ASPASA Calls for participation

Surface mining industry association, Aspasa, calls on its members and users of its members’ products to become involved with its process of formulating its own quality management system.

The association already has its owns health and safety, as well as environmental management systems which are mandatory for its members to ensure safe and sustainable supply of materials to various markets. The creation of bespoke quality management system designed with local requirements and legislation in mind, is the next logical step in maintaining the association’s role in driving the interests of the surface mining industry.

Aspasa director, Nico Pienaar, says strict new requirements are being placed on the supply of building materials (sand, aggregates, dimension stones), foodstuffs (salt), energy (coal, ash) and other minerals which require modern quarries and surface mines to implement advanced process control and quality management systems to ensure that they comply.

“The Development of a comprehensive quality management system based on international standards is therefore imperative and urgent. We have established a qualified task team to identify key areas to be covered generally and separately for each segment of our industry.

“We cannot however cover every angle on our own and therefore encourage our members and their clients to play an active role in the formulation of our quality controls and systems.

“We therefore also look forward to receiving feedback from the construction, transport, food and beverage, energy and other sectors to ensure our quality manuals assist our members to cater for their future requirements. Members should also provide input on their quality challenges so that our panel of experts may devise systems to assist in their complying with requirements,” adds Nico.

The aim is to introduce the new system from the beginning of 2019, after which annual audits will be conducted to ensure compliance with required processes and procedures. Once compliance has been ascertained the member will receive certification of compliance with the association’s strict requirements.