13 Oct 2014

BCL is this year’s Botswana Chamber of Mines First Aid Inter Mines competition winners. The competion was hosted by Botswana Ash in Sowa Town.

The BCL competed with 16 first aid teams from nine mines that took part in the annual competition. The winning team scored 194 points against top four finalists, among them, teams from Jwaneng, Morupule and Orapa.

Officiating at the competitions, Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA) chief executive officer, Mr Cross Kgosidiile said the inter mines competitions were initiated after the realisation that first aid played a critical role in minimising harm and loss of life.

First aid entailed a speedy self-help medical assistance if it is not available or delayed and that, he said, adding that it also helped those in the scene to determine the sequence and the priority of First Aid treatments in an emergency situation.

Mr Kgosidiile further explained that the workplace was a platform for carrying out various activities for the accomplishment of the mission and vision of an organisation. 

He however said it would be deceitful of the organisations to deny the fact that accidents do happen in the workplace; as such organisations are therefore duty bound to equip their workforce with the necessary and appropriate skills to combat emergencies.

“Being on the spot and responding quickly and effectively when faced with an emergency situation at work makes first aiders the heroes of the hour,” he said.

Furthermore, he noted that as organisations whose scope of work sometimes exposed workers to dangerous situations, having someone nearby who is expertly trained to administer basic first aid makes good social and commercial sense.

The workplace such as mines, he said were obliged to create the necessary awareness on how to handle patients before medical personnel arrived on the scene, the CEO said.

He added that events such as the Inter-mines First Aid competitions helped to expose participants to various concepts and processes that will assist them to have a clear appreciation of the first aid in general while also it will assist in reinforcing the knowledge on safety practices, issues and current global programmes.

Meanwhile, the Chamber of Mines Chief Executive Officer Mr Charles Siwawa said they encouraged their affiliates to have someone readily available to administer first aid in times of an emergency, adding that, at least one in every five employees or 20 per cent must be trained in that respect.

He pointed out that, although there was always medical staff in the mines, they were thin on the ground, as such, it was imperative for different units to have someone well trained to fast administer first aid whenever an accident occurred.

He nonetheless said he was impressed with teams’ knowledge of First Aid during the competitions adding it showed commitment on their affiliates such as new comers Ghaghoo diamond which was recently launched. Ends