Health and Safety

Commitment to health and safety

At Sandfire MATSA, production is carried out with full guarantees for the protection of the Health and Safety of its workforce and of the collaborating companies, visitors and the general community.

The company works hard to prevent accidents at work through the implementation of a management system focussed on continuous improvement. In addition, it promotes a culture of prevention which ensures adequate working conditions and it offers permanent training in the identification and control of occupational risks in all areas of the business.

Sandfire MATSA is responsible for and committed to guaranteeing an optimum and safe workplace which permits everyone to return home safe and sound at the end of their working day, in compliance with the main goal of the “Zero Accidents” operation and protecting life as the most important.

Sandfire MATSA has designed a safety strategy based on the implementation of tools which permit the risks applicable to all the work stations in the different operations to be identified, reported and managed.

Safety awareness

The company runs continuous safety awareness campaigns, with the aim of ensuring that everyone who works at the facilities is aware of the importance of managing the risks, by acquiring basic safety habits.

The safety standards, procedures and tools introduced by the company must be known to, respected and observed by the whole workforce. Their strict compliance is what makes the difference and guarantees that an operation is truly safe.

This is the reason that Sandfire MATSA launched the campaign STOP, THINK, THINK AGAIN AND TAKE ACTION (DPPA) in 2020. This means that if a member of the workforce sees something that is unsafe, they are authorised to stop the work. In order to promote and strengthen this health and safety-first culture, the company also created the “Commitment to the safety of direct and indirect workers at MATSA facilities” document, the contents of which must be complied with by anyone who works at or visits the company. Both initiatives help to provide information and raise awareness about the fact that safety must always be the main focus of every action

Additionally, we follow Sandfire’s philosophy of Don’t Walk Past, which is inherent in our approach. We expect no one on our team to overlook any behaviour they know or perceive to be contrary to Our Values, because what they overlook, they take for granted.

Hygiene and Safety Committee

The company has an occupational Hygiene and Safety Committee (CSH) a joint collegiate participatory body for the consultation of matters relating to the health, safety and risk prevention of the people who work at the company. This body, made up of workers and management, meets every month to discuss all safety-related matters.

Mines Rescue Brigade

The human team making up the brigade receive regular high-level instruction including training and programmed drills together with the Asturias Mines Rescue Brigade and Huelva Fire Fighting Force. This training covers the search, location and rescue of people in the different types of emergencies which may arise, including fire, rescue from vehicle traffic accidents or machinery accidents, rescue at a height, etc.

The Brigade has extensive rescue equipment adapted to the specific needs of each type of emergency; including mobile fire extinguishers and open and closed-circuit self-contained breathing apparatus, the equipment needed for working at heights and defibrillator units.

Safety training

The Safety technicians at Sandfire MATSA offer continuous training throughout the year in occupational risk prevention with the goal of reaching the zero-accident target.