Namdeb is committed to promoting and maintaining good working conditions to safeguard employees and affected people against injury and occupational health risks and to manage all issues of health and safety as an integral part of company business and planning. Namdeb will continuously identify risks, assess, prioritize and reduce safety and health incidents by ensuring that operations are conducted within the documented and implemented Namdeb Safety and Health Management System, applicable legislation and other requirements to which the company subscribes. During 2006 Namdeb will be converting to OHSAS 18001 in line with internationally recognized safety and health standards and De Beers Group strategy.
	To ensure continuous improvement of Namdeb’s safety and health performance we are committed towards providing all employees and contractors with the requisite training to enable them to conduct activities in a responsible manner. Objectives and targets are reviewed on a regular basis and a balanced scorecard approach to safety management has been implemented across the company to ensure that safety management is integrated into the way Namdeb operates. External audits are conducted to ensure compliance to best practice. These include NOSA audits, AON Risk Audits and OHSAS 18001 that will be conducted in August 2006. During 2005 Namdeb was awarded with the following national and international safety achievements: Namdeb recorded 4 million fatality free shifts since the last fatality that occurred in February 2002.  All three operations achieved a 5 Star Platinum Grading and were awarded NOSCAR status.  MA1 retained its 3rd consecutive NOSCAR, Orange River Mines its 7th and Elizabeth Bay Mine its 8th. Namdeb recorded its lowest ever Lost Time Injury Severity Rate (2.13) which is a 65% improvement against the previous year. All three Namdeb operations were listed on the International Top 100 List for world class SHE performance. At the NOSA Namibia Awards Ceremony Namdeb was awarded as one of the top 3 companies in Namibia as well as the best surface plant. Namdeb retained its ISO 14001 certification for all certified areas. Namdeb does have a Safety and Health Agreement with the Mine Workers Union of Namibia, which allows for a communication structure within the company, at various levels, which culminates in a communication forum involving all representatives at senior management level. Two Full Time SHE Representatives, elected by the workforce, are employed and each business and functional unit Workplace SHE Representative is elected and appointed in line with the Safety and Health Agreement. Management of the SHE Programme is the responsibility of Management at all levels and the SHE Department facilitates the implementation, monitoring and control of the SHE and Fire Prevention Programmes across the organization. Compliance to objectives and targets are being reviewed on a monthly basis by Namdeb top management team.