Rethinking Health and Safety in Mining: From Compliance to Ethical Responsibility
Recent global health and safety incidents, compounded by the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, have forced the mining industry to confront difficult questions about its responsibilities to employees, communities, and society at large. While mining has long operated with extensive health and safety frameworks, persistent injuries, fatalities, and broader social harms suggest that compliance alone is no longer sufficient. The pandemic has exposed deeper ethical considerations—highlighting the power organizations hold, the risks they impose, and the expectations placed upon them in times of crisis. Drawing on reflections from industry dialogue and emerging global risks, this article argues for a new modus operandi for health and safety in mining—one that moves beyond regulatory minimums toward a more expansive, values-driven, and human-rights-based approach to decision-making.
