New report shows WA mining industry lost 23,695 days due to workplace injury in 2020-21

WA Mining Industry Lost 23,695 Days to Workplace Injury in 2020-21

A new report shows mine workers in Western Australia are being seriously injured at a rate of more than one a day, according to occupational injuries data released for the 2020-21 period.

Quick summary: Western Australia's mining sector recorded 402 serious incidents and two underground fatalities in 2020-21, with the industry losing 23,695 working days to workplace injury. New WHS management laws commence March 31, 2022, unifying safety management across general industry, mines, and petroleum operations.

What the 2020-21 DMIRS Report Reveals

The 2020-21 Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) report revealed that two underground mine workers died on the job, alongside 402 serious incidents reported across WA mining sites. Serious incidents are defined as injuries that disable a worker for two or more weeks.

According to the report, the WA mining industry lost 23,695 working days due to workplace injury during this reporting cycle. This figure highlights ongoing safety management challenges facing an industry that remains critical to Western Australia's economy.

Lost Time Injury Trends

State mining engineer Andrew Chaplyn said there was a slight improvement in the overall lost time injury frequency rate compared with 2019-20 figures.

"We acknowledge industry's efforts to improve safety outcomes, however these figures are a reminder we still have too many workers being put in harm's way," he said.

Despite incremental gains, safety management practitioners across the sector continue pushing for stronger hazard controls and more robust incident prevention frameworks. Comparisons with earlier 2020 data suggest the industry has made only modest headway in reducing workplace harm.

Fire Incidents Add to Safety Management Concerns

The DMIRS report also shows 745 fires occurred on WA mine sites during the reporting period, underscoring additional hazards beyond direct worker injuries. Fire-related hazards remain a persistent challenge for site management teams tasked with protecting personnel and equipment.

Effective safety management of fire risks requires rigorous incident reporting protocols and regular hazard identification reviews, particularly on sites where underground and surface operations intersect.

New WHS Laws Unify Safety Management Across Sectors

New Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws in Western Australia will commence on Thursday, March 31, 2022, marking a significant shift in how safety management is regulated statewide.

These new laws bring together WHS management for general industry, mines, and petroleum operations under a single WHS Act, streamlining compliance obligations for employers across multiple sectors. This consolidation reflects a broader trend toward harmonised safety management standards seen in other jurisdictions, including updates highlighted in our coverage of Safe Work Australia's report on the economic benefits of safe and healthy work.

Why This Matters for Safety Management Professionals

For technical professionals overseeing mining safety management systems, this 2020-21 data serves as a benchmark for evaluating hazard controls and incident response strategies. Organisations should consider:

• Reviewing current hazard identification and mitigation procedures against DMIRS findings
• Strengthening incident reporting systems, similar to tools like our Event / Injury / Investigation Report Form
• Preparing for the unified WHS Act taking effect in March 2022
• Benchmarking lost time injury rates against sector-wide industry data

Mining industry stakeholders should also monitor how these safety management reforms compare with fatality trends documented in other high-risk sectors, such as our recent analysis of falling fatal incidents in the agriculture industry.

Read the full story on the ABC News website.