Samuel Abdulai Jinapor
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor has said some new measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence of the tragic incident that happened recently at Appiatse in the Western Region.
The measures include that explosives shall only be transported on a public road from the operational site of a company, after the company has given the Chief Inspector of Mines or the Regional Mines Inspector at least 48 hours’ prior notice.
This is to enable the requisite inspection and certification to be carried out before the transportation of the explosives to a mine or quarry site.
“A Mine/Explosives Inspector shall be present to inspect, verify and record in the designated explosives log book for transportation, that all the requisite safety requirements, rules and protocols have been met before explosives are transported from the operational site of a company to a mine or quarry site,” he told Parliament on Thursday.
The Minister, while responding to questions on the floor of Parliament, indicated that an Inspector of Mines/Explosives shall physically inspect the explosives truck (road vehicle) to ensure that the explosives truck is in good working condition in accordance with the truck examination list and that the truck driver has professional driving licence to drive the vehicle before the loading of the explosives into the truck.
He said explosives trucks must have a “red flashing light clearly visible at least Hundred metres (100m) away; a klaxon or siren, hooter or automatically operated bell; and an automatic fire suppression system alongside the fire extinguishers.”
He indicated further that a tracking system to monitor the speed and movement of the explosives truck forms part of the measures, and added that an integrated monitoring system to check driver fatigue is another requirement to be met.
Megaphone to warn people or bystanders in case of danger; and drive cameras to monitor the explosives truck drivers are among the new measures to prevent reoccurrence.
“Before the explosives truck takes off from the operational site of a company, the waybill for the transportation shall be endorsed by an Inspector of Mines/Explosives who shall be satisfied that the explosives are under the direct control of a person who has a certificate of competency in accordance with Regulation 15 (2) of the Minerals and Mining (Explosives) Regulations, 2012 (L.I.2177).”
“The Escort Vehicle shall be inspected and all the details recorded in the Inspectors Field Book by an Inspector of Mines/Explosives on the day the explosives are to be transported,” the Minister submitted.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House