For many years, Gold Fields has pursued zero harm in line with our number one value: safety. While we have focused primarily on physical safety, we have expanded our view to ensure employees and contractors are protected from all forms of harm – physical and psychological – in response to increased awareness of harassment and bullying in the mining industry.
This broader focus drives our work to cultivate a respectful and safe workplace, which includes building a culture of care; driving diversity, equity and inclusion; and identifying and eliminating harmful behaviours such as bullying, harassment and discrimination see people-programmes-for-strategic-delivery.
Our Safety Strategy comprises three mutually supportive pillars:
Our focus on obtaining the right balance between these three pillars supports our goal to eliminate safety risks to our people.
Safety systems and processes
Safety leadership
Safe behaviour
We are deeply saddened to report the loss of one of our contractor colleagues in a fatal incident on 11 October 2022. The incident occurred at the St Ives mine when our colleague was conducting underground drilling activities. Out of respect for the wishes of their family, we have not shared any personal details of the deceased. The incident remains under investigation, and we are unable to share further details until the process is concluded.
After year-end, on 8 March 2023, a contractor at the Tarkwa mine died in a vehicle accident and, on 5 February 2023, two contractors at the Asanko mine in Ghana, managed by Galiano Gold, sustained fatal injuries in a vehicle accident at the mine.
There is no more tragic reminder of the overriding importance of safety at our mines than the loss of human life, and we again extend our deepest sympathies to the families, friends and colleagues of all four deceased colleagues.
We recorded five serious injuries this year, a decrease from nine in 2021. In addition, the Group's annual total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR) improved to 2.04 per million hours worked from 2.16 in 2021, continuing the downward trend of recent years. The severity of lost time injuries, as measured by days of work lost, has remained stable after falling sharply in 2021.
We are pleased to report South Deep has not reported a fatal incident since April 2021, making 2022 its first fatality-free year since 2012. This is a significant milestone and reflects years of unwavering commitment to implementing sound safety systems, processes and standards, and working with our people and organised labour to develop the right safety culture.
We include leading and lagging safety performance indicators in operational, regional and Group-wide scorecards to ensure broad ownership of the safety agenda. Leading indicators include safety engagements and reporting of near-miss incidents. In 2022, we averaged 11 safety engagements for every 1,000 hours worked, up from eight in 2021, and reporting of near-miss incidents increased three-fold from 581 in 2021 to 1,577 in 2022 due to concerted reporting efforts at South Deep.
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Fatalities1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Serious injuries2 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 17 |
Lost time injuries (LTIs)3 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 38 | 34 |
Total LTIFR | 0.60 | 0.62 | 0.72 | 0.80 | 0.63 |
Employee LTIFR | 0.64 | 0.67 | 0.91 | 0.96 | 0.72 |
Contractor LTIFR | 0.58 | 0.59 | 0.62 | 0.72 | 0.56 |
Total TRIFR4 | 2.04 | 2.16 | 2.40 | 2.19 | 1.83 |
Employee TRIFR | 2.04 | 2.35 | 2.91 | 2.83 | 1.94 |
Contractor TRIFR | 2.04 | 2.08 | 2.13 | 1.88 | 1.75 |
Severity rate5 | 19 | 19 | 32 | 23 | 30 |
1 | We also recorded non-occupational fatalities at our mines in 2018 |
2 | Since 2019, we apply Gold Fields' definition to classify serious injuries, whereby a serious injury incurs 14 days or more of work lost and results in one of a range of injuries detailed at www.goldfields.com/safety.php |
3 | LTI is a work-related injury resulting in an employee or contractor being unable to attend work and perform any of their duties for one or more days after the injury |
4 | TRIFR = (fatalities + LTIs + restricted work injuries + medically treated injuries) x 1,000,000/number of hours worked |
5 | Severity rate = days lost to LTIs/hours worked x 1,000,000 |
Our adoption of critical control management (CCM) in 2018, has been essential in improving control over potentially severe incidents known as material unwanted events (MUEs). The absence or failure of a critical control may significantly increase the risk of a MUE occurring, despite the existence of other controls. Using the ICMM's approach, we have developed, and regularly review, critical controls for the most significant mine safety hazards.
Our focus on critical control management also leads to strong performance against our internal environment, health and safety scorecards. For the third consecutive year, all operations achieved or exceeded 80% compliance with these scorecards.
Gold Fields is a founding partner of the International Mining Safety (IMS) Hub, an online portal for industry-endorsed visual safety tools that improve learning opportunities and safety for employees. The IMS Hub also serves as a platform to share learnings and good practices in CCM.
Auditing fire risk in 2022
During the year, we conducted in-depth fire and explosion audits against the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) Standards, a set of US best practices. These audits help us ensure our critical controls for fire control and explosives are robust and aligned with global good practices.
The outcomes of the audits show that, overall, Gold Fields has good fire systems in place for its key installations. The audits identified areas where fire systems need to be upgraded to be at NFPA Standard level. We will create a Group fire guideline incorporating the NFPA Standards in 2023.
Managing geotechnical risks
The Gold Fields corporate geotechnical team conducts annual reviews of all geotechnical incidents and incident types at our operations to identify trends and reduce the likelihood of incident recurrence. There were 28 incidents within the open pits in 2022, 57% of which were batter-scale falls-of-ground. The number of incidents was unchanged over the three-year period 2020 - 2022, despite the pits being deepened during that time. There were 60 geotechnical incidents in the underground mines in 2022 (2021: 66). Dynamically driven ground support failure accounted for 58% of these, with falls-of-ground in both supported and unsupported areas leading to the remainder.
Seismicity can contribute to fall-of-ground incidents in our deeper-level mines, and destress activities pose the highest risk for seismic-induced falls-of-ground. South Deep had 34 seismic incidents in 2022, while our Wallaby underground mine at Granny Smith in Australia recorded two incidents.
We mitigate this risk through geotechnical projects like improved support and standards, backfilling and stabilising and, to identify seismic activity early, we perform seismic analysis and have seismic monitoring systems in place. At South Deep, pre-conditioning is undertaken in all destress areas to fracture the rock mass ahead of work being done.
Advancements in technology continue to transform the mining industry, and safety is our key driver to further modernise and mechanise our mines. This is an ongoing focus area, and dedicated teams in all regions are tasked with identifying how we can leverage technology to keep our people safer and healthier.
We are part of the ICMM's Innovation for Cleaner, Safer Vehicles (ICSV) initiative, where member companies work with original equipment manufacturers in a
non-competitive space to develop new vehicle technology and improve existing vehicles. These improvements lead to environmental and safety benefits.
We continued to make good progress in our work on fatigue management systems and collision avoidance systems. For example, the fatigue management system at our Damang mine in Ghana alerts supervisors when it detects fatigue, and includes a wellness programme for individuals who show a trend of fatigue.
During the year, we also trialled fatigue management systems at our St Ives mine in Australia and Salares Norte in Chile.
Following successful design in 2021, South Deep installed collision avoidance systems on all underground load haul dumpsters, trucks, long hole stope rigs and utility vehicles. In 2023, the mine will install the system on underground 4X4 vehicles and rail-bound equipment. It had planned to install the system on all remaining underground vehicles in 2024, but legislation promulgated in 2022 by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy will require acceleration of the implementation schedule.
We continued work to remove people from active mining areas at South Deep via teleremote loading and rock breaking from surface. During 2022, this was expanded to include all underground impact breakers, while in 2023 we will investigate teleremote longhole stope drilling capabilities. A latest-model raise borer, acquired in 2022, has teleremote capabilities. We are also working with consultants to introduce remote control operations at our Australian mines, led by Granny Smith, where some activities will be managed out of our Perth office.
Using battery electric vehicles underground can reduce the heat load and minimise the impacts of diesel particulates. We continued the work commenced in 2021 to trial these vehicles at our St Ives and Granny Smith mines. Trials of a battery electric vehicle LHD loader will commence at South Deep in 2023. Our trials highlight the importance of operational readiness when introducing battery-operated vehicles, as they come with their own set of risks (mostly related to fire from damaged batteries).
We continued driving our Courageous Safety Leadership (CSL) programme, which encourages all employees to model safe behaviour for others. The programme gives employees practical tools to become safety leaders and focuses on creating a safe environment for people to speak up and stop work in an unsafe situation.
During the year, we trained 8,400 employees and contractors in the CSL programme, exceeding our target of 4,000 – partly due to high employee turnover rates in some regions. To date, over 22,000 people have completed this programme.
We started developing a refresher CSL programme to deploy in 2023. Our goal for the refresher programme is to reinvigorate the focus on safety leadership, drive team commitments and create links to critical control management. The CSL programme is supported by our Vital Behaviours programme, through which managers demonstrate their commitment to safety practices. We are rolling out this programme across our operations in 2023.
The Covid-19 pandemic had a reduced impact on operations during H2 2022, although Australia was impacted by absenteeism during a wave of infections in the first half of the year, on top of the ongoing skills shortages. We continue to roll-out employee vaccination and recorded no Covid-19-related deaths during the year.
Of the 3,425 positive cases in our workforce in 2022, the majority were mild or asymptomatic, and only six of our colleagues required brief hospitalisation. The number of positive cases in our workforce suggests Covid-19 numbers in the general population are higher than official statistics indicate. We stopped vaccine tracking due to data privacy legislation, but nearly 90% of our workforce had received double vaccination dose by October 2022.
Since the start of the pandemic, Gold Fields has facilitated over 330,000 tests among its workforce of 22,000 people. To date, we have had almost 9,000 positive Covid-19 cases among employees and contractors. Regrettably, 20 employees and contractors passed away from Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021.
However, Covid-19 is increasingly managed in a similar way as other infectious diseases, and we largely phased out our crisis management protocols towards the end of 2022. Nevertheless, our operations remain vigilant for new Covid-19 waves and are ready to implement the necessary hygiene and distancing measures if required.
Our workforce may be exposed to hazards that could cause a range of occupational diseases, particularly Silicosis, Cardio-respiratory Tuberculosis (CRTB), diesel particular matter (DPM) and Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Because we operate underground and open-pit mines, the degree of exposure risk varies from site to site.
Our approach is focused on safeguarding our employees from exposure to these risks, aligned with our commitment to upholding human rights. We manage occupational diseases through our CCM approach and Occupational Health Strategic Framework, which we developed in 2021 and rolled out at all operations during 2022. In addition, we formed a Health Working Group to consolidate and align occupational health management practices and develop consistent approaches to mental health and psychosocial risk assessments.
We comply with all occupational health regulations in the countries where we operate. In jurisdictions where regulations are not yet in effect, we are guided by industry best practice standards.
The Group's occupational disease frequency rate decreased by 26% from 2021, and the number of employees suffering from occupational diseases decreased by 21%. Most of these cases occurred at the South Deep mine. No occupational diseases were reported in the Americas region, whereas only musculoskeletal disorders were recorded in Australia and Ghana.
DPM poses a risk for employees operating diesel-powered vehicles or working with machinery in confined underground spaces. This risk is more pronounced at our Australian and South African mines than at our open-pit operations in Ghana and Peru.
During the year, DPM levels continued to fall significantly, and only 4% of personal samples exceeded the Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) (2021: 48%). This substantial improvement is largely due to the continued fitment of advanced diesel particulate filters to underground vehicles at our Australian and South African mines, the use of low-sulphur diesel, as well as ventilation monitoring to ensure the optimal dilution of DPM in workspaces.
In Australia, maintenance schedules, operator training, monitoring protocols and corrective action processes for any exceedances of the OEL further contributed to the improvement. As a result, Australian mines rarely exceed their current OEL of 0.07mg/m3 per 12-hour shift. In South Africa, we align with the local industry limit of 0.16mg/m3 until the regulator promulgates an OEL.
Our ICSV programme also forms part of our approach to reducing DPM.
NIHL is a risk for employees exposed to ongoing high-noise levels from machinery and equipment. New NIHL cases decreased slightly, with four cases reported at South Deep (2021: five). All new equipment purchased should not exceed noise levels of 107 dB(A), in line with the 2024 industry milestone.
In addition, South Deep fits quiet new fans, while retrofitting existing fans. Where appropriate to the workplace, we have introduced teleremote equipment and provide personalised hearing protection equipment to employees. We encourage OEMs to develop quieter equipment through our participation in the Minerals Council South Africa.
Underground dust levels are a key focus area as they pose a Silicosis risk and further increases employees' susceptibility to CRTB. This is a risk at all underground mines in South Africa, which may be further compounded by employees' off-site living conditions.
At South Deep, new Silicosis cases reported to authorities dropped to two in 2022 (2021: 12). All employees diagnosed with Silicosis go on a six-month prophylactic CRTB course of medication, as Silicosis increases the risk of contracting CRTB. The employee's work duties are also adapted to minimise exposure to silica dust.
Wider dust mitigation strategies include extensive dust monitoring and measuring, automated dust suppression systems and, as far as practical, removing people from risk. Training, education, and awareness programmes as well as appropriate protection equipment are provided to employees. Annual and ad hoc medical screening help with early identification.
In May 2018, Gold Fields and five other South African gold companies reached a historic settlement with claimant attorneys in a Silicosis and Tuberculosis class action.
A settlement trust, known as the Tshiamiso Trust, has been established to carry out the terms of the settlement and to ensure all eligible current and former mineworkers across southern Africa with Silicosis or work-related Tuberculosis (or their dependants, where the mineworker has passed away) are compensated. By the end of March 2023, the Trust had paid out R1.03bn (US$65m) to 11,569 industry claimants.
At 31 December 2022, the provision for Gold Fields' share of the settlement of the class action claims and related costs amounted to R179m (US$11m). The nominal value of this provision is R245m (US$14m). The ultimate amount of this provision remains uncertain, with the number of eligible workers successfully submitting claims and receiving compensation being unclear.
CRTB and chronic obstructive airways disease cases increased during 2022 to nine (2021: eight) and two (2021: one), respectively. All cases were at South Deep.
HIV/Aids is a particular risk for the South African population and is therefore a focus at South Deep.
HIV/Aids cases decreased at South Deep to 19% of the workforce from 20% in 2021. At the end of 2022, 942 employees were living with HIV/Aids. We offer voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) to prospective and permanent employees, including contractors, and the bulk of the workforce underwent VCT in 2022. We also provide HIV-positive employees with free highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). 933 employees were enrolled in this programme in 2022 (2021: 903). Employees' dependents can access HAART through the Company's medical aid schemes.
HIV/Aids is less of a risk in Ghana, where the national HIV/Aids rate is below 2%. However, we offer free VCT to employees and contractors and run several educational programmes. During 2022, 61% of our employees in Ghana underwent VCT (2021: 41%) and eight are enrolled in HAART (2021: six). We identified no new HIV/Aids positive cases among our Ghana workforce.
Our workforce in Ghana faces a high risk of exposure to malaria, and we have a comprehensive malaria control strategy in place which incorporates education, prevention, prophylaxis and treatment. It also includes provision of mosquito repellent for workers, support for community health facilities and rapid diagnosis and treatment. In 2022, 260 employees (2021: 472) tested positive for malaria. We assist our employees and communities under the malaria vector control indoor spraying programme.
Gold Fields will not tolerate any forms of harassment, bullying, discrimination and harmful behaviour for any reason.
Our aspiration for zero harm means safeguarding our people's psychological and emotional health as closely as their physical safety and health to ensure they go home safe and healthy every day.
To achieve this, we need to build a culture centred on respect and care, one that values diversity, is inclusive and upholds the fundamental human rights of all our people. This culture also leaves no space for possible sexual harassment and gender-based harm in our operations, which is a key focus for Gold Fields.
Elizabeth Broderick, a world-renowned thought leader and expert working with the United Nations, completed an independent Group-wide review on harmful behaviours in our business, including harassment, bullying and discrimination. The review included all regions, offices and sites, and offered employees the opportunity to confidentially and anonymously share their experiences.
We expect to receive the Broderick report in Q2 2023, after which management and the Board will take time to assess the findings and recommendations and will develop a detailed response plan. We will release the key findings and recommendations of the review, together with planned actions in H2 2023.
While we await the outcomes of this independent report, we already have several important policies and programmes in place. These include a Harassment and Sexual Harassment Policy; unconscious bias training; support for programmes that combat gender-based violence; training on diversity and inclusion and ongoing communication campaigns.
These programmes support our broader efforts to build the participation of women across all areas of our business, which includes our focus on recruitment, development and career pathways (see People programmes for strategic delivery).
In 2021, the Western Australian government commenced a parliamentary inquiry into the treatment of women in the resources industry. In response, our Australian region conducted an independent review of our own business, over and above the Group-wide Broderick review, and our operations have made good progress in implementing the actions that arose from the review:
Mental health programmes are an important part of our work to provide employees with a psychologically safe and supportive work environment. Harmful behaviours are not the only cause of employees' mental health challenges, and the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of designing a workplace conducive to positive mental health.
We formed a Health Working Group to develop a consistent approach to mental health and psychosocial risk assessments and ensure collaboration and learning between our regions. We are also developing Group Wellbeing Principles.
During the year we identified standard psychosocial risks to assess, including sexual harassment and assault, bullying, discrimination, workplace relations and support services. In 2023, our Australian region will assess these risks as a pilot project, which we will consolidate into a Group-wide systematic approach to mental health.
Over the past few years, the importance of mental health in the fly-in fly-out (FIFO) industry gained prominence. FIFO work can manifest in mental health challenges due to the remote nature of the work and time away from family and friends. The regulator in Western Australia developed a Code of Practice specific to the FIFO industry following a parliamentary inquiry.
Australia's three-pillar strategy drives a supportive culture, with a focus on breaking through the stigma associated with mental health. Initiatives promote awareness of mental health issues, while each site has mental health action plans in place and tracks compliance against the Code of Practice.