There is a move towards a change of attitude and practice in health and safety currently taking place in the South African construction industry at large; and Sakkie van Vuuren, Cosira's SHERQ Manager responsible for Cosira’s policies on safety, health, environmental, risk and quality policies, is an ardent supporter of this change.

Van Vuuren has been a member of the Cosira team for just over five years, and brings to the leading steel fabrication and construction company his particular passion for protecting the health and safety of its employees, and the well being of the environment.

“Adherence to the rules and guidelines of safe and responsible work practices is not simply about window dressing to ensure that tender documents can be filled in; compliance is no longer enough, competency in the field is what is required,” says Van Vuuren.

Managing Director of Cosira, John da Silva adds: “The system is starting to really toughen up on failure to observe both the letter and the spirit of the law - with increasingly severe penalties for those even at the top of the corporate ladder, if their companies are negligent.

This is something that Cosira welcomes, and we are actively putting strategies in place to ensure that, from top to bottom, the company culture embraces an awareness of the safety of our workers; as well as striving for 'zero harm' to the environment.”

Van Vuuren continues: “I believe that the key is a consistent attitude to safety, each and every day. There is no value to be had if good practices are only put on show for when the auditors come around for their inspections.”

This attitude is paying dividends in human terms, time and money for both Cosira and their customers.

“Currently on site at Anglo Platinum's  PPRust Platinum mine near Mokopane, we have just passed our 200 000th man hour without injury or accident of any type; and we are coming up to reaching the same milestone on the Sishen Expansion Project. These are results of which we can be justifiably proud,”
he comments.

“One of the challenges that I face, is getting everyone on site and in the manufacturing facilities to understand that safe work practices have to become a lifestyle, and a reflex that is so entrenched, 
it becomes automatic. When one is fatigued or distracted at the end of a long day, those automatic reflexes will be what prevent a serious accident.”

Cosira works extensively with large corporate mining and petrochemical customers, where there are rigorous requirements service providers must meet, in order to even be considered for tenders.
In addition, Cosira has significant manufacturing and fabrication facilities at their Heriotdale plant.

“At anytime the company will have several projects running on sites such as these, where there can be no tolerance for non-compliance,” Van Vuuren points out. 

He elaborates: “We are at the point where we recognise the importance of having a dedicated SHERQ team; and this is a departure from the traditional system that companies operated, where health and safety officers were often simply additional roles given to staff members on top of their existing work load. We are currently recruiting two full-time health and safety managers who the representatives on site will report to, and who will provide a consistent presence and maintain focus on pertinent issues.”

“Another exciting development is the construction of our new Cosira Vulcan facility in Vulcania. Throughout the conceptualisation and design of the plant, safety and best work practices are guiding principles. ”

“The industry-wide shift towards a more stringent, consistent ‘zero harm’ health and safety philosophy has gathered momentum; and these changing attitudes are making the difference in people's working environments, their lives and in the way that we treat the environment. These issues deserve to be at the forefront of the way that business is done, and Cosira is proud to be a part of this progress,” concludes Van Vuuren.