Key performance data
We deeply regret that in 2011, 13 people lost their lives while working at Anglo American. This tragic loss of life is unacceptable, particularly in light of the significant and consistent safety improvement that Group operations have achieved since 2007. Kumba Iron Ore, Metallurgical Coal and Nickel remained fatality-free for 2011. In addition, our exploration sites have operated without a fatal incident for over three years.
Anglo American's 2011 lost-time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) was 0.64 on a par with our performance in 2010 despite improvements at most business units. This was principally a result of an increase in injuries at Platinum. Excluding Platinum, the Group injury rate improved from 0.34 in 2010 to 0.29 in 2011.
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Graph showing lost-time injury frequency rate
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Developing leading safety performance indicators
To date, we have been measuring safety performance almost exclusively on the basis of lagging indicators, using measures that track outcomes, such as the numbers of people hurt and injury frequency rates. While this is a recognised approach, it is not always effective as a predictor of future performance. Recognising these shortcomings, we introduced a programme aimed at developing a new set of metrics that more accurately describe the efforts sites are making to improve safety, and that improve our ability to anticipate and pre-empt potential incidents.
Following a workshop where all our business units were represented, agreement was reached on seven key measures relating to leadership, risk management training, safety competence, the delivery of maintenance programmes, improvements to risk management, learning from high-potential incidents, and the closing review of safety actions. These measures, which largely make use of data that are already regularly collected by each site, provide a clearer view as to what our safety priorities should be, and will assist us in identifying those operations that need priority attention.
By monitoring and disclosing these performance trends, we believe this will motivate improved safety management across the Group, as well as identify possibly negative trends where early intervention can prevent future incidents and injuries.
Reviewing Group-wide safety practices
We have implemented a comprehensive programme of independent site safety reviews to assess compliance with fundamental aspects of safety management at all our operational sites and head office/ corporate functions. The main objectives of these reviews, which have been led by our internal risk and assurance teams, is to evaluate the implementation of risk management processes at each site, identify the underlying reasons for any poor compliance, and agree on the priority actions needed to accelerate progress. Compliance and effectiveness levels are scored, providing a valuable picture of the status of safety across the Group, as well as identifying best
and worst practice areas.
The audit teams have been augmented by experienced senior mining managers, technical specialists and industrial psychologists. They are tasked with providing immediate guidance to the site and business unit concerned so that more focused solutions for site-level responses can be developed. This deeper analysis is assisting us to identify organisational or cultural factors external to the site that may be impeding on-site safety. By year end, 46 audits had been completed.