Innovating for safety and sustainability

By Ralf Hennecke, Managing Director BME

For BME, the prerogative of safety is non-negotiable. The safety of our employees, our customers, and the communities in which we operate always comes first and informs every decision we make in conducting our business. Guided by Omnia’s commitments to people and planet, we build health, safety and care into every decision at every stage in our value chain.

As the Managing Director of BME, I have pledged my commitment to make sure that our employees are safe when they are at work, and when they return home to their families at the end of each day. Through our daily commitment to our Safety for Life initiative, BME has successfully achieved one of its key safety targets – a zero recordable case rate (RCR) in January 2023.

Creating a culture of safety and health

We recognise that creating a culture of safety and health requires continuous improvement that is fully supported by attitudes,

beliefs and values that are shared by BME, Omnia and all our stakeholders. We foster an action-based culture that values safety, as well as transparent and open communication.

To this end, management undertakes health and safety site visits on a regular basis. Visible felt leadership for safety is demonstrated by actively engaging with employees and suppliers, setting clear expectations, and consistently prioritising safety measures to create a secure work environment where everyone feels valued and protected. At BME we host monthly Safety Stand Downs whereby the leadership team talks about the importance of safety and creates a platform for employees to engage on safety issues.

Underpinning our approach is the principle of care. In 2022, Omnia introduced the See Something, Say Something, Do Something safety practice to emphasise the importance of working together. This complements BME’s Safety for Life initiative.
In line with ensuring that we create and drive a zero-harm culture throughout the Group, we have established a safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ) centre of excellence with representation by SHEQ managers across all business units of our Group.

Safe blasting

While innovation is often associated with technology and production, BME carries this approach into our health, safety and environmental performance to support a safety culture across its supply chain. This extends from the design and manufacture of our explosives, through the transportation and storage of product, to the on-site preparation and blasting.

A safety highlight for BME was its recent dual safety innovation in our flagship AXXIS Titanium system, where testing can be conducted at a lower voltage than detonation. This allows low voltage logging to avoid any chance of detonation.

As we have expanded our operations across the world, we have applied our safety commitment to the same standard globally. As an active member of SAFEX, BME applies the highest standards across all our operations in line with industry best practice.

BME has also contributed beyond the technical arena, and into explosives-related regulatory development in Africa. As a blasting pioneer in Africa, it was the first explosives company to be licensed in countries like Mauritania and Sierra Leone. Its experience meant it could assist government authorities there in drafting legislation that would pave the way for the responsible application of explosives.

Safety and R&D

The mining sector’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) focus also applies to mines’ supply chains, making every partner jointly responsible for their customers’ sustainability performance.

Systems and protocols are critical across the supply chain, especially in the fields of safety and sustainability. Safety is therefore built into the research and development process – from ideation to commercialisation – in accordance with stringent quality management systems.

Safety has been at the core of BME’s operation from the very start in 1984 through the intrinsic stability of its dual salt emulsion. The safety advantages of this emulsion are well known – as the emulsion is not explosive until it is activated in the blasthole. Through ongoing research and development, we achieve emulsions that can endure the often lengthy transportation and storage periods demanded by remote mining locations.

Commitment to continuous improvement

Safety, health and sustainability are corporate journeys that demand continuous learning and improvement through innovation. This includes monitoring the results of BME’s initiatives and constantly increasing expectations.

Lastly, a word of appreciation to SAFEX for your commitment and relentless drive to take safety in our industry to the next level.

All the best, and please stay safe.

Ralf Hennecke
BME – Managing Director