The National Occupational Safety Association’s (Nosa’s) mining division has a multimillion-rand expansion project under way, entailing further enhancement of its auditing, consulting and training services.

This is key, given that auditors and trainers have constant interaction with Nosa’s clients on site, where its staff are not only imparting information but also continually applying knowledge and skills, which, in return, can then be transferred across the client base, Nosa previously stated.

Nosa mining division GM Bryan Keague tells Mining Weekly the project is ongoing and will evolve as the needs of clients and the mining industry change over time.

As a result of this expansion, Nosa will also be employing, as required, more individuals with the necessary skills related to mining, thus increasing the number of employees at its offices in the different regions.

Nosa has offices across South Africa and Zambia, as well as in China, South America and New Zealand.

Keague says that the company aims to further expand its services to other global markets and within the South African mining industry.

In South Africa, Nosa’s clients include diamond mining company Petra Diamonds, local phosphate rock miner and fertiliser producer Foskor, diamond miner De Beers and coal junior Coal of Africa. Outside the country’s borders, clients include ferrochrome producer Zimasco, in Zimbabwe, copper and gold miner PT Freeport Indonesia, gold miner Goldfields’ operations in Ghana and Kenmare, which operates reserves of heavy minerals at the Moma mine, in Mozambique.

Keague says that the current state of health and safety in the mining industry in South Africa remains poor as long as there is loss of life and injuries. “There is always room for improvement. However, this does not mean the mining industry is not committed to taking positive strides towards improving health and safety,” he notes.

Smaller companies and independent miners are challenged by health and safety training budgets. “It is not that they are not committed to health and safety but these companies and miners do not always have the capital outlay for the full safety, health and environment (SHE) programme and its medium- to long-term implementation,” he adds.

Nosa’s mining division offers mining- specific training programmes, which are presented across the country by facilitators well versed in the mining industry. Some of the courses include SHE principles and procedures, a safety management training course for mining, SHE representative training and a focus on the Mine Health and Safety Act.