Between December 2023 and August 2024, Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) reached the milestone of three million hours without a Lost Time Injury (LTI), which refers to any injury suffered by an employee that results in a loss of productive working time.
According to a press release from MRM, this milestone underlines the mine’s unwavering commitment to striving for workplace safety, employee well-being, responsible mining practices and operational excellence.
In the mining industry, maintaining a low LTI rate is crucial and challenging due to the nature of the working environment. Achieving LTI-free hours means that the company has successfully implemented and adhered to strict safety protocols, ensuring the well-being of its workforce and minimising disruptions to operations.
‘Reaching the mark of three million hours without a lost time injury is the result of a collective effort on the part of the company’s employees and the subcontractors deployed on site, and demonstrates the importance of working safely at all times.
Accurate real-time reporting, monitoring and recognition of good practices and safety behaviours help us to build a strong and positive Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) culture,’ explained Jorge Kangoma, the company’s Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) director.
According to the same note, both a Joint Safety Committee and a Forum between MRM and subcontractors have been introduced, encouraging all workers deployed on site to be informed about HSE developments, consulted and involved in shaping them at their respective workplaces.
‘In doing so, MRM conveys the importance of shared responsibility when it comes to HST, as the company strives towards a ‘Zero Harm’ culture.
In addition, MRM is currently focused on achieving Integrated Management System certifications, namely ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018, to ensure sustainability, and also to act in accordance with international standards in all HST functions,’ the document emphasises.
Previous safety distinctions have seen MRM come second in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Good Practices in Occupational Safety and Health index in both 2021 and 2023. However, for 2024 no awards were given for large-scale operations.
