Serious Violations of Occupational, Safety and Health Regulations at Green fuel

The occupational safety and health management system of an organization is the responsibility of the employer and in this case, we refer to Green fuel. The system has to be in compliance with the national regulatory framework. The occupational safety and health system is to ensure that all workplace facilities, installations, equipment and machinery comply with laid down statutory provisions. Safety and health awareness is critical at an establishment like Green fuel, but the situation unfolding on the ground is a tendency to be more worried about producing and selling with utter disregard to the inherent risks associated with their operations. Green fuel need to know and understand that occupational health and safety is an act that protects all people within the workplace and need to be taken serious as it involves the life of the person and it can affect the business negatively. Platform for Youth Development learns with great shock the demise of Lovemore Mthombeni under circumstances that are preventable. 

On 14 July 2018, at around 0300 hours Lovemore Mthombeni (38)  could not be located at his workstation where he was responsible for recording the number of loaded trucks and in the process issuing receipts to the truck drivers. It is not clear on what happened to Lovemore Mthombeni, as the only evidence of what could have transpired is derived from some blood stains on the harvester conveyor belt.  The impact of this fatal occupational injury is, however, compounded by the fact that it happened to an individual who still had a long working career ahead of him. This particular incident was caused by preventable factors which could be eliminated by implementing known measures. Harvesters are driven into the cane field and they cut, thresh and clean the chaff all by themselves using rotating blades. Operating a harvester machine requires knowledge and competence, and the competencies consist of an ability of operating at night and performing multiple tasks. PYD is saddened by lack of company’s remorse on the whole issue. Greenfuel Company failed to follow simple safety and health procedures that require it to report both to the police and the National Social Security Authority. The National Social Security Authority sends an inspector to the scene of the accident and conduct an industrial investigation upon receipt of a report. The company failed to adhere to this important aspect of the safety and health regulations. It is again sad to note that the police received a report from an employee by the name Warren Musiwaro and not the company.

This is not the first time Greenfuel is embroiled in actions that led to fatalities. In June of 2016, Itai Chikwasha Matevera reportedly died of a gunshot on his chest while two others, Jairos Simango Mapopo and Mavis Nyamunda sustained severe wounds from the gunshots on the upper nose and palm, respectively. This is after a security guard with Greenfuel opened fire on these villagers. The company always bank on such incidents on the pretext of them being dispersed and socially invisible. The cycle of neglect continue to grow from low priority by Greenfuel through to under-reporting and a consequent lack of commitment to safety and health regulations. 

Circumstances leading to the death of Mthombeni are still fresh and traumatising therefore PYD  urges the community to be calm as thorough investigation on what happened are being unearthed.