ICMM have released a report that benchmarks the 2023 safety performance of its members.
ICMM members are constantly looking for ways to make their operations safer, to eliminate fatalities towards a goal of zero harm. To support this, ICMM compiles, analyses and publishes the safety data provided annually by company members, which collectively represent a third of the global mining and metals industry.
Tragically, 36 people from ICMM company members lost their lives at work in 2023. This compares to 33 in 2022 and 45 in 2021.
The report analyses fatalities from ICMM company members based on the cause (or ‘hazard’) and provides safety performance metrics by county and company. In 2023, 10 of these fatalities were related to mobile equipment and transportation, and 5 fatalities were caused by structural failures. Company member operations in South Africa had the highest number of fatalities (13), accounting for 36 per cent of the total fatalities across ICMM members. 12 out of 25 members reported zero fatalities.
Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO, ICMM said: “There is no higher priority for ICMM members than keeping people safe and healthy at work, and this report is a stark reminder of the work ahead of us in that regard. The concerning increase in fatalities in 2023 underscores that there is absolutely no room for complacency. With this in mind, we are committed to fostering stronger safety cultures across our workforces that cascade to every corner and facet of operations.”