“You'll Be Fired if You Refuse” - Human Rights Watch

quoted above, union officials and employees of NFCA stressed that it was just in 2009 that the
company provided an ambulance and first aid kits to better respond to injuries, though several miners
said that there are still problems in ensuring that all the necessary materials are included in
underground first aid kits. Miners at CCS and CLM did not report any problems for onsite care.
Other multinational copper mining companies in Zambia also appear to systematically perform
inquiries into what caused accidents. An underground miner at the Indian-owned KCM told Human
Rights Watch that after an increase in accidents there in 2010, the company hired more safety officers,
conducted internal audits to determine the problems, and provided additional safety trainings for
employees. 188 At Mopani, which has had accident problems at the Mufulira underground site that is
one of the oldest mines in Zambia, an underground miner said that “after an accident, we have to do a
risk assessment before doing the job again. We must ensure everything is in order. There are also
seminars for sensitization on safety. The rule is, ‘If it’s not safe, don’t do it,’ and they make this clear.” 189
While miners at these companies said there was pressure to meet production quotas that at times
encouraged risky behavior, they also said that policies were clear and any supervisor that pushed or
threatened a miner to continue in an unsafe place could be reported and sanctioned. Miners from
both KCM and Mopani cited incidents they knew of when a supervisor had been charged. 190 In
contrast with the often powerless safety officers at the Chinese-run operations, a miner at the KCM
Tailings Leach Plant told Human Rights Watch: “The safety standards have been set, they are well
elaborated in the procedures, and the safety inspectors follow them. If you stay strong, there aren’t
problems.” 191 KCM has also established a “whistleblower policy” that protects the confidentiality and
anonymity of someone reporting a complaint, including on the violation of safety rules and
regulations. 192 An engineer at Mopani likewise said, “Mopani has taken safety as a very high priority.
We have good safety officers, they are well trained and know the regulations.” 193
Finally, miners at Kansanshi and KCM told Human Rights Watch that they were rewarded for safe
behavior—determined by meeting set standards for injuries and damage to equipment—with a
monthly bonus. 194
188 Human Rights Watch interview with underground pump operator at KCM, Chingola, November 14, 2010.
189 Human Rights Watch interview with underground mine truck operator A at Mopani, Mufulira, November 16, 2010.
190 Human Rights Watch interviews with artisan technician at KCM, Chingola, November 14, 2010; and with underground
mine truck operator A at Mopani, Mufulira, November 16, 2010.
191 Human Rights Watch interview with forklift operator at KCM, Chingola, November 14, 2010.
192 Human Rights Watch interview with union representative at KCM, Chingola, November 14, 2010. See also Konkola Copper Mines
Plc., Whistleblower Policy, http://www.kcm.co.zm/index.php?option=com_ whistleblower&Itemid=61 (accessed September 28, 2011).
193 Human Rights Watch interview with engineer in the mining hoist department at Mopani, Mufulira, November 16, 2011.
194 Human Rights Watch interviews with miners at KCM, Chingola, November 14, 2010; and with miners at Kansanshi, Solwezi,
November 12, 2010.
“YOU’LL BE FIRED IF YOU REFUSE” 62