Having seen significant improvements to accident rates in the last 40 years, companies in the Swedish mining industry now show a greater focus on the development of safety cultures throughout their organizations and workplaces. However, there is a lack of research examining the different safety initiatives and strategies practiced in the industry today. This study explores the potential influence and consequences such initiatives may have on the development of safety cultures in the Swedish mining industry. Twelve interviews with experts on safety initiatives from four different Swedish mining organizations were conducted and analyzed in a process based on qualitative thematic analysis to identify notable connections to safety culture development. The results of these interviews highlight proclivities in the implementation and use of safety initiatives such as subjects of focus, methods and desired effects. This enables the interpretation of the conceptualization and methods for the development of safety culture in these organizations based on their approaches to safety development. We believe the results of this study can serve as support for discussions on safety culture development in the Swedish mining industry, and be of interest for international mining industries, in addition to approaches to research in this field. We also believe it important to emphasize the opportunities to approach safety culture in mining from different perspectives than those common today.
Full-text paper:
Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (2023) 40:1007–1020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-023-00809-y
