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.
