Within the framework of the Somos Tesoro project, the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) and the Ministry of Labour presented the guide for the implementation of the Security and Health Management System at Work (Sistema de Gestión de la Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo, SGSST) to the coal miners from Boyacá on the 28th of September in Sogamoso.
Approximately 100 artisanal and small-scale coal miners participated in the event, as well as regional and local public representatives. In addition to informing about the SGSST, the miners were invited to share the challenges they face in its implementation, such as the applicability of the parameters of security regulations along with the socioeconomic dynamics of coal mining.
During the course of the activity, one of the most debated points was the difficulty to implement the SGSST by small-scale local mining because of insufficient capacities, which could trigger non-compliance sanctions and even mine closure. As a result, the Ministry of Labour reflected on the mine owner’s and employee’s responsibilities and the importance of complying with the regulations, which seek to protect their physical integrity and lives. However, local miners argued that the requirements were formulated without an understanding of the territorial context.
To facilitate reflection, debate and feedback, work groups were created where the miners could share their concerns, not just about the management system but also about other problems that directly affect the regional socioeconomic dynamics. The key message was that miners require more active support by State entities and organizations, because the sustainability of artisanal and small-scale coal mining in the region is at risk.
An important achievement of the event was the approach between local miners, the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Mines, who visited two mines in Sogamoso and advised the miners not only on the norms but on continuous improvement strategies to minimize the gap between the Security and Health Management System at Work and coal mining complexities. This helped to generate better empathy between the miners and public representatives.