BC safety record no accident

The mining industry has become the safest heavy industry in British Columbia. In fact, the injury rate for workers in the mining industry is now three times lower than the next closest sector in the category.

In 1996, mining’s injury rate was 6 per 100 person-years. Within three years that had dropped to 4 per 100 person-years and today the injury rate is just 1.3 per 100 person-years.

Achieving the industry’s low accident rate required work. While worker safety has always been a priority, in the early 1990s the industry began to introduce new safety programs, including rigorous education of the mining workforce in safety procedures.

Over the ensuing years mining safety procedures were established at mine sites, as were joint occupational health and safety committees. Employee award programs for good safety practices were also introduced.

These initiatives gradually changed the culture and thus established and promoted a team approach whereby mine workers not only took responsibility for their safety but also for the safety of their colleagues.

“We can’t take our safety record for granted. Our aim is to reduce our injury rate even further,” says Ron Caldwell, vice-president of health, safety and disability management with the Mining Association of British Columbia.

With many of the existing mines currently operating at full capacity to keep up with current mineral demand, it won’t be an easy challenge. “We must all make an extra effort to ensure that our accident rate doesn’t climb and indeed continues to fall to zero, our ultimate goal,” says Caldwell.

Unfortunately old stereotypes die hard in some circles and the industry is still perceived as a dangerous business. While that may have been true many decades ago, it is far from the case now.

Mining in B.C. is a high-tech industry pioneering the use of computer modelling, global positioning systems (GPS), robotics and a level of worker safety training not seen in other industries. Mining can be dangerous but dangerous does not have to equal unsafe.

Success is also due to the close working relationship between labour, management and the B.C. mines inspection branch. This collaboration is important for the continued safety of those working in mining.

— The preceding is an edited version of an information bulletin published by the Mining Association of British Columbia.