Maravi

Lack of safety measures at Mopani worries DC

Lack of safety measures at Mopani worries DC
By Zumani Katasefa
Friday January 25, 2008 [03:00]

MUFULIRA district commissioner Dyford Mulwa has complained about lack of serious safety measures at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) in Mufulira. In an interview on Wednesday, Mulwa urged the Mines and Safety Department to seriously monitor operations at MCM and ensure that necessary safety measures were put in place at the company.

He said his office was concerned at the number of industrial accidents happening at MCM and the safety of the workers. Mulwa said just a few days earlier two employees died after an explosion that occurred underground.

"John Banda aged 58 of plot number 25 an electrician and Joe Pinalo aged 40 of D 6 Butondo and he was working as a helper died and the accident happened on Monday at about 11 hours,'' said Mulwa.

He said the two sustained serious burns and that they died at Molcom Watson Hospital where they were rushed for treatment.

"Pinalo died at 00:45 hours while Banda died at 12:45 hours,'' he said.
Mulwa said three other workers working for a contracting company under Mopani were gassed when they were on duty.

"The situation is not good, Mopani is not open, it is very difficult to get what is going on. I think it would help them very much if they opened up, this will help them solve a number of problems they are facing as a company,'' he said.

And Mulwa said the supply of water in the area had been improved after the acid spillage in one of the pipes that supply water to the community.

He said three water pumps were recently installed to help improve the supply of clean and safe water to the community.

Labels: MCM, MINING, MOPANI, SAFETY

posted by MrK @ 6:55 AM