5. Health and Safety

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ICMM company members commit to pursue continual improvement in health and safety performance with the ultimate goal of zero harm.

Responsible mining companies have an unwavering commitment to the health and safety of workers and their families, local communities and wider society. ICMM members adopt workplace practices and critical controls to prevent fatalities, minimise injuries and eliminate occupational diseases, towards a goal of zero harm.

Performance Expectations

Developed with extensive input from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international organisations and academics, our Mining Principles establish baseline performance expectations for a responsible mining and metals industry. ICMM's Mining Principles include two Performance Expectations under Principle 5: Health and Safety.

  • 5.1: Continually improve health and safety

    Implement practices aimed at continually improving workplace health and safety, and monitor performance for the elimination of workplace fatalities, serious injuries and prevention of occupational diseases, based upon recognised international standard or management system.

  • 5.2: Provide health and safety training

    Provide workers with training in accordance with their responsibilities for health and safety, and implement health surveillance and risk-based monitoring programmes based on occupational exposures.

About ICMM's Mining Principles

ICMM’s Mining Principles strengthen social and environmental requirements, on issues such as labour rights, resettlement, gender, access to grievance mechanisms, mine closure, pollution and waste.

Supporting global goals

As momentum behind the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) continues to grow, there is mounting pressure on the private sector to support the delivery of a wide variety of development objectives. ICMM’s Mining Principles can support the mining and metals industry in addressing climate change, ending poverty and tackling rising inequalities.

Each SDG connects with or can be directly influenced by ICMM’s Mining Principles. Unlike many other sectors, there is no primary point of connection between mining and a single SDG. Instead, operations have the extraordinary potential to contribute to several goals at once. The contribution mining products to almost every aspect of life is arguably becoming more important than ever – with metals and minerals enabling the innovations needed to deliver pathways to a greener, safer and more sustainable future.