Member Article

In terms of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (the “MHSA”), the employer of a mine is required to ensure health and safety as far as reasonably practicable (sections 2 and 5). The MHSA also places specific obligations on employers to ensure an adequate supply of health and safety equipment; to staff the mine with due regard to health and safety; to provide health and safety training; to assess and respond to risk (see sections 6, 7, 10 and 11 of the MHSA); and to appoint managerial, supervisory and other personnel.

In practice, the emphasis is being placed on the formal and functional handover procedures implemented by a mine, to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the continuation of safe operating conditions and a healthy working environment at working places, where there is a change of personnel managing and/or supervising such working places.

The purpose of such handover procedures is to ensure that the incumbent is familiar with their particular responsibilities and that all operational information regarding such working places, with emphasis on the hazards relating to the work at such working places and the associated risks, are communicated in writing before a change in personnel takes place. This will ensure that the necessary steps are taken to deal with such hazards as part of the process to provide and maintain a healthy and safe environment, as far as reasonably practicable. Handover procedures also ensure that newly-appointed employees or relieving/acting employees are properly inducted, to enable them to perform the required work before being introduced to new working places.

Handover procedures apply at various levels and include the handover of responsibilities between managerial personnel, engineering personnel, mine overseers, shift bosses, miners, etc. It is recommended that a mine prepares precedent handover forms to be completed with reference to differing handover scenarios, to ensure the required competency of the personnel involved in the handover process and to serve as proof of such competency (should it be required at a later stage).