AngloGold Ashanti committed to employees' safety and the environment

Obuasi, July 18, GNA - The AngloGold Ashanti (Obuasi Mine) on Saturday re-affirmed its commitment to the safety of its employees as well as the environment within which it operates.

Mr. Kwesi Enyan, the acting Managing Director of the company, who made the affirmation, said, "The company would continue to play its role as a good corporate citizen with safety and the environment ad cardinal indicators".

Addressing the company's annual inter-departmental safety competition at Obuasi in which 10 departments participated with the Asset Protection Department (ADP) coming out as tops with 381 points, Mr. Enyan said it was the company's wish to compete with the world class peers in safety.

To this end, the company has instituted many safety programmes for the employees, notably amongst them included the observance of weekly ground section, risk assessment and the induction for leave returnees on safety and others.

The acting Managing Director said the management had taken on board two management systems to further demonstrate the company's commitment to the safety of its employees and the environment. He said as a result of the annual safety competitions, the company's safety records indicated a decline in lost time injury frequency rate.

Speaking to the press in connection with the competition, Mr. Y.B. Amponsah, the General Manager, Human Resource, said it was the wish to management that anybody who comes in contact with the mine does not get injured.

He said safety was the bedrock of the working environment and that was why, "this period is dedicated to sensitise the workers and their dependants on the need to appreciate safety."

Mr. Amponsah said the company's target on fatality was zero, adding, "we do not want anybody to die while at work".

Mr. Ben Kwame Abu, the Company's Mining Training Superintendent, pointed out that it was the expectation of management to get all workers trained in safety and to be certificated within very three years. He said the awareness the safety competition had created was enormous, adding that recovery rate of accidents had reduced and this situation had the potential to enhance productivity and production. Mr. Ebenezer Sackey, the Chief Inspector of Mines, encouraged the company to improve upon its safety standards.

He asked the competitors to ensure that they translated their skills into safety. 18 July 06