PRODUCTION BEGINS WITH SAFETY

Venance is a Miner and Production Supervisor in our mines at Kolwezi, DRC, and has been working at Glencore for 14 years. His responsibility is to ensure not just that production targets are met, but that safety protocols are being followed. Whether he is briefing operators or reporting an issue that needs to be fixed, he knows that one of the best ways to get results and ensure the safety of his co- workers is to communicate simply and clearly.

A key aspect of Glencore’s approach to safety is that with strong leadership, we can create a safe workplace. Venance exemplifies that leadership and believes that a workplace without fatalities or injuries is achievable.

Safety is an equally important aspect of Venance’s life at home. Being the father of young children, he understands that one of the secrets to creating a safe environment is being good at communicating.

We produce cobalt – a metal that is in rising demand – while respecting the safety rules. If it’s not safe, we stop work. When you’re working with large machines, it’s essential that you put safety before anything else. That’s why we always brief the operators before working, reminding them of the safety protocols.

Throughout the day, if I notice that any aspect of the work we’re doing goes outside the safety regulations, I put a stop to it immediately. For example, if an operator feels unwell, I can’t allow them to continue working. I tell them, “No, you can’t work the skips today. We’re going to find someone who’s fit to operate while we get you checked out.”

When you’re a supervisor, it doesn’t mean that you’re above everybody else. If you want to reach production targets, you need to speak well to everyone you work with, to create a cohesive team that works safely.

I enforce safety at work like I do when I’m at home. To protect all of us, it’s essential that I give clear and simple instructions. If I see the children playing with wires or sockets, I say “no, don’t do that”. I explain to them that there is an electrical current there, so it is not safe, and they mustn’t do it again. It’s the same at work. When I come across an unsafe practice, I tell the operator to stop and then call the coordinator so we can analyse what happened. Together, we find a way to fix the situation. Because we are here to mine and hit our targets, but in the safest, most efficient way possible.