Major mining companies all over the world start to consider work safety as their highest priority, according to a new survey which has revealed the changing priorities and challenges of large mining organizations. The survey consolidated the views of 374 mining companies in diversified markets around the world, demonstrating worker safety and managing capital projects as the highest priorities of mining executives. Maximizing production effectiveness follows closely behind, while equipment efficiency takes the fourth spot in the current list of priorities.

According to the study, most of the mining executives closely correlate worker safety and mine productivity, with the majority of the respondents identifying 'development of skills, best work practices and situation-based decision making' as their primary safety initiatives.

Mining companies had begun looking inward to secure appropriate labor as they remain cautious about global economic recovery. In doing so, they have shifted their focus from finding qualified workers anywhere to ensuring the workforce they currently have is efficient, well-informed and safe. Additionally, companies are finding novel approaches to training and skill development by equipping workforces with new technologies like mobility solutions that allow quick access to information.

There is definitely an opportunity for mining organizations to leverage emerging technologies to transform how they will educate and empower their workers to reduce safety incidents and improve efficiencies. By delivering on-demand information to the point of work, for example, new mobility solutions can reduce the need to train workers for every possible situation while equipping them to make better on-the-spot decisions.