It has been suggested that the South African government could be planning to bring in top mine safety experts in an effort to help mining forms reduce miner deaths in the country.

According to Mineweb, the country's Department of Minerals and Energy and the Chamber of Mines have been considering bringing in some top officials, with international safety expert Jay Greenspan and Professor May Hermanus, former chief inspector of mines, the two main names being touted by stakeholders.

Sietse van der Woude, Chamber of Mines Safety and Sustainable Mining Advisor, has stated that the suggestion of bringing in safety experts to tackle the problem has been made, although no final decision on the mater has yet been agreed.

He added that industry officials and government are due to meet later this month with a view to working out a plan to reduce the number of deaths at mines around the country.

Figures from South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and shown to Mineweb have suggested that there was an 11 per cent increase in mineworker deaths during 2007 compared to the previous year.

A number of platinum companies' production figures were affected last year due to stoppages resulting from worker deaths.

Source:

South Africa calls in mining safety experts to help reduce fatalities, 11/01/08
http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page68?oid=44267&sn=Detail

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