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Rio Tinto is to introduce new measures to improve its safety culture
despite big drops in the rate of occupational illnesses and
accidents in recent years.
The mining group has reduced its rate of new occupational illness cases by 75 per cent in four years, from 120 cases per 10,000 employees in 2002 to just over 30 in 2006, partly due to group-wide health standards introduced in 2004, against which all Rio Tinto sites have been audited.
Its lost-time injury frequency rates fell by 11 per cent in 2006, the eighth consecutive drop since 1998, when the group began a safety improvement drive. Since 1998 the lost-time injury rate has fallen by 86 per cent, down to 0.5 hours per 200,000 hours worked.
The International Council on Mining and Metals is compiling a database of mining industry safety performance. This shows that the lost time injury rate for Rio Tinto managed operations is approximately half that of the Canadian and Australian mining industry and its fatality and injury results compare favourably with other mining companies that have provided information.
However, the group has a ‘zero target’ for injury rates and new occupational health cases, and says three deaths at its managed sites last year show changes still have to be made.
Last year the company surveyed staff about the safety culture at its operating sites and discovered that it is seen as ‘good at developing and implementing strong [safety] systems’ but is less successful at convincing the workforce of their value. It will now try to involve employees ‘in all areas of safety management’, give them further training, and appoint safety ‘champions’. Safety information will also be extended to employees’ families.
The mining group has reduced its rate of new occupational illness cases by 75 per cent in four years, from 120 cases per 10,000 employees in 2002 to just over 30 in 2006, partly due to group-wide health standards introduced in 2004, against which all Rio Tinto sites have been audited.
Its lost-time injury frequency rates fell by 11 per cent in 2006, the eighth consecutive drop since 1998, when the group began a safety improvement drive. Since 1998 the lost-time injury rate has fallen by 86 per cent, down to 0.5 hours per 200,000 hours worked.
The International Council on Mining and Metals is compiling a database of mining industry safety performance. This shows that the lost time injury rate for Rio Tinto managed operations is approximately half that of the Canadian and Australian mining industry and its fatality and injury results compare favourably with other mining companies that have provided information.
However, the group has a ‘zero target’ for injury rates and new occupational health cases, and says three deaths at its managed sites last year show changes still have to be made.
Last year the company surveyed staff about the safety culture at its operating sites and discovered that it is seen as ‘good at developing and implementing strong [safety] systems’ but is less successful at convincing the workforce of their value. It will now try to involve employees ‘in all areas of safety management’, give them further training, and appoint safety ‘champions’. Safety information will also be extended to employees’ families.
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