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Sikhulekelani Moyo and Nokuthaba Ncube, Business Reporters

THE Young Miners Foundation (YMF) in partnership with Lenrage Consultancy and the International Health and Nursing Academy have launched an occupational health and safety training programme targeting small scale mining communities where mining accidents are common.

The three-day training started on Monday in Bulawayo with about 50 participants attending from different mining districts in Matabeleland region.

YMF chief executive officer, Mr Payne Kupfuwa, said they were disturbed by the increase in fatalities and injuries in the small-scale mining sector where young people are the most victims. He said the accidents are caused mainly by lack of knowledge as well as a lack of finance to access proper skills needed for miners to be safe.

“As YMF we have been disturbed and affected by accidents that have been happening in the small-scale mining community with our target group being the most affected,” said Mr Kupfuwa.
“Among the solutions we have put together we have joined hands with International Health and Nursing Academy and Lenrage Occupational, Safety, Health and Environment (OSHE) consultancy to do training on occupational health and safety.

“The idea behind this training is to equip miners of all ages in terms of the importance of abiding to safety precautions, health and environmental issues because safety and production go hand in hand. So, for us to boost efficiency gains, safety has to be the starting point.”

Mr Kupfuwa said if the small-scale sector enhances production through reduction in mining accidents, this will allow them to play a critical role in attainment of Vision 2030 of an upper middle-income society.
The training is being done for free and is targeting all the 10 provinces with Mr Kupfuwa saying the trained people will be required to go back to their communities to train others.

“This is sort of a train-the-trainer initiative because we cannot train everyone. So, they will go back and train their communities and employees so that we reduce the accidents,” he said.
“We are actually concerned about the 12 killed by silicosis in Kwekwe. Such cases affect us a lot and it shows how critical the situation can be if we don’t act as leaders in the mining community.”
Silicosis is a disease caused by inhaling silica dust, primarily affecting workers in industries such as mining and construction.

The recent cases in Kwekwe have raised concern among health officials and the local community about the working conditions in high-risk industries. Kwekwe community has been hard hit by the disease, recording more than 25 deaths last year alone.

Lenrage OSHE consultancy chief executive officer, Mrs Helen Nekati, said considering that the training is for free, it has given an opportunity to everyone to access it as many of them always raise financial issues in accessing such facilities.
“This will help all the miners to be aware and practice things that are cost effective, which will assist in reducing accidents in their work place,” she said.

“The training is giving them tips on how they can practice occupational health and safety, which is not expensive and giving them ideas, which can work without using money.”
International Health and Nursing Academy (IHNA) director Mr Themba Moyo said the idea behind the training came after they approached YMF with regards to the collapsing of mines.

“Mutare has already called us on the 4th, 5th and 6th of September this year then we will proceed to Harare,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries of the training Mrs Nobuhle Ncube who is a councillor under Bubi under the women’s quota said as someone who has mining background the training will assist in terms of promoting sustainable mining through compliance with occupational health and safety.

“We have realised that we need to practice sustainable mining, which will see both the employer and the employee satisfied at the same time protecting the environment for the future generations and continuity of our projects,” Mrs Ncube.

Today (tomorrow) the trainees would be awarded with certificates, which will be handed over by representatives form Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, the office of Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Forestry Commission and the Environmental Management Agency.