Any operational mine in South Africa can participate in the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC) Award Scheme. It is free, it is prestigious, and it is fun.

The MHSC Award Scheme, which began in January 2000, replaced the previous Chamber of Mines Competition Scheme.

If you are not already a member, contact Renée Joubert.

As with everything in life, a few conditions apply. A mine is only allowed to participate in one of the two main categories: either the Millionaire's Award; or the Thousand Fatality-Free Production Shifts award category.

Everything will be explained to allow you to make an informed decision.

Award categories

• Millionaire's Award
  This award recognises the milestone of achieving one million fatality-free shifts on any mine. To be eligible to enter, a mine, or a portion thereof, must be in continuous operation and form a participating entity as defined by the manager.
  Click here for more information about this award

• Thousand Fatality-Free Production Shifts Award
  This award recognises the milestone of achieving 1 000 fatality-free production shifts on any mine. To be eligible for this award, a mine, or a portion thereof, must be operational and form a participating entity as defined by the manager.
  Click here for more information about this award

• Certificates of Excellence
  This award recognises the achievement of a participating entity that has performed better than the international benchmark for that particular mining sector.
  Categories in this award are:
  • Opencast gold and platinum mines;
  • Shallow to deep (less than 2 000m) gold and platinum mines;
  • Ultra-deep (deeper than 2 000m) gold and platinum mines;
  • Coal mines: opencast and underground; and
  • Other mines: opencast and underground.
  International benchmarks, reflected as lost time injury frequency rates per million hours worked, will be determined by the MHSC every year.
  The actual calculation will be conducted by the inspectorate using the SAMRASS database that incorporates all the accidents reported by industry in terms of Regulation 23.1 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996.
  Click here for more information about this award

• Safety Achievement Flag
  This is awarded to the mines that have the highest improvement in their allocated risk (days lost when comparing two consecutive three-year periods, the same periods that are used to calculate the SIMRAC levy).
  The categories are divided into:
  • Ultra-deep (deeper than 2 000m) gold and platinum mines;
  • Shallow to deep (less than 2 000m) gold and platinum mines;
  • Coal mines; and
  • Other mines.
  Read more about safety achievement flags

  View the latest winners of the Safety Achievement Flag

• Individual awards
  Any individual, or group of individuals (such as a mine rescue team or a mine safety committee) that has contributed to the overall health and safety programme of a mine in a manner that has led to a significant improvement in conditions at that mine may be nominated by the mine's manager or the employee representatives for an Individual Award. The MHSC will then assess and determine whether or not such a nomination is warranted. Any specific acts of bravery will also be considered for this award.
  Do you want to nominate someone for this award? Download the nomination form [PDF, 33KB]
  Read more about individual awards

Awards decisions rest with DME

Any decision in connection with the awards scheme is vested in the DME. If a participant chooses to appeal against a decision, the matter will be referred to the MHSC.