Topic 1 – Environmental Awareness:

BIODIVERSITY

“Variety of life in an area, including the number of different species, the genetic wealth within each species, the interrelationships between them and the natural areas where they occur”

Cause of Destruction

• Human activities
• Invader plants/animal species
• Species extinction

LIFE SAVING BEHAVIOURS

1.Report all Environmental incidents.

2.Clean up all spillages

3.For every two trees removed, replant three trees

4.Water is life, don’t waste water!

5.Switch off all lights and air conditioners when not at work.

6.Reduce, Re-use, Separate & Recycle waste

What is EMS (Emergency Management Systems):

• System ensure environmental impacts are managed.
• Know what impacts they have.
• Know how to lessen the impacts.
• Comply with legislation.
• Improve environmental performance and show it.
• Records must be kept.

ENVIRONMENTAL INCIDENT

• “…is an event that pollutes the environment or has the risk of polluting the environment.”

Emergency incidents threatening the environment:

• Inform management immediately
• Stop pollution from spreading
• Management notifies authorities
• Clean up pollution
• Take steps so it does not happen again
• Person causing the incident or who was in charge can be held personally liable

Environmental Management Steps:

• Planning
• Organising
• Leading
• Controlling

At Evander Gold Mines all waste generated to be sorted and placed in containers specified by colour coding.

• We are the first generation who can irreversibly transfer this planet from the worst.
• We are the last who can avert disaster.
• May cause respiratory problems over period of time.
• We humans did not inherit this planet but are borrowing the earth from our children.
• No water is to be polluted.
• Waste such as oil, chemicals or general waste are not allowed to run into ground water, water streams or rivers.
• Restore land to its pre-mining capability.
• Reduce or eliminate release of pollutants, air, land and water.

Community Awareness

• Training and education
• Enterprise development
• Unemployment
• Health
• Infrastructure

HOW TO MOVE TO SUSTAINABILITY

• People must be made aware of the value of the environment.
• Companies must implement policies & principles.
• Harmful impact of humans must be minimised.

AIR POLLUTION

• Type e.g. Smoke, fumes, dust, smells, noise, heat.
• Cause e.g. Industry, Mining – barring, drilling, blasting, scraping, sweepings, tipping and travelling, Motor Vehicles.
• Results e.g. Global warming, ozone damage, acid rain.
• Minimize e.g. Plant trees, clean up, reuse energy.

DUST AND FUMES

Dust

• Dilute dust to create healthy conditions.
• Liberation by the use of water, dust allaying agent of by a dust extraction system.
• Adequate ventilation.
• All surfaces as well as machinery must be regularly cleaned (prevent accumulation of dust).
• Flammable gasses.

DUST AND FUMES

THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Over a period of time dust will have Permanent detrimental effects on the lungs which could be fatal

DUST AND FUMES

HEALTH EFFECTS

Health Effects Depend On:

• Physical
• Chemical
• Toxicological

PROPERTIES OF INHALED PARTICLES

DUST SAMPLE TESTS

• Dust sample test are conducted randomly.
• You will be paraded by the Environmental Department and be informed that you have been selected to wear a Dust Sampler.
• The instrument must be worn at all times during the shift (8 hours).
• No water or any other liquid or substance must be placed onto or near the instrument.
• Any damages to the instrument the wearer will be held responsible.

WATER POLLUTION

• Resources e.g. Ground water, lakes & dams, rivers and oceans
• Type e.g. Sewage, effluent, animal waste, acid rain, fertilisers & waste
• Results e.g. Health – sick, factories cannot use it & harmful to all life forms
• Minimize e.g. use less water, reuse, recycle, keep clean & no chemical/ oil spills.

SOIL POLLUTION

• Examples e.g. oil, erosion, mineral extraction, salvation, water logging & chemical substance
• Type e.g. Spills or leaks & spilled material transported by water
• Minimize e.g. Legal compliance

WASTE MANAGEMENT

• Identification (e.g. general/hazardous, re-cycle, can cause pollution)
• Characteristics (e.g. toxic, explosive, flammable, infectious, radio active)
• Waste cycle (e.g. generation, storage, transportation, disposal)
• Storage and separation (e.g. hazardous and non-hazardous)

What to do

• Reduce: Try to create less waste
• Re-use: Use some of the Reduce: Try to create less waste.
• Recycle: Use a waste product for something else – like waste paper for production inputs instead of raw wood.
• Treat: Certain waste must be treated before it is disposed of to make it safer, e.g. pH control.

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL

Chemicals can enter the body, namely by:

• Inhalation
• Skin absorption
• Swallowing
• Hazardous materials can cause immediate or long-term health problems if not handled safely!

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL

• Fluorescent tubes contain a toxic powder which can be dangerous when inhaled or if absorbed into the body, for example, by a skin cut.
• All tubes must be kept intact and may only be crushed in the designated yellow drums (specifically designed containers). During crushing operations the required PPE must be worn.
• Tubes are supplied in a protective corrugated cardboard wrapping.
• When a new tube is installed the old tube, which is removed, must be inserted into the cardboard wrapper from the new tube and transported to the designated disposal yellow crusher drum. NOTE: A visual inspection of the tube will quickly reveal if the tube is old or new. An old tube will have black discolouring at the ends of the tube, where a new tube is unmarked.
• Placed the tube to be crushed carefully in the crusher whilst slowly turning the crusher handle. If the “crusher” does, for what so ever reason, not work, remove the tube and stored it safely until it can be safely crushed in a crusher that is operational.
• Report to the Engineering department if the yellow disposal container for fluorescent tubes is full. Hazardous waste is removed from site (surface) by a hazardous waste contractor as the container is filling up (minimum every 3 months). Collection must be prompted by business units.

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL

• Never use alcohol or drugs
• Not only is it detrimental to your health but a person who is intoxicated does not react or think rationally, this in turn could result in serious to fatal injuries.
• Do not smell, taste or eat any known or unknown chemical substance. When necessary to drain or transfer chemical substances to another container make use of the correct tools or equipment. NEVER use your mouth.

CATEGORIES OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL

Categories of Hazardous material

• Corrosive materials: e.g. Battery acid
• Toxic material: e.g. paraffin
• Dangerous gases: e.g. exhaust pipe gasses

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL

How to Identify:

• Look at the Label
• Information on the Label
• Content
• Effects on your health
• Special instructions e.g. storage, ventilation etc.
• Personal protection to be used
• First Aid required

Basic First Aid

• The DMR communicate information to you

PPE

• Safety glasses, gloves, rubber boots, protective suit, respirator & wash basins