By Own Correspondent

HWANGE Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) administrator, Dale Sibanda has commended the operations department for upholding a Health and Safety culture which has enabled the company to sustain zero injury and fatality rate among its workforce.

Presenting the group’s Half Year financial performance for the period ended June 30 2021, HCCL administrator, Dale Sibanda said the top coal miner had a clean safety record during the period under review.

“HCCL experienced a fatality free shift record as at 30 June 2021. A successful Covid-19 awareness and vaccination program, for both workers and the greater Hwange Community was run by the Company. The lost shift injury frequency rate improved due to initiatives like people focus, systems implementation and technology embracing. HCCL embraced a risk/opportunity-based approach to operations aimed at zero harm,” he said.

Sibanda,  however, said top risks included Acid Mine Drainage, for which an Environmental Management Plan (EMP)  to manage  effects is now in place.

“Likewise, robust measures aimed at reducing similar incidents related to non-communicable diseases were established through a Wellness policy,” he said.

Zimbabwe has been  experiencing a  sharp increase in occupational mishaps with the figures rising 2 443 percent  to 133 000 workers who were injured and contracted work-related illness last year from about 5 231 cases recorded in 2018.

This is about 5 percent of total employed in Zimbabwe, estimated to be 2 896 994, according to official data from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTATS).

The estimates imply that every day approximately 364 workers are injured due to poor workplace safety and health, representing a widespread problem and a substantial economic burden on individuals, employers and society as well.