatigue management system in 2012 to enhance the safety of their operators and prevent equipment damage.

The system, Mr Osei-Bempah, emphasised that monitors and detects fatigue among operators, allowed them to promptly intervene to prevent accidents and injuries, adding, “I am happy to note that since we deployed the fatigue management system, we have been able to significantly reduce accidents and equipment management at our mine.

“Our commitment to safety is also the reason we do not hesitate to throw our weight behind health and safety programmes in our host communities. By preparing and supporting UMaT’s on health and safety today, we are helping to create a safety conscious community.

“As a mine, we have boldly declared that if we cannot Mine safely, we will not Mine. These are not mere words we say to show off. We mean it because safety is our number one value. Therefore, we have deployed all the safety interventions and initiatives to make our workplace safe for our employees and achieve our zero harm objectives”.

Mr Osei-Bempah commended UMaT for spearheading this important event and the security agencies as well as the emergency services for their massive support.

The Vice Chancellor of UMaT, Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwah, for his part said, they have trained 640 commercial drivers on defensive driving and other issues related to road safety, stressed that, their aim was to foster closer engagement with the community.

“It should not be like the university is sitting somewhere and the community also sitting at the other end, but we want to engage communities for our mutual benefit” he added.

GNA