Identification, security and safety solutions provider Doculam supplies an occu-
pational safety performance 
assessment technology (Ospat) system that screens mine employees daily for performance impairments such as fatigue, stress and illness, which are not picked up by breathalyser and urinalysis testing programmes.

The system complements risk management practices and contributes to the overall safety on a mine, as an impaired employee 
may represent a safety risk in the workplace, explains Doculam Johannesburg branch manager Louis Cronje.

“Evidence of the effectiveness of Ospat is seen in its impact on lost-time injury events, reportable injuries and on the risk management culture of mines where it is employed,” he says.

How It Works
Ospat uses a psychomotor performance test called a critical tracking task. Hand-eye coordination is required to keep a randomly moving, unstable cursor on target for about 45 seconds and involves reaction, coordination and control capabilities.

The system uses purpose-designed terminals connected 
through a standard local or wide area network to a central computer server. Details of each 
employee are updated daily. The test results identify who is 
impaired, the level of impairment, the date of impairment and where the employee is situated in the organisation. However, it cannot identify the reason for the employee’s impairment.

As each assessment is com-
pleted, the results are displayed to the employee and relayed directly to the Ospat server. Unsatisfactory results are 
relayed to the computer of the appropriate supervisor, who will then take the necessary action regarding the impaired employee.

In the interests of privacy, access to 
individual employee results is restricted by password control and is accessible only by relevant supervisors. Assessment results cannot be used to directly compare individuals.

The Benefits
The Ospat system offers additional benefits and options, such as emergency procedure support, integration with external process control systems and the ability to randomly 
select and notify employees of drug and alcohol testing requirements. This selection schedule can be configured in line with company testing policies. The system is subject to ongoing development to continuously improve usability, flexibility and performance and to enhance reporting and analysis functions.

Cronje asserts that, to be effective, Ospat should be an integral part of the overall risk management and safety practices of the mine. Further, he says that it should be based on a sound and negotiated policy, 
recognised by all employees and complemented by employee assistance programmes, which include rehabilitation, where appropriate.