Influence of occupational safety management on the incidence rate of occupational accidents in the Spanish industrial and ornamental stone mining.
BACKGROUND
Mines are hazardous and workers can suffer many types of accidents caused by fire, flood, explosion or collapse. Injury incidence rates in mining are considerably higher than those registered by other economic sectors. One of the main reasons for this high-level incidence rate is the existence of a large number of dangerous workplaces.


OBJECTIVE
This work analyzes the influence that occupational safety management had on the accidents that took place in Spanish mining of industrial and ornamental stone during the period 2007-2008.


METHODS
Primary data sources are: (a) Results from a statistical study of the occupational health and safety management practices of 71 quarries defined by a questionnaire of 41 items; and (b) Occupational accidents registered in the Spanish industrial and ornamental stone mining throughout the period 2007-2008.


RESULTS
The obtained results indicate that workplaces with a low average score in the analysis of occupational safety management have a higher incidence rate of accidents.


CONCLUSIONS
Studies on mining workplaces are very important to help detect occupational safety concerns. Results from this study help raise awareness and will encourage the adoption of appropriate measures to improve safety.
Department of Mining, Engineering and Natural Resources, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
Lluís
L
Sanmiquel
Department of Applied Mathematics III, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
Josep M
JM
Rossell
Department of Business Management, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
Carla
C
Vintró
Department of Electrical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
Modesto
M
Freijo
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007857:Leadership; D008906:Mining / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology
Incidence rate; Likert scale; occupational safety management; surface mining