Obuasi, Aug 27, GNA-The Anglo Gold Ashanti (Obuasi) will be implementing the Occupational Health Safety Assessment Series OHSAS), a safety management system, designed to assist the mine to drastically reduce accidents.

Known as OHSAS 18001, the system hopes to achieve a safety standard where every worker would always go home uninjured after work. Mr. John Miller, the Managing Director of the mine, who said this at the company's fourth inter-department first aid and safety competition, stressed "we must keep working to further and further reduce accidents until everyone goes home uninjured".

He said the mine safety statistics recorded marked improvement over last years and "all statistics are currently better than budgeted". Mr. Miller reminded the workers of the launch of' 'safety is our first value' on the mine and said that should not be considered as a slogan but a real value that should become part of their life. He said Obuasi mine was facing difficulties and up till July, gold production had fallen below budget but added that efforts at all levels to rejuvenate the mine was paying off. "Our challenge is to keep this up through this year and into next year. In this way we will continue to get the support we need to move the mine forward" the Managing Director said. Mr. Jonathan Ahenkorah, Chief Inspector of Mines, said the competition had witnessed remarkable improvement over the years with the interest of departments soaring up.

He said management was mindful of the safety of its employees that was why it made resources available to organize the competition to enhance the skills of workers in first aid. Mr Ahenkorah appealed to the workers not to indulge in unsafe acts that would lead them into accidents. Asset Protection Department (APD) placed first with 421.8 points followed by Traffic and Transport with 402.5 points with Electrical coming third with 392.5 points. 27 Aug 08