Mining firms told to put safety above output

Cape Town – Mining companies globally have a responsibility to make sure increased productivity doesn’t increase fatalities and accidents, said Johan van der Westhuyzen, regional director of DuPoint Sustainable Solutions. 

Speaking to Fin24 on the sidelines of the 2017 Mining Indaba, Van der Westhuyzen said a number of mining companies in 2016 increased their production to make up for low commodity prices, but as a result they compromised on safety. 

“The big challenge for mining companies is to uphold safety standards as productivity volumes climb.”