Safety Management lives up to its motto
Safety Management lives up to its motto
VUT Safety Management students at the Savuka Anglo-Gold mine in Carletonville
Qhawekazi Memani
The academic structures representing Safety Management students have realised the lack of experiential training or in-service training in their curriculum and its very serious limitations on students when they enter the working world.
Guided and living by their motto: “Bridging the gap between students and corporate environment” the student chapter randomly selected a group of 30 Safety Management students from first year to those at Advanced level to visit Savuka Anglo-Gold mine in Carletonville on 1 August.
They were accompanied by lecturer Mr Gerrie Castelyn.
The purpose of the visit was to familiarise students with mine operations, to understand the safety scheme of the mine, how they deal with injuries and accidents, how to give first aid, guard machines and personal protective equipment (PPE).
The visit is said to have been very informative, exciting and memorable.
“At first when we arrived were very scared, seeing all the big machines and a very vast piece of land filled with work stations everywhere, but after the morning induction and breakfast we became at ease with everything and then everybody was provided with PPE and we embarked on the tour. We learnt how gold is extracted from the rock and how cyanide (a deadly chemical which can enter the body through skin/eye contact, inhalation and indigestion) is used to extract gold and the risks attached to it and the safety precautions necessary when dealing with it,” said Georgia Losie; Secretary of the Student Chapter.
The visit will provide a great advantage to those who visited because many employers today require plant experience. The academics have also managed to forge a strong relationship with the mine. To bring as many students to learn about the plant operations and the relationship will go a long way in producing Safety and Management graduates with relevant experience, they say.