28 Aug 2014

Fostering good housekeeping shapes the future ability to continue mining and recovering diamonds safely, optimally and responsibly.


The managing director of SLADDEN International, Mr Richard Arnott said during Orapa Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines (OLDM) biannual pride at work housekeeping competition prize giving ceremony on August 26.


Mr Arnott stated that Pride at Work Housekeeping Competition was indeed a noble initiative that could help in the realisation of the esteemed Debswana values.
 He implored them to continue recognising effective housekeeping as an ongoing operational requirement and not just a hit-miss cleanup done occasionally for the sake of winning the competition.


This he said was because periodic ‘panic clean-ups’ were costly and ineffective in reducing accidents hence did not contribute to attaining Environment, Community, Occupational hygiene, Health and Safety(ECOHS) excellence.


He further urged employees to continue to ensure that housekeeping programmes in their sections and departments were properly planned to provide for among other things, clean-up during shifts, regular self-inspections, materials flow plans of entry and exit, removal of unused materials and provision of relevant training.


Mr Arnott stated that integrating the principles in their daily work was key to winning Pride at Work Housekeeping competition, adding that it contributed significantly to probability of repeated wins in the same competitions by individuals.

He emphasised that organizations could only tolerate repeats in success and not in harm.

He cautioned that employees should in their everyday work programmes be conscious of improper house-keeping, saying they ought to continuously strive to address it.


The Public and Corporate Affairs Manager, Ms Shungu Malikongwa said the focus of the initiative was to collectively take pride in good housekeeping and sustaining a culture of a clean and hazard free work place.


Ms Malikongwa said the results of the competition were therefore based on the average of the first two quarters of the year and winners determined in that ascending order.


The Senior Manager at Letlhakane and Damtshaa mines, Mr Bakani Motlhabani said the management of OLDM was very committed to leading the ECOHS excellence campaign.


The commitment he said was illustrated by its guidance on devising innovative campaigns witnessed over time, indicating that key among them was the Quantum series campaign out of which the housekeeping competition was borne. 


He encouraged winners to continue excelling and inspiring others to work towards being recognized as well, saying their names would be recorded in the history of pride at work housekeeping competitions. ENDS