This report provides safety performance data of ICMM members in 2023, in line with ICMM’s Health and Safety Performance Indicators: Guidance, 2021. Since 2012, ICMM has disclosed the safety performance of its members. This benchmarking report aims to transparently track members’ performance towards their goal of zero fatalities.

ICMM company members must report their safety performance in their annual sustainability reports in line with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) requirements. Comparing these data sets can be challenging due to differences in reporting criteria. In some cases, because of differences in jurisdictional or institutional reporting requirements, reporting periods or criteria by which injuries are recorded, datasets may not be directly comparable.

By collating ICMM company member data using a consistent reporting period (calendar based versus various financial years) and unifying it under a common set of indicators, we can present it in a coherent way.

This safety data continues to play an important role in informing leadership conversations and health and safety strategy. Ongoing analysis of incidents and their associated root causes will continue to inform innovative and impactful approaches to continually improving safety performance across the industry.

This report compiles members’ safety performance data using fatality and Total Recordable Injury (TRI) numbers and frequency rates as primary measures.

In 2021, ICMM’s indicator guidance was updated to provide greater clarity on how companies determine if an incident is ‘recordable’. If there are any deviations from the ICMM guidance, then these are explained in the footnotes.

We continue to review the best metrics for health and safety performance and anticipate updating the indicator guidance periodically.

2023 Safety Data

This section provides an overview of ICMM members’ safety performance in relation to fatalities and injuries.

Fatalities

Hazard classification

36 fatalities occurred across ICMM’s 25[1] company members in 2023. This compares to 33 fatalities in 2022, 45 in 2021, and 44 in 2020.

Overall, in 2023, the total hours worked increased by 4.75% compared to 2022 and there was a 3.4% increase in the number of incidents that resulted in a fatality (30 in 2023 compared to 29 in 2022). Two incidents resulted in more than one fatality. Therefore, the Fatality Frequency Rate (FFR) increased from 0.012 to 0.013 in the same period.

Graph 1 and Table 1 present the detailed data of fatalities and fatality rate from 2012 to 2023. 48% (12 of 25) member companies had no fatalities in 2023. This compares to 50% of companies (13 of 26) in 2022.

Table 1: ICMM Member Safety Performance Data (2012 – 2023)

Year	Total Recordable Fatalities	Fatality Frequency Rate (FFR)	Total Recordable Injuries (TRI)	TRI Frequency Rate (TRIFR)	Total Hours Worked (Employees + Contractors)
2023	36	0.013	7,278	2.59	2,810,923,982
2022	33	0.012	7,126	2.66	2,683,513,114
2021	45	0.018	7,355	2.90	2,538,696,213
2020	44	0.018	6,997	2.94	2,380,942,303
2019 [3]	287	0.118	7,780	3.20	2,430,830,685
2018	50	0.022	7,751	3.41	2,275,510,188
2017	50	0.026	7,515	3.94	1,906,708,433
2016	63	0.032	8,445	4.26	1,981,148,588
2015	60	0.027	10,494	4.70	2,231,437,832
2014	56	0.024	10,455	4.50	2,324,525,784
2013	91	0.035	11,636	4.52	2,571,500,557
2012	90	0.033	13,895	5.07	2,738,579,590

The next highest cause of fatalities (five) was ‘structural failure’. Four of these fatalities occurred through a single incident in a Sibanye Stillwater mine in South Africa.

Two fatalities in 2023 were due to ‘fall of ground’ incidents, which is when rock falls from the roof of underground mines. Although a higher number than reported in 2022 (one), focused initiatives in South Africa, where the majority of ‘fall of ground’ fatalities have happened since 2017, have helped to reduce fatalities from this type of incident significantly overall.

Three incidents leading to three fatalities were due to ‘energy isolation’ failures – this is when an energy source such as electricity, has an uncontrolled release of energy. All three fatalities were caused by electrocution, with two during equipment testing operations. Taking precautions such as following up-to-date testing procedures and using fit-for-purpose tools with certified personal protective equipment when undergoing electrical work should prevent this and, as mining continues to decarbonise, electrical safety will need to be a priority area of focus.

It is notable that, in 2022, ‘falling objects’ (for example, dropped equipment or tools) caused five fatalities but, in 2023, no fatalities were attributed to that cause.

Innovation for Cleaner, Safer Vehicles (ICSV) initiative

Eliminating fatalities from vehicle and mobile equipment interactions is an area of focus in ICMM’s ICSV initiative which brings our members together with many of the world's largest original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), in a non-competitive space, to accelerate the development of a new generation of mining vehicles and improve existing ones. The collaborative initiative includes workstreams on increasing the accessibility of vehicle collision avoidance technology and ‘capable solutions’.

A ‘capable solution’ for vehicle interaction is one that:

Delivers better vehicle interaction control performance by improving the quality of decision-making – from task execution through to mine operations and design.
Considers relevant aspects of the operating environment, production requirements and equipment design.
Is operationally integrated with existing controls.

ICMM also partners with the Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table (EMESRT) to help drive progress on vehicle interaction safety. This includes the development of resources, creation of functional performance scenario storyboards and hosting joint workshops.

Graph 3 presents fatality data by hazard classification, which demonstrates the most common type of incidents causing a fatality, and the trend over time.

The work location of fatalities is represented in Graph 4.

In 2023, the most common location for incidents and fatalities to occur was underground (47%). We have not observed a noticeable trend in the location of fatalities, for example in 2022, 61% of fatalities occurred in ‘other process’ areas such as milling and leaching plants.

Geography

The number of fatalities and FFR by continent is shown in Graph 5 and based on the data in Table 2.44% of fatalities (16 of 36) occurred in Africa and 22% (8) in South America.

However, the number of hours worked in each continent vary significantly which impacts the FFR. Asia and Africa recorded the joint highest FFR by continent in 2023 at 0.024, approximately twice the overall rate. In contrast, South America recorded a FFR of 0.007, whilst there were no fatalities in Europe during 2023.

Table 2: ICMM Member Fatalities per Continent (2023)

Continent	Total Hours Worked (Employees + Contractors)	% Total Hours Worked	Total Recordable Fatalities	Fatality Frequency Rate (FFR)	% Fatalities
Africa	661,216,850	24	16	0.024	44
South America	1,167,462,693	41	8	0.007	22
North America	238,757,778	9	4	0.017	12
Asia	122,875,622	4	3	0.024	8
Oceania	529,009,464	19	5	0.009	14
Europe	89,054,777	3	0	0.000	0
Other	2,546,798	0	0	0.000	0
Total	2,810,923,982	100	36	0.012	100

The number of fatalities and FFR of the country where the fatalities occurred is shown in Graph 6 and based on the data in Table 3. The greatest number of fatalities were in South Africa (13) which is significantly higher than the seven recorded in South Africa in 2022. Of the 13 fatalities in South Africa, six were underground and the remaining in ‘other process’ areas. In terms of the associated hazards, one incident of ‘structural failure’ resulted in four fatalities. ‘Mobile equipment’ was the next highest cause of fatalities (three).

Saudi Arabia recorded the highest country FFR at 0.537, corresponding to two fatalities, with a low number of hours worked (0.1% of total hours worked).

Table 3: ICMM Member Fatalities per Country (2023)

Country	Total Hours Worked (Employees + Contractors)	% of Total Recorded Hours Across Countries with Fatalities	Total Recordable Fatalities (TRF)	Fatality Frequency Rate (FFR)
South Africa	416,328,941	15	13	0.032
Chile	379,678,624	13	5	0.013
Australia	311,244,135	11	4	0.013
USA	100,754,222	4	3	0.030
Brazil	531,413,553	19	2	0.004
Ghana	58,466,535	2	2	0.034
Saudi Arabia	3,725,794	0	2	0.537
Canada	127,361,323	5	1	0.008
Colombia	40,402,217	1	1	0.025
Indonesia	160,478,166	6	1	0.006
Kazakhstan	57,462,523	2	1	0.017
Mali	17,945,723	1	1	0.056
All other countries	605,662,226	21	0	0.000
Total	2,683,513,114	100	33	0.012

Organisational factors

Incidents in 2023 occurred across various work locations, companies and countries. A review of each fatality's organisational factors reveals no discernible pattern in the specific events leading to the incidents.

Analysis of ICMM Member Organisational Factors (2017-2023)[5]

The data offers insights into the repeat causes of fatalities:

Consequences of Failure to Follow Rules/Procedures: A worker’s failure to follow established rules and procedures can lead to severe consequences, including harm to personnel and equipment, operational disruptions and financial losses. These failures often indicate deeper systemic issues such as inadequate training, poor communication, or lack of enforcement of health and safety protocols. Addressing these underlying causes is crucial to prevent recurrence.

Design: This relates to the planning, engineering and creation of equipment, systems and processes that emphasise safety, usability and regulatory compliance from the outset. Safety incidents typically arise from design flaws, lack of human factors integration, insufficient safety features, compatibility issues, and regulatory non-compliance. Effective design is critical in preventing incidents by addressing potential issues early, ensuring equipment and systems are intuitive, safe and seamlessly integrated.[6]

Safety Culture: This refers to the collective attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that prioritise safety within an organisation. It includes shared values and practices that influence safety behaviours of both management and the workforce. A strong safety culture features open communication, mutual trust and proactive safety measures, integrating safety into all operations and decision-making. Unlike procedures or risk management, which focus on specific actions or systems, safety culture addresses the underlying mindset driving these actions. Incidents often arise when there is a gap between safety policies and actual practices related to complacency and inadequate safety responses.

Risk Management: This involves the systematic process of identifying, assessing and mitigating risks to prevent incidents. This encompasses hazard identification, risk assessments, implementation of control measures and continuous monitoring. Distinct from normal operating procedures or change management scenarios, risk management is a proactive, overarching approach to anticipating and addressing potential hazards to reduce the likelihood of incidents. Incidents related to this category often stem from inadequate risk assessments, failure to implement or maintain control measures, and insufficient monitoring or review processes.

Maintenance Management: This covers the planning, execution and oversight of maintenance activities to ensure equipment and systems are reliable and safe. It includes routine inspections, preventive maintenance, repairs, and documentation. Considered separately from hardware/physical components, and operating procedures, maintenance management focuses on keeping equipment in optimal condition through systematic upkeep. Incidents in this category typically arise from inadequate maintenance schedules, poor execution of maintenance tasks, lack of documentation and record keeping, and insufficient training of maintenance personnel.

Contractor Management: This involves selecting, managing, and overseeing contractors to follow safety protocols and standards, minimise risk and achieve seamless integration with organisational processes. It includes defining scopes of work, ensuring compliance with standards, and maintaining communication. Incidents often arise from inadequate vetting, insufficient training, lack of integration with the employer company, poor communication, and lack of oversight.

The total number of fatalities for contractor and employee workers are shown in Graph 8 for each continent. Contractor fatalities (25) account for 69% of the total. Contractor hours worked are 59% of the total and, overall, the FFR for contractors is 0.015 compared with 0.009 for employees. In 2023 and 2022, the contractor FFR has been higher than for employees.

Graph 9 illustrates control issues for all fatalities in 2023. It shows that issues related to control design and execution account for 78% of fatalities, with 64% of control failures attributed to ineffective execution within the operating environment.

Although these figures are lower than in 2021 and 2022, the 2023 data includes eight fatalities for which the control failure was not defined.

More on critical controls

Critical controls, or barriers, are the actions taken to prevent hazards from developing into dangerous events. Where critical controls are missing, eg where full risk assessment and management have not been completed, there is no barrier to prevent incidents from happening. Where controls are in place but not executed, eg where standard procedures are not followed, incidents can also happen. Maintaining effective controls is a core activity in risk management.

Injuries

As shown in Graph 10, and Table 1, the Total Recordable Injuries (TRI) reported in 2023 (7,278) is close to that reported in 2022 (7,126). The greater number of hours worked in 2023 resulted in a lower frequency rate of 2.59 (2.66 in 2022). The injury rate has decreased steadily since 2015.

2023 Company benchmark

Graph 11 shows total FFR and Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) respectively for each member company in 2023. The graph shows that there is no consistent correlation between FFR and TRIFR across company data.

12 ICMM members (48%) recorded no fatalities during 2023. Notably, 5 out of the 12 companies that recorded no fatalities had above average (and in some cases considerably higher than average) TRIFRs.

There are two opposing theories around the relationship between FFR and TRIFR. One suggests that more diligent reporting of injuries, and therefore a high TRIFR, allows a company to be proactive in eliminating risks. The other suggests that a high TRIFR indicates a generally higher risk environment and that this may lead to more fatalities.

Table 4: ICMM Company Member Data for Fatalities and Recordable Incidents (2023)[5]

Company Member	Total Recordable Fatalities	Fatility Frequency Rate (FFR)	Total Recordable Injuries (TRI)	TRI Frequency Rate (TRIFR)	Total Hours Worked (Employees + Contractors)
African Rainbow Minerals[7]	0	0.000	120	2.75	43,475,642
Alcoa[8]	0	0.000	428	6.97	61,405,365
Anglo American	3	0.012	435	1.78	244,080,731
AngloGold Ashanti	0	0.000	84	1.09	77,390,772
Antofagasta Minerals	0	0.000	111	1.74	63,971,658
Barrick	5	0.036	158	1.14	138,137,911
BHP	2	0.011	825	4.56	180,759,881
Boliden	0	0.000	87	4.99	17,438,921
Codelco[9]	2	0.012	721	4.35	165,584,702
Freeport-McMoRan	1	0.005	605	3.02	200,901,184
Glencore[10]	4	0.013	655	2.16	302,555,085
Gold Fields	2	0.050	102	2.36	43,298,501
Hydro	1	0.010	237	2.45	96,663,595
Minera San Cristóbal	0	0.00	7	1.25	5,593,925
Minsur[11]	0	0.000	29	0.97	29,842,595
MMG	2	0.057	69	1.97	35,085,934
Newcrest	0	0.000	88	3.25	27,076,884
Newmont	1	0.013	217	2.87	75,716,961
Orano	0	0.000	19	1.28	14,837,636
Rio Tinto	0	0.000	377	1.85	204,019,985
Sibanye Stillwater	11	0.066	878	5.24	167,626,640
South32	0	0.000	217	5.67	38,305,354
Sumitomo Metal Mining[12]	0	0.000	39	1.29	30,340,097
Teck	1	0.014	265	3.66	72,313,026
Vale	1	0.002	504	1.06	474,330,448
Total	36	0.013	7,278	2.59	2,810,923,982

Insights

Hazard Classifications

Although ‘mobile equipment’ has been one of the leading causes of fatalities since ICMM started publishing data on the hazard categories in 2018, a review of each fatality's circumstances in 2023 revealed no discernible pattern in the specific events leading to the incidents. ICMM members have been focusing on enhancing safety culture and increasing leadership efforts, which this data suggests could be important components in reducing fatalities in the future.

Critical Controls

Having robust safety measures in place, including regular training for employees, systematic safety audits, and rigorous enforcement of safety standards, is closely linked to improvements in the execution of controls. Robust safety measures ensure that controls are not only properly designed but also effectively implemented and maintained. This holistic approach to safety helps to mitigate risks, address potential hazards proactively, and foster a culture of safety that permeates the entire organisation. Effective communication and continuous feedback loops also play a crucial role, allowing for timely identification and correction of control execution issues.

Injuries

Understanding how the TRIFR indicators influence behavior in an organisation is critical. By adopting a
high standard of reporting of injuries, a company emphasises the importance of proactive risk management to its employees and builds on a positive safety culture for early intervention, adequate risk mitigation, and employee engagement. These factor into developing, implementing, and maintaining a safety culture capable of eliminating fatalities. How leaders react to the reporting of incidents and injuries is critical to developing an honest and effective safety culture and is foundational to effectively controlling the hazards and risks that lead to fatalities.

Notes

1. In 2022 there were 26 member companies. In 2023, JX Nippon Mining and Metals were no longer ICMM members. Newmont acquired Newcrest in November 2023. Newcrest is counted as a separate member up until the point of the acquisition.

2. Rates are per 1 million hours worked (calculated by dividing the total number of fatalities or recordable injuries by total hours worked and multiplying by I million). Fatality rate is shown to three decimal places. Injury rate to two decimal places.

3. The total of 287 in 2019 includes the 250 workers who died in the Brumadinho tailings dam collapse.

4. Due to scale/visibility of the graph, it does not visually include the 250 Brumadinho fatalities, which are categorised as a 'risk management' organisational factor.

5. ICMM member reporting categorisations are based on the Incident Causal Analysis Methodology (ICAM): Guidance on investigating and analysing human and organisational factors aspects of incidents and accidents • Guidance on human factors safety critical task analysis • Using Incident Investigation Tools Proactively for Incident Prevention.

6. This category is not related to hardware/physical components, or procedures which involve operational steps.

7. All ARM operations are managed in Joint Ventures. ARM data does not include non-managed coal operations, corporate office and Sakura (operation in Malaysia). It does include the newly acquired Platinum Mine (Bokoni) for which reporting commenced July 2023.

8. Directly supervised contractors are included as employees. The 2023 Alcoa injury rate was amended (increased) in January 2024 to reflect several musculoskeletal injuries that were previously misclassified as non-work related by the South American operations team due to a misunderstanding of the definition of a work-related musculoskeletal injury.

9. Does not include employees and contractors performing off-site work-related activities, or third parties in on-site locations, in the data. Codelco does not differentiate between First Aid Cases and Medical Treatment.

10. The basis for Glencore's approach and further information about the definitions and underlying methodology and processes applied for the collection and verification of specific health and safety metrics is set out in their Basis of Reporting 2023, available at Basis of Reporting 2023.

11. In 2023, 1 new recordable occupational disease was registered in its Tin Smelter, a Minsur Operation Unit. The 2023 report includes the safety data of its Joint Venture Operation of Mina Justa - Marcobre S.A.C. (60% belongs to Minsur and 40% belongs to COPEC).

12. The total hours worked in workforce except employees in Japan is an estimate.

Safety performance reports

Safety Performance: Benchmarking Progress of ICMM Company Members in 2022

ICMM is committed to strengthening health and safety performance to reduce operational fatalities to zero. As part of this commitment, ICMM produces an annual safety data report.

Find out more

Safety Performance: Benchmarking Progress of ICMM Company Members in 2021

ICMM is committed to strengthening health and safety performance to reduce operational fatalities to zero. As part of this commitment, ICMM produces an annual safety data report.

Find out more