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Explosive managers have a critical responsibility of reducing risk to tolerable levels in their working environments to avoid injury to personnel and damage to structures, a workshop organised by the Department of Labour was told in Kempton Park, near Johannesburg, on Wednesday.

Frikkie Mostert, a scientist and researcher from the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research, was addressing delegates at the fourth annual explosives managers summit under the theme: explosive managers’ responsibilities.

He said: “We would define tolerable risk as no injury to personnel as well as no unforeseen damage to structures or equipment. We also need to hasten to add that rules around occupational health and safety in the explosive industry cannot be compromised.’’

He was speaking on the topic: embedding safety practices in explosive related research. He said in working towards the reduction of risk, the interaction between safety managers and specialists in the explosive industry was essential.

‘’I wish to reiterate that safety does not mean no risk – it simply refers to reducing risk to a tolerable level.’’

Rudzani Ramabulana, Deputy Director in the department’s occupational health and safety unit, said: ‘’When there are frequent incidents at a number of workplaces that cause either injury to personnel or damage to structures, you become worried as a regulator.’’

He said it was therefore necessary to go back to the basics and remind industry managers that:

• Nothing should be done without the explosive manager’s permission;
• The law says an explosives manager must be a competent and certificated person;
• An ideal explosives manager must also familiarise himself or herself with human resource issues and also understand psychological aspects that may affect a manager’s performance; and
• Managers must understand health and safety issues.

The event was also attended by representatives from the Congress of South African Trade Unions as well as the National Council of Trade Unions. It was a sequel to the third explosives managers’ safety forum held in July 2011 under the theme: “Long walk to safety.’’