18th Jun 2007 09:24
Anglo Platinum Limited18 June 2007 Anglo Platinum LimitedIncorporated in the Republic of South AfricaRegistration No. 1946/022452/06JSE Codes: AMS; AMSPISIN: ZAE000013181; ZAE000054474("the Company") 18 June 2007 Anglo Platinum to suspend production at Rustenburg to address safety concerns Anglo Platinum announces that it will suspend underground production at itsRustenburg Platinum Mine's Rustenburg section for approximately 7 days toimplement measures to address concerns associated with the safety of employees. In line with Anglo American's core safety values, Anglo Platinum's highestpriority remains the safety of employees (including contract employees).Management has invested significant resources in the implementation of acomprehensive suite of safety standards and initiatives designed to deliver asustainable step change improvement in safety performance. During the first half of 2007, however, the safety record at Anglo Platinum'sRustenburg section deteriorated significantly. Over the past two weeks, fiveemployees have lost their lives in work related events at the Rustenburg section- bringing the total there to 12 during 2007. Despite the initiatives already inplace, in consultation with Anglo American, management has decided to takeimmediate action. Management believes that the appropriate action must be tosuspend production. The intervention will ensure that every employee fully understands theprinciples and accountability underlying all current safety standards,initiatives and programmes and that safety is the overriding priority. The auditof each workplace will ensure that measures are in place to safely implement thesuspension of production and will identify and address any new factors thatcontributed to the deterioration. While each underground production shaft at Rustenburg section will haltproduction for between 5 and 7 days, expected to commence on 22 June 2007, theintervention programme at the mine will be staggered over a five-week period tooptimise resource allocation and the effectiveness of contact between managementand employees. Anglo Platinum expects production in 2007, as a direct result of thisintervention, to reduce by between 10 000 and 15 000 ounces of refined platinumand the proportionate reduction of associated by-products produced. Chief Executive Officer Ralph Havenstein said, "Employee safety is our highestpriority and where extreme steps are necessary we will not hesitate to takeaction. This intervention will greatly support the ongoing initiatives alreadyin place to assist us in reaching our objective of zero harm." Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American said, "As I have consistently emphasisedpublicly, achieving a dramatic improvement in the Group's safety performance isan overriding priority in the programme of change that we are taking forwardwithin Anglo American. We must ensure that our operations are places from whichemployees and contractors return safely at the end of their workday. Thesuspension reinforces our commitment to safety and makes clear that we will takethe measures necessary to deliver on that objective." For further information, please contact: Trevor Raymond+27 11 373 6462+27 82 654 8467 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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