The Mine Health and Safety Council was established in June 1997 in terms of Section 41(1) of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act 29 of 1996), as amended.

It consists of members representing Government, employees and employers in the South African mining industry.

The responsibilities of the Mine Health and Safety Council are governed by Sections 43 and 44 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act 29 of 1996), as amended, and it must:

• Advise the Minister of Mineral Resources on health and safety at mines in South Africa.
• Co-ordinate the activities of its committees, receive reports from these committees and liaise with the Mining Qualifications Authority or MQA on matters relating to health and safety.
• Liaise with any other statutory body concerned with matters relating to health and safety in the South African mining industry.
• Promote a culture of health and safety in the South African mining industry.
• Arrange and co-ordinate tripartite summits to review the state of safety and health at mines every two years.

For more information, visit www.mhsc.org.za

The Mining Regulation Advisory Committee or MRAC was established as a voluntary tripartite committee before the promulgation of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act 29 of 1996), as amended, to give effect to recommendations by the Leon Commission of Inquiry of 1994. The Mining Regulation Advisory Committee or MRAC must advise the Mine Health and Safety Council on:

• Proposed changes to legislation to improve health or safety at mines in South Africa.
• Proposals for changes to legislation made by any other committee of the Mine Health and Safety Council.
• Facilitate the processes to establish and review guideline documents for Codes of Practice.

For more information, visit www.mhsc.org.za.

The Mining Occupational Health Advisory Committee or MOHAC must advise the Mine Health and Safety Council on:

• Policy matters relating to occupational health in the South African mining industry.
• Standards, systems and procedures for the assessment, avoidance, elimination, control and minimisation of health risks in South African mines.
• The regulation on any aspect of occupational health in the South African mining industry.
• Health research programmes.
• The collection, processing and distribution of health data in the South African mining industry.

For more information, visit www.mhsc.org.za.

The Safety in Mines’ Research Advisory Committee or SIMRAC advise the Mine Health and Safety Council on:

• Criteria to determine the funding for health and safety research.
• The need for research into occupational health and occupational safety at mines in South Africa.
• Research projects to include priorities of project costs, assessment, ratification and execution.
• The communication and publication of research results.
• The management of the cost of the overall programme(s).

Annually, the Safety in Mines’ Research Advisory Committee or SIMRAC prepares overall programmes for the relevant health and safety research to include a review of health and safety performance in the different mining sectors within South Africa, an evaluation of the research proposals made by the Mine Health and Safety Council or any of its committees and prioritising the health and safety research for the different sectors of mining in South Africa.

For more information, visit www.mhsc.org.za.