SA mining industry pushes for zero harm as fatalities reach record low

The Minerals Council of South Africa has remained confident that the mining industry was firmly on the path to Zero Harm after recording a historic low of 42 deaths in 2024, a 24% decrease from 55 in the previous year.

This marked a significant milestone in the industry's quest to ensure safe mining practices and highlighted a commendable reduction in workplace fatalities while recorded injuries fell to 1 841, reflecting a 16% drop from 2023.

Minerals Council CEO, Mzila Mthenjane, said this showcased that the industry was on a definitive path towards achieving its goal of Zero Harm—ensuring every employee returns home safely and in good health.

However, Mthenjane emphasised that falls of ground remained the highest risk of all underground mines and management of these incidents remained a critical factor in achieving Zero Harm.

"We must acknowledge the sobering reality of our current falls of ground safety performance. Since 1 January 2025, we have already lost seven of our colleagues to fall-of-ground accidents. This contrasts with the one fatality recorded during the same periodlast year," Mthenjane said.

"These are tragic losses that occurred in the gold sector, across three separateaccidents, each claiming multiple lives. This is unfortunate and unacceptable, and it is a harshreminder that our work is far from finished.

"We are here, humbled by theloss of lives, and at the same time inspired to continue to drive the implementation of Fall of Ground Actions Plans across the industry. Whilst some initiatives are still in the researchphase, and others will take time to show measurable results, we must stay the course. Everyeffort we make today will contribute to a safer tomorrow."

Mthenjane was speaking at the Council's fourth Fall-of-Ground Action Plan Day of Learning event attended by more than 300 stakeholders from across the mining sector on Friday.

The mining industry has reduced fatalities in three decades by 91% to 42 from 484 in 1994. Injuries have fallen by 78% from 8 347 thirty years ago.

A key initiative was the establishment in 2003 of the Minerals Council’s Mining Industry Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) Learning Hub to focus on the adoption of leading health and safety practices to accelerate progress towards achieving Zero Harm. The practices included falls of ground, transport and machinery, dust and noise reduction.

From accounting for 302 fatalities in 1993, the mining industry reduced fatalities resulting from falls of ground to a record low of six in 2022. There has been a regression since then but still well below the levels up to 2022. In 2024, there were 13 fall-of-ground related fatalities compared to 15 the year before.

The key interventions behind the 96% reduction in fall-of-ground-related fatalities over the past 31 years included the implementation since 2009 of entry examinations and actively making working areas safe daily, netting and bolting of tunnel roofs and walls were introduced in 2012, since 2016 there were annual initiatives to address rock bursts and gravity-induced falls of ground, technology has proved successful in significantly reducing human exposure to rock bursts.

Buntu Tati, rock engineering manager at Impala Rustenburg, said mesh design was critical and adopting mines have realized a reduction in fall-of-ground injuries and severity.

Tati said mesh must be able to contain key blocks up to 2 tons with acceptable deformation and support accessories must be compatible with currentsupport system.

"Mesh roll dimensions are critical, should match in-stopebolt spacing and blast advance to minimise wastage. Proper tensioning are required to minimise damage fromblasting and/or scraping activities," Tati said.

"In September 2024, the morning shift crewdiscovered a fall-of-ground at 2C45 P4EC within the facearea after the blast. The fall-of-ground is believed to have occurred at the duringthe blast.

"The fall-of-ground was successfully contained by thepermanent mesh within the face area installed. It was observed to only occur between the last permanent mesh row and face (newlyexposed hangingwall face area). The size of the rocks was measured to beapproximately 4.0m in length, 2.5m in width and 0.7m in fall out thickness. The total mass of the fall-of-ground is approximately 18 tons."

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