Obuasi, Feb. 5, GNA - The AngloGold Ashanti (Obuasi Mines) have worked for a total of 16 million hours without recording any fatality. The achievement, which has been christened 9320,000,000 hours Fatality Free Shifts", places the mine as one of the best underground mines the world over with an impressive safety record.

To this end, the company had selected February 10 to celebrate the achievement with invitations extended to a number of dignitaries including government officials, Members of Parliament (MPs), Ghana Chamber of Mines and others.

Briefing the Ghana News Agency on the achievement, Mr Isaac Kofi Mensah Brobbey, Health and Safety Manager of the company, said the achievement was worth celebrating because in the underground mining industry, many mines found it difficult to achieve even one million fatality-free shifts.

He indicated that underground mining operated within a hazardous environment and that for a mine to work many hours without any fatal accident last year was a cause for celebration.

Mr Brobbey explained that the company put in a number of safety measures that led to that enviable record.

The Health and Safety Manager said it had become a culture for every section of the mine to devote at least 20 minutes to safety talks before work was started.

In addition, the company conducted risk assessments before any task was undertaken by the employees. The assessment provided the company the opportunity to put in remedial measures to prevent accidents from occurring.

Mr Brobbey said the company also investigated accidents to help them put in measures to prevent further accidents. He also pointed out that the good communication programmes on the mine had greatly contributed to the improvement of safety attitudes saying the celebration of the achievement was in a way offering the opportunity to management to show appreciation for the efforts the employees put in to attain that safety record.

"The celebration will also help us to deepen the safety awareness creation on the mine", Mr Brobbey stressed.