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Safety in PNG

Safety management

Safety management is undertaken in accordance with the MMJV’s Health and Safety Policy, in conjunction with our safety management standards. To meet these standards, all hazards associated with each operation are identified, assessed and controlled to minimise any risk they may pose to the safety and health of employees.

Harmony’s Safety Management Standards are aligned with Australian Standards such as AS 4801: 2001 “Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems – specification with guidance for use”.

The strategy of visible leadership and commitment by all employees and contractors, as stated in the Harmony Health and Safety Policy, is essential to eliminate injury or harm to health at Hidden Valley. This policy highlights the development of Harmony’s health and safety management systems.

Key to the implementation of this policy has been:

• the establishment and implementation of effective health and safety management systems that are reviewed and updated regularly;
• the maintenance of a work environment where hazards are identified and controlled, while informing affected parties of significant risks and measures taken to mitigate these hazards and risks;
• the provision of a framework for setting and reviewing safety objectives and targets to continually reduce work related injury and illness; and
• compliance with the relevant statutory and regulatory occupational health and safety obligations, ensuring compliance from our business partners.

A Health and Safety Committee is in the process of being formed at Hidden Valley. Its main objective will be to ensure that safety systems on site are maintained and safety issues are addressed. This committee will also regularly review health management processes to ensure the health and safety of employees, contractors and visitors to the Hidden Valley site are maintained.

Hidden Valley is moving from construction into steady-state mining, and it is thus important that we embed quality safety systems and a positive safety culture into all facets of our business.

Safety performance in FY09 improved significantly. There were no fatal accidents; the LTIFR improved by 75% – from 0.8 per million hours worked to 0.2, while the AIFR declined 15% to 33 per million hours worked.

Safety performance