This confirms that the Section 54 instruction issued on 17 January 2012 by Mr MO Poultney to

Greenside Colliery is hereby lifted subject to the following conditions:-

1. Guards or decking must be provided at the back of the chute up to the tail-end of the “C”

conveyor.

2. The engineer must personally ensure compliance to Regulation 8.9(1)(f), 8.8(3)(i),

8.8(3)(j) and 8.8(3)(k).

3. A program to provide visible means that would indicate that the power to conveyor belts

is isolated, must be submitted to the Principal Inspector before 31 January 2012.

Yours faithfully

1. TOPICAL ISSUES OF THE MONTH

1.1 OPENCAST BLASTING

Lately, this office has become inundated with complaints from parties residing close to

opencast mines.

These complaints are normally as a result of blasting operations at the mines and it is

disturbing to note that in a number of cases, blasting activities on the mine were

undertaken without consultation with all affected parties.

It is also noted that where blasting operations at the mines are done in a responsible

manner and all affected parties are consulted with, no complaints are lodged with this

Department.

1.2 INCREASED METHANE RELEASE RATES

The change in ambient temperatures is often associated with dropping and widely fluctuating barometric pressures.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. TOPICAL ISSUES OF THE MONTH

Mine Health and Safety

Inspectorate:

Monthly Regional Newsletter

MPUMALANGA REGION

Postal address, Private Bag X7279, Witbank, 1035

Physical address, Province House, cnr of Botha Ave and Paul Kruger Street, Witbank

Enquiries : LJA Bezuidenhout

Tel: 013-653 0500

Fax: 013-690 2390

E-mail: loraine.coetzee@dmr.gov.za

MARCH 2013

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1. TOPICAL ISSUES OF THE MONTH

1.1 Flameproof enclosures

2. MINING

2.1 Blasting assistants

3. ENGINEERING

3.1 Battery powered machinery

4. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

4.1 Flammable gas ignitions at

prospecting boreholes

5. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

5.1 Fatal accidents.

5.2 Accidents reported

5.3 Details of accidents per mining Groups

5.4 Accident comparison with previous

years (Mpumalanga Region)

5.5 Table of fatal accidents (Mpumalanga

Region)

5.6 DMR statistics for 2013 : Fatalaties

and Injuries

a. Breakdown by Regions

b. Breakdown by Commodity

6. AUDITS, INSPECTIONS AND

INVESTIGATIONS

6.1 Inspections

6.2 Audits

6.3 Non conformances found during

audits and inspections

7. SECTION 54/55 INSTRUCTIONS

ISSUED

7.1 Compliance notices i.t.o. Section 55

7.2 Improvement instructions i.t.o.

Section 54

7.3 Stoppage instructions i.t.o. Section

54

8. EXAMINATIONS

8.1 Mine Overseer certificates

8.2 Lampman certificates

8.3 Onsetters certificates

9. LEGISLATION

10. REGIONAL OVERVIEW

10.1 Safety achievements

10.2 Note of appreciation

ANNEXURE : Brief Accident Descriptions

- 3 -

1. TOPICAL ISSUES OF THE MONTH

1.1 FLAME PROOF ENCLOSURES

It came to the attention of this office that some of the mines recommend that the bolts of

flame proof enclosures be torque to value recommended by bolt Manufactures. In most cases

high tensile bolts are used as they are not easily damaged whilst being fastened, however the

high tensile torque exceeds the strength of some flame proof enclosures. This therefore

damages the flame path of the enclosure as it is made of mild steel and threads are damaged in

the process.

We therefore would like to request that when a torque is recommended for flame proof

enclosure bolts, both the bolt and the enclosure strength must be taken into consideration to

prevent any damage to the flameproof enclosure.

2. MINING

2.1 BLASTING ASSISTANTS

It is noted with concern that there seems to be a great deal of confusion as far as the statutory

qualifications of blasting assistants are concerned.

As far as the requirements of Chapter 4 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, Act 29 of 1996 are

concerned, it is clear that these employees must have been trained, assessed and found

competent against MQA accredited unit standards.

This means that a blasting assistant is not required to possess a specific qualification, but

should have completed a “skills programme”.

These regulations are applicable to underground collieries, hard rock mines as well as

opencast operations and mine managers are thus advised, as a matter of urgency to ensure that

these persons are competent.

3. ENGINEERING

3.1 BATTERY POWERED MOBILE MACHINERY

It has been noticed with concern that the underground batteries of battery powered mobile

machinery are not cleaned regularly, mines are requested to ensure that the batteries are

cleaned regularly as required by SANS 1654, to prevent the build-up of carbon between

terminals. This will prevent possible flammable gas explosions.

- 4 -

4. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

4.1 FLAMMABLE GAS IGNITIONS AT PROSPECTING BOREHOLES

Numerous flammable gas ignitions at surface prospecting boreholes have been reported to this

office.

A flammable gas ignition usually happens when the borehole casing is being cut or welded.

The managers on the mines are advised to ensure that risk assessment is conducted and a SOP

is drafted to prevent potential accidents.

5. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

5.1 FATAL ACCIDENTS

It is unfortunate to report that two fatal accidents occurred during the month of March 2013.

a. 2013-03-04

A tractor operator was operating a tractor in the underground workings of a fiery mine in

Mpumalanga region.

He reversed onto a rail line, in order to cross over to the conveyor drive in the adjacent

roadway. During this process his tractor and trailer collided with an oncoming locomotive and

its load.

He was subsequently trapped inside the cabin of the tractor and sustained multiple injuries.

He later succumbed to his injuries.

b. 2013-03-07

A mechanic aide was electrocuted by an inverter type welding machine underground in a gold

mine in Mpumalanga region.

The mechanic aide was called to replace wheel studs on the bucket end left wheel of a Load

Haul Dumper. The studs were worn and turned in the holes of the hub. The mechanic aide

used the inverter type welding machine to weld one stud and the nut was removed. The Load

Haul Dumper was then moved backwards so that the other loose studs can be moved to the

bottom of the wheel where they too could be welded. The mechanic crawled under the

machine lying on a creeper. He asked the Load Haul Dumper operator to shake the bolts so

that he could see them. As the Load Haul Dumper driver shook the bolts he noticed that the

mechanic aide went quiet and that the lights in the substation tripped. He tried to pull the

mechanic aide from underneath the machine and then went to call for assistance.

After the accident, evidence was found that the machine had been placed in dirty water. The

inside bottom of the welding machine chassis was covered with a dry muddy residue/material

with evident water lines. The dry muddy residue covered from the bottom chassis, to up to

approximately 25mm up into the sides of the inside of the welding machine. The internal

220V AC Printed circuit board also had some muddy residue on the top of the card, this card

is mounted only a few millimeters above the chassis and it seemed evident the card could have

been submersed as well. A blue Maximum Over Voltage device (MOV)(electronic

component) located on the top PC board was blown. One side of this MOV is connected

directly to the machine earth. The fact that this component is blown could indicate a possible

potential flow to earth exceeding the rating of the MOV.

After identifying the welding machine in question having been exposed to possible water

contamination with component (MOV) failure resulting in the machine being down to earth on

the primary side with generally low resistance readings to the output terminals, the reason why

the earth leakage protection did not trip sooner was investigated. It was found that a

homemade extension lead was used. The earth was tested and found to be defective. The earth

wire in the 15Amp - 3 pin plug top had pulled out from the earth terminal resulting in a break

in earth continuity from the source to the end of the reel and obviously to the apparatus, in this

case the welding machine, that was plugged into the reel. The mechanic was then electrocuted

when he completed the live to earth circuit.

A further concern discovered by the mine while investigating all their inverter type welding

machines was that some had switches that could be used to disable the voltage reducers that

should protect the user of the welding machine. In some cases the switches were in the form

of a small hole on the face of the welding machine where an instrument screwdriver could be

stuck in to disarm the voltage reducer.

Mines are requested to ensure electrical equipment is not exposed to water and that the voltage

reducers on welding machines cannot be disconnected or disarmed.

5.2 ACCIDENTS REPORTED

The mines in the region reported (29) accidents during March 2013 of which there were (2)

fatal accidents and (5) were non casualty accidents.

The accidents per category were as follows:

General accidents 13

Transport and mining 4

Fall of ground 2

Machinery 1

Other 3

Non-casualty 5

Total 29

- 6 -

5.3. DETAILS OF ACCIDENTS PER MINING GROUPS

MARCH 2013 Year

Progressive

Rate/1000

Coal Mines Injured Fatals Injured Fatals Injured Fatals

Sasol Coal 6 0 15 0 5.79 0.00

Exxaro 1 0 3 0 1.82 0.00

BECSA 1 0 6 0 3.33 0.00

Kangra Coal 0 0 1 0 5.92 0.00

Anglo Coal 1 1 6 3 2.31 1.15

Anker Coal 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00

Xstrata Coal 4 0 8 0 5.13 0.00

Shanduka Coal 0 0 2 0 3.10 0.00

Total Coal SA 0 0 2 0 5.58 0.00

Jindal Africa 0 0 1 0 7.03 0.00

Kuyasa Mining 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00

Coal Of Africa 0 0 1 0 7.86 0.00

Siphethe Coal 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00

Sudor Coal 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00

Msobo Coal 2 0 2 0 7.64 0.00

Optimum Coal 2 0 3 0 2.39 0.00

Private Mines 0 0 1 0 2.50 0.00

Gold & Platinum

Harmony Gold 0 0 1 0 2.81 0.00

Aquarius Plat 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00

Great Basin Gold 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00

Pan African Resource 2 1 3 1 4.65 1.55

Private Mines 0 0 3 0 5.57 0.00

Other Mines

Private Mines 2 0 5 0 4.81 0.00

TOTAL 21 2 63 4 2.88 0.18

5.4 MPUMALANGA ACCIDENTS 2013 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 Projected % Improve

FATALS 0 2 2 4 14 17 13 23 25 16 -14%

DISABLED 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 4 -100%

INJURIES 15 27 21 63 302 289 293 382 460 252 17%

NON-CASUALTIES 8 8 5 21 87 74 78 77 49 84 3%

TOTAL 23 37 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 89 403 380 385 482 534 356 12%

UNDERGROUND 16 18 19 53 231 215 216 292 345 212 8%

SURFACE 4 9 5 18 104 102 114 131 133 72 31%

OPENCAST 3 10 5 18 68 63 55 59 56 72 -6%

TOTAL 23 37 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 89 403 380 385 482 534 356 12%

FOG 2 3 2 7 21 31 28 49 80 28 -33%

MACHINERY 0 1 1 2 23 34 26 36 61 8 65%

T&M 4 5 4 13 75 84 85 78 115 52 31%

GENERAL 8 20 13 41 174 124 148 162 205 164 6%

OTHER 9 8 9 26 110 107 98 157 73 104 5%

TOTAL 23 37 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 89 403 380 385 482 534 356 12%

COAL 19 33 23 75 324 289 325 311 322 300 7%

GOLD 1 3 4 8 46 46 27 116 87 32 30%

PLATINUM 2 0 0 2 22 19 7 16 47 8 64%

OTHER 1 1 2 4 11 26 26 39 68 16 -45%

TOTAL 23 37 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 89 403 380 385 482 534 356 12%

5.5 MPUMALANGA FATAL ACCIDENTS : 2013

FATAL ACCIDENTS DATE FAT INJ INSP Con Emp Coal Gold Other Greenside Colliery 2013-02-20 1 0 R-L LHD drove over an electrician 1 1 Goedehoop Colliery 2013-02-25 1 0 GAG CM crushes operator against side 1 1 New Denmark Colliery 2013-03-04 1 0 LJB Tractor collided with train 1 1 Barberton Mines 2013-03-07 1 0 LJB Mechanic electrocuted by welding machine 1 1 TOTAL 4 0 1 3 3 1 0

- 8 -

5.6 DMR STATISTICS FOR 2013 : FATALITIES AND INJURIES

Fatalities* Injuries*

Actual Actual

01/01/2012 -

08/04/2012

01/01/2013 -

08/04/2013 % change

01/01/2012 -

08/04/2012

01/01/2013 -

08/04/2013 % change

Total 36 27 -25 884 586 -34

Gold 16 11 -31 401 231 -42

Coal 6 3 -50 76 61 -20

Platinum 11 7 -36 326 234 -28

Other 3 6 100 81 60 -26

* Provisional figures

Region

Fatalities* Injuries*

Actual Actual

01/01/2012 -

08/04/2012

01/01/2013 -

08/04/2013 % change

01/01/2012 -

08/04/2012

01/01/2013 -

08/04/2013 % change

Total 36 27 -25 884 586 -34

Western Cape 0 0 0 4 0 -100

Northern Cape 1 1 0 18 7 -61

Free State 3 3 0 91 75 -18

Eastern Cape 0 1 100 1 0 0

KwaZulu/Natal 0 0 0 9 13 44

Mpumalanga 6 4 -33 96 64 -33

Limpopo 7 1 -86 53 17 -68

Gauteng 11 4 -64 219 99 -55

Klerksdorp 2 3 50 114 60 -47

Rustenburg 6 10 67 279 251 -10

* Provisional figures

- 10 -

6. AUDITS, INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS

6.1 Inspections : March 2013

PLANNED ACTUAL

Mining inspections 21 4

Occupational Hygiene inspections 9 8

Occupational Medicine inspections 12 7

Machinery inspections 30 6

Statutory equipment inspections 0 0

6.2 Audits : March 2013

PLANNED ACTUAL

Mine Health and Safety Group Audits. 4 4

Occupational Health Audits (Occ Hygiene and Medical) 11 5

Occupational Safety Audits (Mining and Machinery) 26 0

6.3 Non conformances found during inspections and audits:

Mining

Sub standard support.

Sub standard barring.

Miner’s safety declarations not kept for the prescribed period.

Stone dusting not up to date.

Occupational Hygiene

Acclimatization chamber not audited by an independent assessor on an annual basis as

per the Thermal Stress COP.

Machinery generating noise above 85dB not affixed with noise symbolic signs.

Lifeline incorrectly suspended and inaccessible.

Employees working without goggles in a goggle demarcated area.

Flammable gas content release rate of coal being mined not determined.

- 12 -

Machinery

No bund wall around the oil cooled transformer.

Poor maintenance on trackless mobile machinery.

Safety representatives not properly trained.

Sweeping in underground sections is not done.

Bad conditions of the underground road ways.

Coal dust at the conveyor belt pulleys

Sign board indicating the use of remote controlled TMM is not in place.

Operators not obeying to the road sings.

Operators need training on completion of pre-use checklists.

No designated areas for crossing under the conveyer belts.

Poor Maintenance on oil transformer.

Poor design of the brake test ramp.

Cyanide antidote too far from the working area.

Barron pond dam not safe in that it does not have safety equipment around it.

Occupational medicine

Employees working with expired certificates of fitness

Change house without any water supply.

Employees are allowed to take dirty overalls home to be washed.

First aid equipment not accessible.

Dust masks not issued on mine.

7. INSTRUCTIONS IN TERMS OF SECTION 54 AND 55 ISSUED DURING

MARCH 2013

7.1 Compliance notices in terms of Section 55

Employees with hearing loss to be investigated and the reports to be submitted to the

principal inspector.

7.2 Improvement instruction in terms of Section 54

Employees allowed working with expired medical fitness certificates.

7.3 Stoppage instructions in terms of Section 54

Mine stopped because of the poor condition of TMM

- 13 -

8 EXAMINATIONS

8.1 Mine Overseer Certificate of Competency

Three Mine Overseer Boards were held during March 2013. The following persons

obtained the certificate of competency:-

TP Tsilatsila; R Gerhard; AA Liebenberg; RA Marshall; and NJ Nelwamondo

8.2 Lampman Certificate of Competency

Two Lampman examinations were conducted during March 2013. The following persons

obtained their certificates of competency:-

TM Mahlalela; and NK Ntimba

8.3 Onsetter Certificate of Competency

No Onsetter boards during March 2013

9. NEW LEGISLATION

No new legislation has been published.

10. REGIONAL OVERVIEW

10.1 Safety Achievements

Congratulations to the following mines for excellent safety achievements:-

Forzando Coal : 14000 FFPS

Booysendal Platinum : 1 million FFMS

Mooiplaats : 3000 FFPS

- 14 -

10.2 Note of appreciation

Annual medical reports

The Principal Inspector wishes to express his appreciation towards all the mines for

submitting their annual medical reports for 2012 before the end of February 2012. We

achieved a 100% compliance and are proud of the co-operation we receive from our

regional mines.

LJA BEZUIDENHOUT

PRINCIPAL INSPECTOR

MPUMALANGA REGION

ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION – MPUMALANGA REGION

ACCIDENTS RECEIVED DURING MARCH 2013

Description

1 He was trapped inside the cabin of the tractor and was fatally injured.

2 He was electrocuted by an inventor type welding machine.

3 He was busy replacing the bowl of a truck and in the process the bowl pin dislodged from the

hole and landed onto his right safety boot and injured his foot.

4 His left thumb was pinched between the stringer and the frame, whilst removing a roller frame.

5 He was struck by falling piece of coal on the back of the neck.

6 Methane concentration of >5% was encountered in a road when Borehole was cut open.

7 He was assisting the jackhammer operator to move the jackhammer to install the next split set,

his left thumb got pinched between the jackhammer and wire mesh against the sidewall.

8 Whilst he was embarking from the locomotive cab, he slipped and sustained dislocation of the

right ankle.

9 He was struck by a mine pole that was in a skip resulting in a pelvis fracture.

10 Articulated dump truck bumped into the LDV whilst it was standing in the middle of the road.

11 While climbing from the LDV at the rear tailgate and placing his foot on the rear bumper, his

foot slip on the bumper and causing him to loose his balance. By preventing himself from

falling on the ground, he put his left hand on the ground. With all his weight on his left wrist it

cause a fracture of his left radius.

12 His fingers were pinched between the water column and belt structure resulting in lacerations to

his fingers.

13 A fall of ground occurred between R1 and R2 in split 32, the dimension of the fall were 25m in

length 1.8m by 6.5m.

14 Whilst climbing up to level 7 at the section, he lost his footing and fell approximately 2.4m to

the break and sustained laceration to the back of his head.

15 He was in the process of greasing the discharge roller of the CM, while greasing took place

grease ejected from a faulty grease nipple into his eye.

16 His right hand was caught between the conveyor belting and the side plate guard, while

removing a rock from the head pulley.

17 A roof bolter operator was unblocking a drill steel and a piece of laminated sandstone dislodged

immediately above him and fell on his hand.

18 He attempted to lift up an iron plate, so that it can fit on top of the tumbler, while busy aligning

the plate it fell down and his fingers were caught between the plate and the tumbler.

19 Whilst busy cutting at L1 to L2 the roof fell with 1.8m roof bolts in the intersection.

20 He was bumped by a shuttle car resulting in injuries.

21 While in the process of pulling out a stuck roof bolter with a shuttle car by means of a two-leg

chain sling, a link on the chain broke and hit him on the forehead.

22 His right ring finger was pinched between the cable and the man cage frame, while hooking an

11kv cable on a cable hook.

23 Whilst picking up a bolt that was dropped and climbing over a steel beam of +500mm from the

ground he twisted his knee.

24 He was delivering 12m HDPE piping to the mine and was injured when he was hit on the head

by a pipe that fell from the load.

25 5% Methane was detected in the section after stooped area goafed; during the goafing process

60 ventilation structures were damaged.

26 Whilst walking towards his truck, another trucks reversed over his leg.

27 He was removing roof bolts from the trailer, using a roof bolt to cut the strap. The bundle fell

towards him and he stepped out of the way of the falling roof bolts - he then fell and injured his

left elbow.

28 His right index finger was caught between the door and the frame of the drill rig cab.

29 He was loosening bolts on a front end loader belly plate; in the process he hit his left arm

against the belly plate.