AUGUST 2021
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MOVING BEYOND SAFETY PROTOCOLS INSIDE: MINING FATIGUE
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I TELEMATICS I FORESTRY I AND MORE
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Say hello to MyMiX Tracking Introducing ground-breaking app-based fleet management
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SEE AN IMMEDIATE RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT All you need is a compatible phone and the app to realise the benefits, enabling you to:
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Expand management coverage to short-term vehicles or those not owned by the company without the need to install hardware
Improve driver safety and performance for all drivers through in-cab alerts
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Improve risky driving behavior scores by over 50%
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Improve driving styles, lowering annual maintenance costs by up to 20%
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WHAT ARE THE MAIN FEATURES?
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F ROM T HE EDI T OR
S A F E TY PUBLISHED BY
A proud division of Arena Holdings Hill on Empire, 16 Empire Road (cnr Hillside Road), Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193 PO Box 12500, Mill Street, Cape Town, 8010 www.businessmediamags.co.za EDITORIAL Editor: Rodney Weidemann Content Manager: Raina Julies rainaj@picasso.co.za Contributors: Denise Mhlanga, Thando Pato, Dineo Phaladi, Gert Pretorius, Duane Roothman, Kate Stubbs, Michael van Niekerk Copy Editor: Brenda Bryden Content Co-ordinator: Vanessa Payne Digital Editor: Stacey Visser vissers@businessmediamags.co.za DESIGN Head of Design: Jayne Macé-Ferguson Senior Designer: Mfundo Archie Ndzo Advert Designer: Bulelwa Sotashe Cover Credit: istock.com SALES Project Manager: Bongani Matwa +27(0) 21 469 2466 | +27 76 251 4590 matwab@picasso.co.za PRODUCTION Production Editor: Shamiela Brenner Advertising Co-ordinator: Johan Labuschagne Subscriptions and Distribution: Fatima Dramat fatimad@picasso.co.za Printers: CTP Printers, Cape Town MANAGEMENT Management Accountant: Deidre Musha Business Manager: Lodewyk van der Walt General Manager, Magazines: Jocelyne Bayer
SAFETY FIRST
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afety is critical, whatever industry you are employed in and from wherever you work. We tapped specific industry experts to provide us with thought leadership on key areas of safety. We take a deep dive into the various technologies, including dashcams, AI and telematics, that will play a key role in increasing road and driver safety. It is recognised that South Africa will reach a new level of water scarcity by the year 2025 – Interwaste outlines how water safety is, ultimately, about better wastewater management. Sappi provides deep insight into the complex and unique risks inherent to forestry. We take a look at the challenges faced, the training provided, and the shift to a behaviour-based safety culture.
Finally, for all the many dangers facing employees at a mine, perhaps the most insidious and risky threat is that of simple fatigue – Anglo American explains what it is doing to eliminate fatigue-based accidents. As we continue to navigate the coronavirus pandemic, there is no doubt that safety remains the watchword. However, this issue serves as a reminder that there is a lot more to ensuring your safety than simply following the COVID-19 guidelines – wherever you work and whatever you do, always practice “safety first”.
Rodney Weidemann Editor
Contents 4 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY As people and businesses seek to return to work, new policies, processes and applications need to be considered if this is to be achieved safely
5 WATER SAFETY South Africa faces a fast-approaching water crisis. Measures such as better wastewater management need to be implemented to ensure a consistent supply of safe water in the future
8 AVIATION SAFETY Working safely to ensure that an aeroplane or helicopter returns safely
9 DRIVER AND ROAD SAFETY Technology improvements are helping to reduce driver distraction and fatigue, limit collisions and boost driver safety and control
10 MINING SAFETY COPYRIGHT: No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material. Safety is published by Picasso Headline. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Picasso Headline. All advertisements/advertorials have been paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publisher.
One of the greatest risks in the mining industry is fatigue, here’s how the industry is countering fatigue-related accidents
11 FORESTRY SAFETY The forestry industry presents many high-risk dangers. Implementing a behaviour-based safety culture is the best way to prevent accidents
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MANAGING SAFETY Litson & Associates supplies both the aviation and non-aviation industry sectors with safety management, auditing systems and advisory services
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itson & Associates (L&A), based in Somerset West in the Western Cape, is just 20 minutes from Cape Town International Airport. Now in its 14th year of operation worldwide, L&A provides aviation-safety related advisory and auditing services to a loyal client base, primarily in the resource (mining) and the oil and gas sectors. Besides Africa, L&A is highly active in several countries in South America and has a growing presence in Asia. Tasks have also been carried out in Russia, China, Alaska, Papua New Guinea, Australia and Laos, among others.
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND AUDITING SYSTEMS
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eSMS-S™: Electronic Safety Management System-Simplified. The system has been on the market for 12 years and is currently used by clients in Africa and Asia. It will soon be launched in South America. The following two systems are the next systems to be released to support general industry: eREP-S™: eREPORT-Simplifi ed is L&A’s prime auditing system. Oil and gas and resource sector clients access eREP-S™ to download their audit reports and view the risk assessments associated with each audit report. The system can create master checklists (bespoke to client requirements), create audits and followup corrective actions to close-out. It includes a Scoring matrix/Risk matrix (Severity x Probability)/eBOW Tie/result trending year-on-year. eREP-S™ provides audit report progress statistics. eTEND-S™:: eTENDERSimplifi ed is a new tendering and bid evaluation programme, which simplifies the tendering process and improves the accuracy of Mike Litson, CEO L&A bid evaluations. It is also transparent and all data is retained in the database for any future reference that may be required.
SOME OF THE L&A RMS TEAM Besides specifi c aviation skill sets, the management team is supported by specialists in safety management, quality management, emergency response planning and training, backed up by administrative staff who assist with the planning and management of all auditing and advisory services tasks globally, including on-site and virtual training sessions. Clients receive ongoing technical software support from dedicated help
Karen Litson
Victor Chiota
In all the above software programmes, the ‘’S’’ stands for simplified. Great efforts have been made to make each system simple to use. In most cases, the user should not have to click more than twice to LOGO get to where they need to be in the programme. Safety is about assessing risks. Risk assessments are core to L&A’s advisory and auditing services. Root cause analysis, corrective action planning and the implementation (corrective COLOURS actions taken) thereof, the Main Colour mitigation of risksGradient and the assessment of residual risks are all fundamental #A21D21 #D4202B aspects of L&A’s processes.
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L&A believes that the implementation of a safety management system must not be complicated and should be kept in accordance with the size and complexity of the organisation. The implementation of actions must be simple to understand and put into effect.
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desks and IT developers for the duration of their contracts with L&A RMS. Besides clients having direct telephone contact with L&A RMS’s help desks, each software programme has a ticketing system, through which clients can advise L&A of any perceived glitches or make suggestions, many of which have been incorporated into eSMS-S™ and eREP-S™ over the years. Litson & Associates RMS is now looking forward to supporting its new clients in the broader, non-aviation industry sectors.
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RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES
➔ Scan this QR code to go directly COLOURS to the litson and associates website.
For more information:
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+27 (0) 21 851 7187 enquiries@litson.co.za www.litsonandassociates.com
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OCCUPAT ION A L HE A LT H A ND SA F E T Y
New policies, processes and applications offer ways for people to return to work securely, says RODNEY WEIDEMANN
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lthough the global pandemic remains ever-present, people are starting to return to work, at least part of the time. Under the circumstances, occupational health and safety (OHS) principles need to take pole position. Louise Woodburn, GM at KBC Risk Solutions, says that companies must have, at minimum, clear OHS policies and procedures around what they should or should not do. By this, she says, she means being consistent with policies such as not allowing employees over the age of 60 back into the office, for example. “The first point is to decide which employees can return, and then how this can be enabled. This involves implementing the relevant controls and measures – such as placing protective screens between office desks – to ensure their safety. “Companies must also adopt measures like regular cleaning and sanitising of surfaces and areas,” she explains. “And, they must understand how often this needs to be done to maintain safety. Essentially, you cannot consider individual parts in isolation – it is imperative to ensure that all parts of the system work and that they all fit together properly.” Woodburn adds that it is also important to educate employees about personal hygiene. Organisations need to ensure employees understand why they are washing their hands
regularly, how masks impact transmission and so on. “Other things that need to be factored in are issues like the psychological effect of having to wear a mask for eight hours a day,” Woodburn says. “Furthermore, organisations must review and update emergency evacuation plans to avoid a situation where an emergency could lead to dozens of people crowding into one small area. Ultimately, what the pandemic has taught us about OHS is that we need to more effectively embed such practices and processes into the structures of businesses.”
INSTANT VITALS It is also critical to ensure that employees returning to the office are not bringing in COVID-19. This is where artificial intelligence-based applications come to the fore. These monitor vital signs in real-time, making it easy to determine infection status. “These wellness applications already exist to facilitate telemedicine and remote healthcare solutions, so it doesn’t take much to adapt this technology to assist industries and enterprises to safely reopen during the ongoing pandemic,” says Quentin Daffarn, MD at UC Wireless. “These apps utilise a smartphone’s camera to process wavelength measurements of blood vessels directly under the skin to detect an increase in heart and respiratory rate
“ORGANISATIONS MUST REVIEW AND UPDATE EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLANS TO AVOID A SITUATION WHERE AN EMERGENCY COULD LEAD TO DOZENS OF PEOPLE CROWDING INTO ONE SMALL AREA.” – LOUISE WOODBURN, KBC RISK SOLUTIONS 4
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KEEPING YOUR DOCUMENTATION IN ORDER As people return to the office, it has become vital for companies and personnel to securely capture, store, manage and distribute document compliance information online and in real-time. Ingrid Osborne of the Saryx Engineering Group explains that a cloud-based solution providing a transparent, collaborative workflow platform, which is accessible on any device from anywhere and at any time, is needed. “Staying compliant can be tough, as it is not always easy to remember when documents need to be filed or even which documents your business needs for such purposes. We have developed our Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) Online solution to keep businesses aware of exactly what needs to be done to remain compliant. For example, what documents need to be filed and when and where they must go,” she says. “HSEC Online is flexible enough to help an SME control everything, from legal issues, PPE management, audits and risk management to all the required documentation around emergency procedures and organisational safety policies, safely and securely.”
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BACK TO WORK
and hypoxia – the desaturation of oxygen in haemoglobin. These signs, along with a high temperature, can indicate the presence of COVID-19.” Daffarn says that testing a subject’s core temperature as well as their heart and respiratory rate will deliver a far more accurate assessment. It also helps to negate the challenge of people claiming they have no symptoms when they know they may have demonstrated some. “Properly used, these AI-based apps should enable businesses to address several issues relating to lockdown and partial business closures – helping us to strike a balance between keeping industries and businesses open and staying ahead of an evolving disease,” he concludes.
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WATER SAFETY BOILS DOWN TO BETTER MANAGEMENT KATE STUBBS, marketing director at Interwaste, discusses the need for effective and sustainable management of water
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outh Africa will reach a new level of water scarcity by the year 2025, cites the WWF-SA 2017, Scenarios for the Future of Water in South Africa report. It is further predicted that the country will face a 17 per cent increase in water shortages by 2030, and with climate change on the cards, this situation will only worsen. Water is the most valuable resource on earth, and as such, a paradigm shift is required, not only in how we address this fast-approaching crisis, but also in how to create sustainable solutions. With over 300 million people in Africa having no access to clean drinking water, coupled with the fact that $114-million is needed annually to reach the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to water alone, we have a huge job ahead to ensure a consistent supply of water that is safe for consumption and use. This means that we need to: • create a much more diverse water mix, including groundwater and water reuse • fix the infrastructure and skill deficiencies • start embracing technologies • plan for the impact of climate change • ensure effective wastewater management and treatment. The solution is to make a concerted effort to improve water quality by minimising pollution and the release of chemicals and waste into water, as well as increasing recycling and reusing of water across the globe.
MANAGING WASTEWATER IS ESSENTIAL Wastewater, and the treatment thereof, has become a critical consideration in addressing
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scarcity and safety issues when it comes to our constrained water supply. Wastewater treated to the required standards – as set out by national environmental agencies – means that this water can be reused effectively. We have found that nearly all effluent can be recycled if done properly. This means that a large bank of water could become available, which previously may not have been considered as “safe” for the environment or community. Innovative wastewater management can result in the redistribution of this water into the environment for irrigation and dust suppression, as well as to replenish rivers and catchments in our water infrastructure networks. The different technologies are currently so advanced that effluent can even be treated further to provide potable (drinking) water for areas where it is in short supply. However, to truly ensure a safer and more robust water supply, corporate South Africa and government need to work together to build suitable infrastructure to support the water mix and find the most cost-effective solutions at the highest efficiency rates possible. Solutions that can be adapted for the big corporations as well as the man on the street must be developed and must ensure that wastewater treatment becomes the norm and not a distant vision. Waste management companies form a cornerstone to securing safe water for South Africa’s commercial and private use and are striving towards driving such change in the country to conserve, manage and repurpose water, as well as play their part in fighting climate change.
TO TRULY ENSURE A SAFER AND MORE ROBUST WATER SUPPLY, CORPORATE SOUTH AFRICA AND GOVERNMENT NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD SUITABLE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE WATER MIX AND FIND THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS AT THE HIGHEST EFFICIENCY RATES POSSIBLE.
The treatment of wastewater is critical to counter scarcity and safety issues.
The reality is that, if we don’t focus on securing safe water resources, we risk placing additional strain on human health, productivity and consequently, economic development and sustainable ecosystems for generations to come. There has never been a better and more pressing time for companies within the public and private sector to play their part in the sustainable management of our most precious resource.
WWF-SA 2017 FUTURE OF WATER IN SOUTH AFRICA REPORT
WATER NEEDS FOR AFRICANS UNMET
UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 6 2018 REPORT ON WATER AND SANITATION
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2021/08/23 11:17 AM
A HELPING HAND FOR RETAILERS T Automated cash vaults will help retailers stand strong in difficult times he recent riots and looting in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal highlight just how vulnerable our retail sector is to crime. At Cash Connect, we are aware that criminals are constantly fi nding new ways to get their hands on valuable goods and cash. Mark Templemore-Walters, operations director at Cash Connect, says that managing cash is a core part of a retail business. Cash is a cost-effective trading tool and the preferred payment method for many consumers, with 50 per cent of transactions in South Africa done in cash. In fact, the impact of cash crime on the SA economy is 5 times less than digital and card fraud. In a country with about 11 million unbanked citizens, cash payments enable financial inclusion. With this in mind, retailers should look at cash management solutions that will not only deter and deflect crime, but also provide improved efficiency for the retail business.
BENEFITS OF AUTOMATED CASH MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS Puts a bank in your store. Installing an automated cash vault built to SABS Category 4 standards is like putting a bank in the retail store. Such a safe is not just a tin box to store cash. An offering like Cash Connect’s cash vault is a hardened device with proven technology to protect the cash and streamline
daily cash handling. Once the retailer deposits their cash into the cash vault, Cash Connect guarantees the funds in their bank account – same day, with an immediate risk transfer.
Creates a safer environment for employees and shoppers. A robust cash management solution not only safeguards cash, but also helps to protect the retail staff and customers. A robust cash vault from Cash Connect is proven to withstand the toughest of attacks and deflects criminals to more vulnerable and softer targets.
Time and money savings. Automated cash management helps retailers to save time and money by almost 50 per cent. By automating reconciliations and banking, counting, shrinkage and double-count supervision, retailers no longer have the task of manual cash handling. Employees can focus on tasks that add real value, rather than counting money or standing in bank queues. Reducing employee interaction with cash also reduces the risk of cash shortages. In-store cash and cash-in-transit (CIT) insurance, cash shrinkage, deposit fees, back-offi ce and cash counting supervision costs can quickly add up. For a retail store that trades 30 days a month, employs a daily CIT service from Monday to Saturday and banks R2-million in cash monthly, management
“AN INTELLIGENT, AUTOMATED CASH MANAGEMENT SOLUTION HAS BECOME AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF A SUCCESSFUL RETAIL STORE, CREATING A SAFER TRADING ENVIRONMENT, A MORE EFFECTIVE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AND TANGIBLE COST SAVINGS.”
costs could be R30 000 a month if there is no reputable cash handling system in place. An automated cash management service with a secure cash vault, CIT collection service, including in-store cash insurance and bank cash handling fees, can easily halve that cost. Increased cash flow with Instant Access to cash. Cash Connect’s cash vault sits at the very core of a bouquet of fintech enabled solutions for the retail industry. With the Instant Access cash facility, retailers can access the cash while still in the cash vault at a click of a button. If a retailer needs to make an urgent supplier payment or has to pay for an emergency repair, for example, they can access the cash to reflect in their bank account instantly. An automated cash vault like the one from Cash Connect, enables retailers to get up to R2.5-million business finance* in just 24 hours, hassle-free and based on the monthly cash and card receipts. This unsecured business finance solution gives retailers quick access to trading capital, helping them to keep their shelves stocked and capitalise on business opportunities. They simply download an App to Click & Borrow, and if they have a Cash Connect cash vault, the loan can be repaid in small daily instalments straight from the cash in the retail cash vault, or by daily debit orders from their bank account.
CORNERSTONE OF A SUCCESSFUL RETAIL OPERATION “An intelligent, automated cash management solution has become an essential component of a successful retail store, creating a safer trading environment, a more effective allocation of resources and tangible cost savings,” says Templemore-Walters. “For us, it’s key to note that none of our clients experienced any cash losses this year – proving that these solutions work.” Cash connect https://connected.co.za/cash-connect Instant access https://connected.co.za/cash-connect Click and borrow https://connected.co.za/cash-connect
➔ Scan this QR code to go directly to the Cash Connectwebsite.
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+27 11 010 4300 083 286 2799 info@connected.co.za sumayd@connected.co.za www.cash.connected.co.za www.connected.co.za
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2021/08/23 3:03 PM
AV I AT ION S A F E T Y
MIKE LITSON, CEO of Litson & Associates, discusses the complexities of aviation safety
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n aviation, safety is no different to any other industry sector when assessed in terms of risk and risk mitigation. However, a possible difference may be that aviation is particularly unforgiving if we get it wrong. The old saying, “I would rather be down here wishing I was up there, than up there, wishing I was down here”, comes to mind when talking about aviation safety.
MANY HANDS MAKE AIRCRAFT SAFE Tens of thousands of people around the world are involved either directly or indirectly in making aviation as safe as possible. Aviation safety managers and safety officers are trained to implement the ICAO mandated aviation Safety Management System (SMS), which consists of four pillars and twelve elements of safety. This aviation SMS model is used globally and all countries’ civil aviation authorities are required to ensure that their airlines and nonscheduled aircraft operators implement SMS accordingly. So, while safety managers and officers are at the forefront of making aviation as safe as possible, there are many other levels of participation in the safety effort. From the accountable managers (CEOs and MDs) who sign the company
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safety policy and ensure it is implemented, down through the ranks of senior and middle management to the supervisors who are responsible for ensuring that their departments and sections operate safely, everyone has a role to play. Then there are the millions of people employed in the industry whose core ethic is to work safely. Working safely and ensuring that an aeroplane or helicopter returns safely after every flight is in the DNA of everyone who works in the aviation industry, no matter their role. Consider that one loose bolt in a safety-critical area can bring an aircraft down, yet day after day, thousands of aircraft land safely because the whole aviation sector workforce is firmly focused on working safely. Yes, there are mishaps and lives are lost very occasionally, but we continue to learn from every accident and then fine-tune manufacturing processes and aircraft operator policies and procedures.
THE SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR AFRICAN OPERATORS There are some other sectors where safety is paramount, such as in underground mining, and others that involve the transportation of people, for example, bus, train and maritime industries. It is easier when one global controlling body sets the standards and recommended practices, as in the
Companies that don’t yet have a robust safety management system (SMS) in place should start by implementing a system that is appropriate to their organisation’s size and complexity, backed up by technology and well-trained safety personnel. It is important to manage safety from the ground up as well as from the top down – get everyone involved. Build a safety culture around what in aviation is called a “Just Culture”. One where all employees participate willingly and without the fear of blame. Above all, keep the SMS simple and make it easy for all participants to understand how it works.
aviation sector, but countries individually can and do mandate their own safety standards. Companies, too, can elect to increase their safety standards above those required as a minimum by law, which many already do. In Africa, the good news is that there are many excellent and safe aircraft operators, airlines and charter aircraft operators. Many African countries, especially those who operate on behalf of the oil and gas and resource/ mining sectors, require the implementation of their own higher aviation safety standards. These airlines and charter aircraft operators often exceed the operating standards of similar-sized aircraft operators elsewhere, even in the first world.
Working safely and ensuring that an aeroplane or helicopter returns safely after every flight is in the DNA of everyone who works in the aviation industry, no matter their role.
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SETTING UP A SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
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2021/08/23 9:38 AM
AI-enabled dashcams offer a far more effective and efficient way of improving and maintaining safe and fuel-efficient driving standards. Together with AI-driven video telematics, innovative app-based tracking for vehicles and drivers is also becoming the norm, extending the ability to help customers improve driver safety and control the risks involved in managing diverse and dynamic fleets.
TELEMATICS IS THE FUTURE Video telematics is fast becoming mainstream and the way forward for road safety, writes GERT PRETORIUS, executive vice president and managing director of MiX Telematics Africa
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educing driver distraction and fatigue are key to improving driver, passenger and road safety. Evidence-based footage provides additional context to help improve driver behaviour and coaching, allowing companies to exonerate claims against their drivers and reduce insurance costs in the process. Improvements in technology and the proliferation of consumer dashcam devices are driving greater awareness and adoption in fleets around the world and across all industries. While video telematics started as a niche application and an add-on to vehicle telematics, it is fast becoming mainstream.
AI MAKES AN ENTRANCE The next generation of video telematics solutions, designed to optimise driver safety and minimise fleet operating costs, will encompass artificial intelligence (AI). This represents an extensive upgrade to traditional video telematics offerings, further enhancing the capability of the technology to assist global fleet customers.
DID YOU KNOW? AI leverages machine vision technology to detect and alert drivers and managers to unsafe or risky driving behaviour that affects road safety. Driver monitoring events include fatigue, phone use, distraction, smoking and seat-belt use, while passive advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) events include forward collision and lane departure warnings. Further, in-cab, audible alerts warn drivers in real-time via an onboard computer, ensuring that immediate corrective action can be taken. Video footage is also made available to fleet managers, via extensive online software coupled with mobile apps, allowing for extended driver coaching.
VISUAL EVIDENCE Such fully integrated video telematics solutions combine comprehensive video and vehicle telematics data into a single platform. On-road or in-cab video footage, linked to driving or vehicle events, is transmitted automatically and available online. Users can also request time-based, continuous video extracts for detailed incident analysis. Advanced telematics’ platforms also cater for livestreaming, giving fleet operators greater visibility into their operational efficiency. Dashcam systems based on AI, in the form of machine vision, translate what is happening in real-time, without human input. So, dashcams not only provide the video footage, but also render the “event” data that is used to coach drivers to effectively address their risky driving behaviour before this culminates in potentially hazardous events. By channelling relevant information directly to drivers and fleet owners,
FULLY INTEGRATED VIDEO TELEMATICS SOLUTIONS COMBINE COMPREHENSIVE VIDEO AND VEHICLE TELEMATICS DATA INTO A SINGLE PLATFORM. ON-ROAD OR IN-CAB VIDEO FOOTAGE, LINKED TO DRIVING OR VEHICLE EVENTS, IS TRANSMITTED AUTOMATICALLY AND AVAILABLE ONLINE.
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App-based tracking solutions are perfect for customers running subcontractor vehicles, leased vehicles, company cars, short-term rentals or grey fleets. They are a cost-effective and impactful alternative to installing a hard-wired onboard computer or tracking device inside a vehicle. Source: MiX Telematics Africa
Traditional dashcam systems merely capture video footage of what is happening on the road and in the vehicle for future viewing (by a person). However, this means having to go through a lot of video footage to find what they are looking for and then only are they “armed” with the visual evidence to act. Source: MiX Telematics Africa
TRACKING VIA APP App-based tracking leverages mobile phone technology for real-time tracking of drivers, including drivers of noncore or rental fleets, while also recording, measuring and enabling real-time self-correction of risky driving behaviour. These include speeding, harsh braking, harsh acceleration and mobile phone use while driving. Such solutions are an extension of a comprehensive driver engagement app that also equips drivers with valuable information and alerts to improve their driving style, including immediate in-cab audible feedback. For over two decades, valuable information has been delivered to customers using in-vehicle hardware to help improve the safety, efficiency, security and compliance of vehicles and drivers. Fixed-install devices continue to provide the appropriate enabling technology for many fleets. Meanwhile, tracking apps provide a practical and cost-effective option to expand management coverage to short-term vehicles or those not owned by the company, without the need to install hardware. This gives fleet managers 100 per cent visibility of unsafe or inefficient driving behaviour on all trips, while creating opportunities to further improve safety and efficiency outcomes through additional training and the implementation of new processes or rules.
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2021/08/23 9:40 AM
PROF IL E: KOL OMEL A MINE
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f all the many dangers employees face on a mine, perhaps the most insidious and risky threat is that of simple fatigue. Understanding this, it is no surprise then that Anglo American has placed a premium on fatigue management. At the company’s Kolomela mine, which operates three opencast iron ore pit mines, as well as the plant where ore is processed for production, many dangerous tasks are undertaken daily, from drilling and blasting, loading and hauling to crushing and screening and final dispatch via railway.
24/7-STAFFED FATIGUE CENTRE Because the mine operates on a 24/7 basis, the potential for fatigue-related safety incidents is quite significant and this risk must be managed. A key element of the mine’s Fatigue Management Programme (FMP) is the Fatigue Centre, which has medical personnel available on-site 24/7. Among the services available are a nap station, basic-to-basic supplements, chronic disease monitoring, a gym and a weigh-to-go programme. Clinical data is captured constantly and regular reports are drawn up. These include a weekly report on fatigue clients reporting at the centre, monthly reports on the number of clients seen, reports on the times clients visited the centre and the outcomes of the assessments. A daily register of all services rendered is also kept, so that should a fatigue report be needed, for example, for an incident investigation, it will be available.
MANAGING FATIGUE Several inter-related elements inform the way the mine designed and maintains its successful fatigue management programme.
FAST FACT
As part of its commitment to the principle of zero harm, Anglo American’s Kolomela Mine has implemented a fatigue management programme to reduce accidents. By DINEO PHALADI, section manager: mining technology and information systems
SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF FATIGUE According to Better Health Channel, fatigue can cause a vast range of physical, mental and emotional symptoms including: • small errors, lapses and slips • chronic tiredness or sleepiness • difficulty keeping your eyes open, head nodding and falling asleep at work • drowsy relaxed feeling • micro sleeps—falling asleep for less than a second to a few seconds, and being unaware that you have done so • headache or dizziness • sore or aching muscles or alternatively muscle weakness • Slowed reflexes and responses • impaired decision-making and judgement • moodiness, such as irritability.
Senior management buy-in was essential and Kolomela’s GM was designated as the owner of and the person accountable for the programme. The GM has since appointed the mining manager as “champion” of the programme, serving as chairperson of the fatigue committee. The programme also receives visible support, endorsement and allocation of sufficient resources to ensure its sustainability and optimisation and ongoing monitoring. Several systems have also been put in place for managing fatigue, notably the Predictive Risk Intelligent Safety Module (PRISM). All employees and contractors must have a PRISM baseline, which is established by a series of ten
A fatigue index monitoring system links to the mines clock-in system and collects the total number of hours worked by an employee. It then calculates fatigue based on the consecutive hours and shifts worked.
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tests that employees must perform over a total of five days. The level of alertness of every employee is measured against their PRISM baseline. Employees’ contact cellphone numbers are retained on the system, as are the contact details of their reporting lines. A warning SMS can be sent to an employee or, in a case where the measurement is high and severe, to both the employee and their supervisor. Should the employee not take action, the message is escalated to the head of department. If no further action is taken, an SMS will be sent to the GM. Other fatigue-measuring solutions include the MR688 Monitor, which is installed inside a truck cabin on the dashboard in front of the operator. This is monitored from the dispatch control room via GPS. The monitor is activated if the system cannot pick up eye contact and the truck speed is recorded as above 10km/h.
A KEY ELEMENT OF THE MINE’S FATIGUE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME IS THE FATIGUE CENTRE, WHICH HAS MEDICAL PERSONNEL AVAILABLE ON-SITE 24/7. Once alerted, the operator in the dispatch control room uses the fatigue management Trigger Action Response Plan (TARP), which sounds repeated alarms to warn the operator that they must stop the truck at a safe place and be taken to the fatigue centre for assessment by the fatigue nurse. Finally, there is the self-reporting option, whereby employees report to the supervisor or fatigue nurse when they feel tired, have slept for less than three to six hours or are not feeling well. Their supervisor must allow them to consult the fatigue nurse for assessment. Unlike in the past, fatalities no longer have to be an inevitable byproduct of mining. At Anglo American, we are committed to the principle of zero harm – the implementation of the FMP and Fatigue Centre demonstrates our ongoing focus on eliminating fatal risks and commitment to reimagining mining to improve people’s lives.
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HOW THE INDUSTRY IS ELIMINATING FATIGUE-BASED ACCIDENTS
SAFETY
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2021/08/23 3:09 PM
REDUCING RISK IN THE INDUSTRY Safety is key to a thriving industry, writes DUANE ROOTHMAN, vice president Forestry at Sappi Southern Africa
T
he forestry landscape comes with its own set of challenges, where Mother Nature often calls the shots. The risks inherent to forestry are complex and unique. Besides working with dangerous equipment like chainsaws, the very nature of the terrain and the environment is fraught with challenges. Just recently, a forestry employee was gouged in the leg by a testosterone-charged bushbuck. Then there are bees, snakes and wasps, which can pose a risk to the worker. Slips and trips are also an everyday risk that can lead to twisted ankles, abrasions, sprains, cuts and bruises. But more so, the industry is riddled with the dangers of huge trees being felled – one of the biggest risks in the forestry industry.
CHALLENGES AND A CULTURE SHIFT
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PROF IL E: S A PPI
Chainsaw operators need ongoing professional training and refresher courses. Forestry teams must be trained in fire-fighting – teams are on high alert when the annual fire season approaches. Due to our vast rural footprint, where we are surrounded by neighbouring communities, any social unrest can heighten this risk. So, we also must establish and maintain good community relations. The COVID-19 pandemic presented additional challenges. The number of attendees on training courses was reduced to conform to social distancing and COVID protocols. In-field transport in labour carriers was reduced to 50–75 per cent of vehicle capacity to allow for social distancing, except for emergency situations like fire-fighting activities when full capacity was permitted. With our widespread plantations, where operations are outsourced to 76 private contractors – that employ almost 10 000 people – research shows that to replace a rules-based management culture with a behaviour-based safety culture, required us to implement something different. We found that as employees were drilled in rules, their attitude towards safety was
DID YOU KNOW?
Faced with the challenge of educating many workers with low literacy levels or who are not proficient in English about complex safety issues, Sappi chose to use a visual storytelling technique. The company adopted a storytelling approach in asking the audience to Stop and Think Before you Act (STBA) with visuals designed to make the STBA concepts easier to understand and teach. The programme has been successful and has led to increased engagement and improved uptake and recall. Source: Sappi
problematic: accepting risks without thinking about the consequences for themselves, others and the business and a lack of trust and mutual respect. Low literacy levels and diverse ethnic groups meant there was a problem reading complex safety policies and work procedures in English only. From this research, the “Stop and Think Before you Act” risk behaviour change model was created and introduced. Audiences were engaged in developing a new approach to communication that transcended barriers, empowering them with a risk mitigation tool that guided them to safe behaviour by asking questions like: “If I do this, what could go wrong?”, “If something goes wrong, how bad could it be?” and “What can I do about it?”
The simplicity of the tool was evident recently when it was used to explain the complexities of the pandemic in simple, comprehensible and concise language. It has been so successful that workers are teaching it in the communities where we operate. Eight non-negotiable “Life Saving Rules” have also been laid down. Zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs and no cellphone use while driving are some of the general rules. However, a very specific one for forestry operations is the two-tree length rule, which states that nobody may be within two tree lengths of the person felling a tree. Stump-cut audits are done as a lead indicator to measure the quality of work of the operator, ensuring their adherence to safe work procedure. Manager feedback is done intentionally and constructively and is focused on identifying and encouraging positive behaviours. Sappi believes that this visible leadership will help to further entrench a safety culture. While we set ourselves strict no-injury targets and our teams are measured against these, we don’t believe in being reactive and punitive. We believe that the right way to improve our safety record is to focus not on the lag indicators, but to look towards the lead indicators, which are picked up through proactive measures like audits, near-miss analysis, being pedantic about maintenance and housekeeping and, most importantly, having leadership presence in operations. Our values are underpinned by an unrelenting focus on and commitment to safety. This has become the cornerstone of our existence, allowing us to build a thriving world by unlocking the potential of renewable resources to the benefit of people, communities and the planet.
THE “STOP AND THINK BEFORE YOU ACT” RISK BEHAVIOUR CHANGE MODEL WAS CREATED AND INTRODUCED. AUDIENCES WERE ENGAGED IN DEVELOPING A NEW APPROACH TO COMMUNICATION THAT TRANSCENDED BARRIERS, EMPOWERING THEM WITH A RISK MITIGATION TOOL THAT GUIDED THEM TO SAFE BEHAVIOUR. SAFETY
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Accept Every Challenge and Live the Ranger Life
In the All-New Ford Ranger FX4 Push the very definition of the word adventure when you get behind the wheel of the formidable Ford Ranger FX4. Designed to burst through comfort zones, built to carve your own, unique path and dominate any uphill or downhill – the world is yours in the all-new Ranger FX4. Keep adventure top of mind as you take on any terrain in a vehicle enhanced to put your safety first. The FX4 comes standard with features like the Thatcham-approved Volumetric Alarm System that uses motion sensors to detect intrusion. The Electronic Stability Program is designed to prevent skidding or sliding sideways while navigating through bad weather conditions. And, with Hill Start Assist at the ready to enable the prevention of backwards rolling on steep and slippery surfaces, when you choose to Live the Ranger Life, the world opens itself up to you as new heights are achieved, and incredible frontiers realised. Ranger drivers know how to turn inconvenient drawbacks into exciting activities and opportunities in order to hone in on all the fun, getting the most out of every terrain. Gone are the days when detours and wrong turns governed the ways we explored the world thanks to troublesome obstacles, water hazards or jagged inclines. With the vehicle’s 800mm water-wading capability and Electronic Locking Rear Differential, your way will always be the final way of heading to wherever you need to be. But the FX4 doesn’t only make tough seem easy. It makes tough look very appealing too, with new partial leather seats and soft leather toppers with red stitching, and a mirror mounted USB. Exterior-wise, the FX4 brings style to any adventure with a unique black sports bar, black mesh grille, black painted handles and mirrors. A new 18” Black Alloy Wheels and a state-of-the-art drop-in bedliner that comes standard with a power socket.
The FX4 isn’t only safe and adventurous. The vehicle is also incredibly intelligent, boasting an impressive array of hightech features and game-changing technology that allows for an enjoyable and more confident driving experience.
Thanks to FordPass Connect, you get remote access and control of the FX4’s many features via the FordPass app. Use Cruise Control for urban drives during busy hours. Utilize the Front and Rear PDC with a rearview camera for fitting into tight spaces and gettiang out of them. And take on dark nights with LED Headlamps. Buying the new Ranger FX4 means buying into a promise of reliability and no unnecessary surprises. You get the best when you choose to drive the best, which is why Ford offers every FX4 driver a 6 year / 90 000km service plan, a 4 year / 120 000km comprehensive warranty, a 5 year / unlimited km corrosion warranty and 3 year / roadside assistance. Produced locally at Ford’s Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, not only is the FX4 one of South Africa’s top-selling vehicles, it is also the country’s leading light commercial vehicle exported to over 100 markets on a global scale. What’s more, the FX4 has emerged victorious in the 2020 AA-Kinsey Report on parts pricing, breaking records for achieving the lowest total cost of service, repair and replacement parts in the popular and competitive double cab segment. So, what are you waiting for? With the Ranger FX4, your next greatest adventure awaits when you choose to Live the Ranger Life. Are you up for the challenge? For more information, visit ford.co.za or contact your nearest dealer today.
Challenge Accepted You Can In The New Ranger Fx4 Now With Connectivity Comes standard with high-rear driving away camera and a four-spokesteering wheel with multi-functional controls, so you can rise to any challenge.
Experience FordPass on Ford.co.za FordPass connect and embedded modem comes standard on 2021 Rangers excluding base models. E&OE
SOME RANGES NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE
THEY JUST STEP UP THEIR GAME
Introducing the new BOVA TRAX range: TRAX 2.0
LAUNCHING SEPTEMBER 2021
