To deeply carry out the Safe Production Month, the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Department at Sinomine Kitumba Minerals Company Limited conducted an emergency preparedness drill aimed at strengthening the company’s readiness to effectively respond to fire, injury and any medical emergency scenarios. 

The drill was held on 26^th June at the 15MCC Smelter Site, led by the ESG Department as part of its ongoing effort to promote a strong safety culture and ensure that critical response procedures are well understood and effectively implemented. The exercise simulated a real-life emergency scenario, providing an opportunity to assess the company’s preparedness and response capabilities. 

The drill was structured into three key components; fire extinguisher deployment, simulated injury response, and CPR & casualty evacuation. These stages were designed to test the company’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to different emergency situations while ensuring that Safety protocols were properly followed. 

The fire extinguisher usage demonstrations were facilitated by the Safety Manger Mr. Arlen Chikumbi and the ESG Supervisor Mr. Hao Dongdong. Combining with the actual conditions of the site, the training personnel explained in detail the scope of application, operating steps, and precautions of fire extinguishers. 

The Safety Manager Mr. Arlen Chikumbi demonstrating the correct operation of the portable fire extinguisher.

The ESG Supervisor Mr. Hao Dongdong, demonstrating the correct operation of the portable fire extinguisher. 

This was followed by a Simulated Injury and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Response scenario, where a worker who sustained a head and arm injury during duty was attended to by the site medical team; comprising of the attending mine doctor, nurse, and first aid responders. In the first aid training segment, the site focused on teaching first aid knowledge such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, The training also set up context for emergency handling of fractures, explaining and demonstrating how to scientifically rescue, effectively immobilize, and reduce secondary injuries under sudden injury situations, further elevating the trainees’ emergency response level when facing sudden events

The Emergency team responding to the emergency call-out. 

The Mine attending Doctor, administering CPR to the injured worker. 

The attending mine Doctor and the mine Nurse, dressing the wound with a sterile bandage. 

The casualty was stabilized and transferred onto a stretcher for ambulance transport. 

After the drill concluded, Mao Fulong, General Manager of Kitumba Mining, emphasized in his summary: The alarm for safe production must ring continuously; the project construction phase involves numerous risk points, wide work fronts, and frequent overlapping operations, which requires a continuous reinforcement of safety awareness among all personnel. This drill highlighted practical operations and stayed close to reality, featuring a good format, substantial content, and strong outcomes, which enhanced everyone’s emergency handling capability and collaborative coordination capability under sudden situations. We must take this event as an opportunity to further implement safety responsibilities across every operational link, earnestly achieving prevention beforehand and orderly response, to minimize of injuries and losses caused by accidents.

The General Manager Mr. Mao Fulong delivering remarks during the drill.

This firefighting emergency drill is an important component of Kitumba Mining’s Safe Production Month series of activities. Through training and practical operation drills, a strong atmosphere of Everyone Speaks Safety, Everyone Knows Emergency Response was further created, fully safeguarding the safe, smooth, and steady progress of the project construction. 

Sinomine Kitumba Minerals continues to prioritize the safety and well-being of its employees. Through proactive measures such as emergency preparedness drills led by the ESG Department, the company remains dedicated to fostering a safe, responsible, and resilient working environment. 

by Panji Chiwala