Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, | Monday
VANTECH, a division of Swiss mining giant Xstrata, on Sunday denied a media report that four of its workers had been killed over the last ten years after exposure to chemicals at a vanadium mine near Lydenburg in Mpumalanga.
According to the report in the Sunday newspaper City Press,, workers at the company’s Steelpoort plant were exposed to 50 times the maximum legal limit of vanadium pentoxide, sulphur dioxide and ammonia gasses over the last ten years.
”The story contains factual inaccuracies,” a Vantech representative, who did not want to be named, said.
”That ’50 times’ was from a report in 1996, two years before Xstrata bought the mine. Since then extensive safety limits have been introduced and mine bought since we are within governments limits.”
The representative denied that four people had been killed and 120 injured after being exposed to vanadium pentoxide, saying that Vantech were still trying to establish who the victims were.
”Vanadium pentoxide is an irritant. People exposed to it can suffer bronchitis like symptoms and asthma. So far we have separated 63 of our labourers who are unable to work in vanadium pentoxide environment.”
In a statement released in reaction to the City Press report, Vantech reiterated that research conducted from 1911 confirmed that no-one has ever died from exposure to vanadium. This was confirmed by testimony during the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) inquiry into health and safety matters at Vantech, which ended two weeks ago.
Professor Cantrell, an independent toxicologist and occupational hygienist from the National Centre of Occupational Health from the Department of Health, confirmed during his evidence that vanadium was an irritant and that there was no proof of anyone ever dying from exposure to vanadium.
Cantrell said that the effects of vanadium in an occupational environment are generally reversed within 2-3 weeks.
An independent occupational hygienist, who monitors the work environment at Vantech, also confirmed that employees at Vantech were not exposed to vanadium in excess of the applicable legal guidelines.
All employees wear protective equipment, including protective clothing and respiratory equipment, to ensure they are protected under all circumstances.
The company also said that since Xstrata took ownership of Vantech in 1998, R26-million was spent on improvements to the plant to ensure a safe working environment.
”The company always complied with Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs safety measures, whenever it was inspected,” the Vantech representative said.
He also said workers were put through a thorough education process and the dangers they would face and what protective measures to take.
The representative added that the company, along with the National Union of Mineworkers, were negotiating to arrange additional compensation for any worker who was proved to have been exposed to vanadium pentoxide and was now unable to work.
NUM senior negotiator Glen Mpufane told the newspaper, that an out of court settlement had been reached with Xstrata, and the company had agreed to pay R2-million as a damages settlement.
”That doesn’t sound like a lot, but its a start,” Mpufane said. – Sapa