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COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
169 
 
-induction training should be redesigned, and extended and should include more 
hands on experience under the guidance of experienced persons, largely 
underground, rather than in the classroom environment; 
 
-the existing work force should undergo a phase retraining and retesting 
programmes, carried out underground, under the close personal supervision of 
experienced trainers; 
 
-comprehensive refresher training programmes should be designed for all ranks of 
mine officials. These should become important elements in the training and 
personnel development programmes of all mining groups. They should focus 
initially on the problems that represent the greatest risk to health and safety; and 
 
-these matters should be included in Training Regulations when they are drafted 
(see Ch. 6.3). 
 
12.13.1  The COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that a closer working relationship be 
formed between the CNS and the GME with a view to closer monitoring of 
underground exposures and the doses received annually by individuals.  The two 
enforcing authorities should jointly develop a way of informing the workforce of 
the nature of the hazard, its extent and how it affects individuals (see Ch. 6.8). 
 
12.13.2  The COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that the complaint book be inspected by 
the manager and by a person with the requisite health expertise in order to ensure 
that the implications of the complaints are understood and the appropriate action 
taken (see Ch. 4). 
 
12.13.3  The COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that the mining industry should develop a 
methodology for targeting the most pressing hazards using specific plans 
developed for that purpose.  Risk management is a tool that could be employed 
therefor (see Ch. 3.4). 
 
12.13.4  The COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that: 
 
-research should be intensified to seek ways and means of having better control of 
problems arising from rock failure as urgently as possible. Unless this is achieved 
within a reasonable time, the long term future of ultra deep mining is in jeopardy; 
 
-a comprehensive investigation should be instituted to determine the efficacy and 
relative merits of stabilising pillars and backfill as regional support; and 
 
-the gold mining industry should not lose sight of the self evident fact that higher 
productivity is a crucial means of reducing the large number of serious and fatal 
injuries (see Ch. 3.1.6, Ch. 3.1.4 and 3.4). 
 

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COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
170 
 
12.13.5  The COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that: 
 
-urgent steps be taken to correct the imbalance between safety (which is stressed) 
and health (which is often ignored) which pervades the legislation; 
 
-in the drafting of new legislation in the light of this Commission’s 
recommendations careful attention to the use of the words “health and safety” will 
be required; 
 
-revision of legislation must ensure that the existing imbalance between health 
and safety is corrected, and that in the Department responsible therefor there is 
appropriate health expertise; and 
 
-if effective provisions are to be made the terms referred to in Appendix 7 must 
be defined.  The terms “health and safety committee”, “health and safety 
representative” and several other related terms should also be defined. 
 
12.13.6  The COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that: 
 
-a deliberate and sustained effort be made by all the agencies concerned to 
identify the undetected cases of occupational disease among former mineworkers, 
in order to derive more accurate estimates of the incidence; 
 
-administrative arrangements should be made to ensure that all occupational 
health facilities and academic medical centres offer benefit examinations to 
former mineworkers; and 
 
-a comprehensive manual setting out the administrative procedures for reporting 
suspected cases of occupational disease should be published by the State taking 
into account the recommendations of this Commission (see Ch. 4). 
 
12.13.7  THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDS that, in view of the fact that exposure to 
diesel fumes is controversial and in view of the increasing use of diesel engines, 
particularly in coal mines, this matter should be re-examined in detail (see Ch. 4). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
171 
CHAPTER THIRTEEN 
 
A MINORITY VIEW ON SOME ISSUES BY PROFESSOR M D G SALAMON 
 
“The Commission was charged with terms of reference that were far ranging and encompassed 
most aspects of safety and health in the South African mining industry.  It was working at the time 
when the country is undergoing the most important transition in its history.  Members worked 
under considerable time pressure and were handicapped by the large geographical distances 
between their residences.  It is not surprising, therefore, that it has not been possible to resolve all 
differences of opinion between the commissioners. 
 
In the course of our deliberations we all strove hard to find the most appropriate compromise in the 
interest of producing a useful report.  I think we all agree that differences in concepts, principles 
and perhaps ideologies should remain private to the Commission, in order to avoid undermining the 
impact of the Report.  However, after considerable soul searching, I have come to the view that my 
reservations concerning some practical issues, which touch upon the implementation of some 
urgent recommendations, should be voiced. 
 
SHIFT BOSS AND SAFETY OFFICER 
 
Recommendation 12.3.1 proposed the restoration, without delay, of the position of the Shift Boss to 
that which is firmly required in South African law.  This recommendation is explained in greater 
detail in Section 6.7.3.  It is described there that the primary legal role of the Shift Boss, namely 
that he represents the first line of management in safety and health, has been “usurped” by industry.  
Also apparently to fill the gap created by the transformation of the role of this official; in 1989 the 
regulations were amended to require the appointment of Safety Officers. The Commission in 
Section 6.7.3 recommends that the requirement in law of such appointments should be abolished. 
 
A brief paragraph in the same Section is devoted to the discussion of the duties and responsibilities 
of the ‘miners’ and to the elimination of some anachronistic aspects of their relation to the workers.  
I believe, however, that we have not devoted sufficient attention, here or anywhere else in the 
Report, to the impact of our recommendation that reverses the role of the Shift Boss.  The impact is 
likely to be the greatest at the workplace. These sites are the places where the vast majority of mine 
workers work, most of the accidents occur and an overwhelming proportion of health hazards 
resides. Also, most of the interactions between workmen, team leaders, miners and Shift Bosses 
take place here. 
 
The political changes in South Africa add another dimension to the importance of the workplaces.  
It is here where the majority of workers can expect to see opportunities for advancement.  Workers 
may become Team Leaders, Team Leaders may advance to be Miners and, of course Miners may 
aspire to become Shift Bosses. Thus, potentially, there are many and far-reaching ramifications of 
any changes that may influence the management structure at or near the work place. 
 
In this light, I would like to moderate the recommendations of the Commission. I suggest that, 
before the changes affecting the Shift Bosses and Safety Officers are implemented, MRAC should 
examine all ramifications of the proposals. It seems to me that this peculiarly South African 
problem, requires a South African solution. 
 
PRESCRIPTION OF HYDRAULIC PROPS 
 
A deliberate effort was made during the drafting and editing of the Report to avoid the prescription 
in the Act or in its regulations of the employment of specific equipment or a particular solution.   
 

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