By ISAAC MUKANDO –

KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) has launched a new safety strategy campaign called ‘Chachilamo’ aimed at enhancing the company’s safety standards.
KCM Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Steven Din said in this safety initiative, the company would establish a culture of safety awareness and introduce practical safety standards which would see the lives of more than 16,500 employees safeguarded.
Mr Din said during the launch of the Chachilamo initiative in Chililabombwe on Thursday that mining was a high risk industry with employees working in challenging conditions.
The chief executive officer, who is to spearhead the safety initiative, said this was why it was crucial to put in place measures that would make the working environment as safe as possible.
“Safety is the responsibility of everyone who enters the gate at KCM and we should be each brother’s keeper once here and ensure that we protect one another.
“We need to take pride in protecting one another and ensuring that each and every day, each one of us returns to home to our family’s injury free,” Mr Din said.
He said the Chachilamo initiative was both a reminder of the importance of safety and a practical initiative to ensure that everyone felt safe when at work.
Mines Safety Department director Gideon Ndalama said it was the policy of Government to see a safe working environment for employees and as such, his department would see to it that it rendered the necessary support to ensure reduction in mine accidents.
Mr Ndalama said mine accidents were not only destructive to production and a source of financial losses but that they also deprived families of their bread winners.
He said in a speech read for him by his deputy Bright Kateka, that the mining industry was critical to the development of the nation hence the need to support its operations.
KCM group safety manager Felix Sikaonga said commitment was needed by each and every employee to ensure that lives were protected and ensure that the mine recorded zero accidents.
David Bwabwa, one of the employees said accidents which had been recorded could have been avoided if certain measures were in place.