UK mining groups failing to reduce deaths

A News item from Business Respect, Issue Number 163, dated 18 Jan 2010

The leading UK-listed mining companies are failing to make inroads in their attempts to reduce deaths at their sites, according to a recent survey by the Financial Times. With the exception of Anglo American, which has made progress, the number of fatalities has remained at 2004 levels.

Anglo American's positive progress is offset by the large number of fatalities it has suffered overall, due to its operations being deep-level mining rather than open-cast.

Companies covered included Rio Tinto, Vedanta, Xstrata and BHP Billiton. Several said that the numbers needed to be seen in the context of an expanding workforce, which masked the improvement in performance that had taken place.

The company with the worst safety record was named as being Kazakhmys, which operates in Kazakhstan, although this has been improving.

Send this article to a friend

Bookmark with:

 Del.icio.us |  Digg |  reddit |  Facebook |  StumbleUpon

Related stories

Rio Tinto workers get China trial date
- 17 Mar 2010
Why even some of the best companies fail to keep cool in a crisis
- 16 Feb 2010
China: Government accuses Rio Tinto of spying for six years
- 9 Aug 2009
Norway: Government pension fund drops Rio Tinto over ethical issues
- 10 Sep 2008
Australia: Power firms not preparing for low carbon future - WWF
- 8 Sep 2008
Can you conduct business with integrity in Zimbabwe?
- 31 Aug 2008
US: Proposed Alaskan mine survives people's vote
- 27 Aug 2008
Anglo American ties safety to managers promotions
- 16 Apr 2008
Mining companies demand human rights standards in China
- 4 Mar 2008
Philippines: Communist group attacks Xstrata mine
- 3 Jan 2008
Mining companies in Africa under attack
- 20 Nov 2007
Australia: Rio Tinto condemned by aboriginal people over business dealings
- 31 May 2005
South Africa: Anglo American disappointed with HIV support response
- 4 Jun 2004
Australia: Rio Tinto subsidiary workers given uranium-polluted drinking water
- 5 Apr 2004
South Africa: Business approach to CSR still immature
- 1 Apr 2004
Rio Tinto chairman: UK governance reforms are stifling
- 15 Oct 2003
Anglo American extends AIDS support to local communities
- 7 Oct 2003
South Africa: Firms face apartheid reparations demand
- 29 Mar 2003
Congo: UN report calls for sanctions against corporate 'plunderers'
- 21 Oct 2002
Australia: Rio Tinto promises to clean up uranium mine
- 5 Sep 2002
Anglo American to make AIDS drugs available to employees
- 6 Aug 2002
$30m environmental bill for Anglo American to quit Zambian mine
- 16 Jun 2002
Zambia: Anglo American discusses responsible exit from copper mine
- 4 May 2002
Rio Tinto resists reinstatement of union workers
- 15 Dec 2001
Rio Tinto loses court battle over sacked workers
- 14 Jul 2001

Explore Business Respect news database