Trinational Government Experts Workshop on the Role of Labor Ministries in the Effective Promotion of Mine Safety and Health in North America

“Trinational Government Experts Workshop on the Role of Labor Ministries in the Effective Promotion of Mine Safety and Health in North America”

In February 2007, upon Mexico’s suggestion, the Ministerial Council of the NAALC, through their Council Designees, instructed the Secretariat of the Commission for Labor Cooperation as well as the National Administrative Offices, to organize a cooperative activity on Occupational Safety and Health in the Mining Safety in North America.

Mining is one of the key industrial sectors within Mexico, Canada and the United States. For instance, in 2006, more than 200 companies in Mexico’s mining sector undertook more than 400 projects throughout the country. The value of the entire production was US$6.92 billion and mining contribution to GDP accounted for 1.6%. In Canada, during that same year, there were almost 200 mines, including metal, non metal, peat bog, and coal mines; 3,000 stone quarries and sand/gravel pits, and about 50 smelters, refineries and steel mills. The mining industry contributed US$40 billion to the Canadian economy, or 3.7% of GDP. In the United States, the mining industry contributed $256 billion to the economy, a 10% increase over its contribution in the previous year. This contribution was equal to 1.9% of GDP.

Mining activity is a major employment source for the North American countries. In Mexico, the number of workers employed in the mining/metallurgy industry grew to 279,000 in 2006. This number represents approximately 2% of the total insured workers before the IMSS at a national scale. It is also important to pin point that 24, out of the 31 states of Mexico, are dynamic in mining activity. However, 5 states (Sonora, Zacatecas, Chihuahua, Coahuila and San Luis Potosi) accounted for more than 60% of the total domestic production. In Canada, total direct employment in the mining industry reached more than 388,000 workers or around 2.4% of Canada’s total employment. Mining is present in all of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories, but 70% of the total production takes place in Ontario, British-Columbia, Quebec and Saskatchewan. During the same year, there were 363,497 miners employed in 14,885 mines in the United States. Over one-third of these miners were employed in the nations 2,113 coal mines, which can be found in 26 States. All the 50 States are dynamic in mining activity.

Regarding each country’s total production at a global level, Mexico ranks second place in three major mineral categories: Silver, Fluorite and Bismuth. Mexico can be found on the global top 15 for 20 of the minerals it domestically produces. As for Canada, it continues to be the world leader in the production of Potash and Uranium; it also ranks third in diamond production value. Furthermore, the country also ranks in the top five for 12 other mineral categories. In the United States, the major part of the production includes metals such as gold, copper, and iron ore, and nonmetals such as salt and phosphate, stone, sand and gravel.

One of the priorities in Labor Policy for Mexico, Canada and the United States is, without a doubt, the prevention of risks that cause physical damage to the employees on the job. Since mining is a high-risk activity, governments share an interest to improve and guarantee the safety measures for the workers in this sector. The enactment and implementation of workplace health and safety public policies, which at the same time can motivate quality and productivity in the sector, translates in the development of strategies, actions, programs and laws to secure the workers’ wellbeing.