50
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2014
ROADS AND BRIDGES
The result is an operation that consistently achieves show-
case status for its unblemished safety record and simulta-
neously manages to maintain high levels of quality product
output. Perhaps the biggest accolade in terms of health and
safety is Coedmore Quarry’s performance on Aspasa’s Health and
Safety and Environmental Audits. For the past five years Coedmore
has received showplace status, an achievement that sets it apart as a
quarrying operation and underlines AfriSam’s stated values of People,
Planet and Performance.
“In its most basic form, this is a commitment to our stakeholders
and ourselves not to accept mediocrity and to recognise that injury
is not something that ‘happens to someone’ but rather it impacts a
colleague or a friend who plays a valuable role in the company,” says
Jurgens du Toit, AfriSam’s regional manager – construction materials
South KZN and previous Coedmore Quarry works manager.
Du Toit points out that the Aspasa audits are critical to Coedmore’s
safety programme. “The audits not only provide us with a checklist
and yardstick with which we can measure our performance, but they
focus on trends within the industry. Through the audit protocol and
the knowledge sharing that transpires from it, we are able to deter-
mine any potential shortfalls and to rectify them immediately.”
The last Lost Time Injury (LTI) at Coedmore Quarry was recorded
on 1 September 2008. Du Toit says that AfriSam places emphasis on
high levels of safety compliance and has implemented a number
of programmes such as Competency Based Safety (CBS) to achieve
organisation wide Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) awareness.
In keeping with continuous improvement and as a typical
example of embracing change, in 2013 Coedmore Quarry completely
rewrote its safety procedures with regards to working on the crest of
drilling/blasting area. Specialised input was received from Southern
Rock (indoor and outdoor rock climbing specialist), suppliers of ropes
and harnesses used by AfriSam at the quarry and drilling contractors
Eire Contractors.
The result of this collaborative effort between Coedmore, afore-
mentioned vendors and the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR)
is that a practical, user friendly system has been rolled out to all the
AfriSam KZN operations. When drilling or blasting takes place, blue
poles (supplied by Glassfibre Products) are sunk into the ground three
metres away from the crest and a red (top) and blue (bottom) static
climbing rope is strung between the poles to indicate the start of the
no-go area. The drilling operators are then required to attach the
harness they are wearing to a double rope system whenever they work
closer than the poles to the crest.
Today, the Coedmore Quarry pit, with its highest face 110 metres
(46 metres below sea level), is surrounded by a vast array of strategi-
cally planted and nurtured indigenous vegetation. This forms part of
the Environmental Development Programme instituted at the quarry
in 2002. Coedmore Quarry has managed to go above and beyond the
levels of compliance required by the DMR and has, at the same time,
ensured a harmonious relationship with local residents.
Thesystematicandstrategicallyplannedrehabilitationprogramme
involves the monumental task of removing alien invader plant species
and replanting with thousands of indigenous trees, shrubs and plant,
in conjunction with local company Natal Landscapes. To date 11 896
trees, shrubs and ground covers have been planted.
The quarry produces a wide variety of aggregates including 53 mm
ballast, 53 mm, 37 mm, 26,5 mm, 19 mm, 13,2 mm, 9,5 mm and 6,7
mm concrete stone, scour (armour rock) and selected first crush, G1,
G2, G4, G5 and G7. In addition, it also produces 19 mm, 13,2 mm and
9,5 mm roadstone on request.
AfriSam has invested heavily in its laboratory, where all products
are regularly tested to ensure quality conformance within specific
parameters. The quarry was extremely busy during 2013, supplying
120 000 tons of scour to the project for widening the Durban harbour
as well as ongoing G5 and G7 base course material to the Umgeni Road
Interchange project.
The AfriSam credo ‘Building our future together’ is very evident
in this highly productive quarry, which is characterised by the perfect
balance it maintains between safety, environmental stewardship,
customer and supplier relations, and quality output.
>
STRONG SHEQ
Upholding
principles
AfriSam’s Coedmore Quarry near Durban has
survived tough market conditions and intense
competition by adhering to strict SHEQ (safety,
health, environment and quality) principles.
This strong credo has been instituted and
instilled in all employees through a successive
line of highly participative plant managers.
Cladded screen towers which contain noise and dust.
Drilling operations taking place using the new approved safety barrier system.
