NIOSH is the US federal institute that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths.

This tool offers mining companies information on not only the cost of injury claims, but a few suggestions on how that same money might be spent in other ways.

Preventing injuries saves workers from pain and disability and saves companies money at the same time. Injuries on the job profoundly affect mining companies’ profits and daily operations. In addition to paying direct costs or increased premiums for workers’ compensation insurance, mining companies might need to pay for overtime for other workers to fill an injured worker’s role, cover training costs for a replacement worker or divert administrative resources in the wake of an injury.

With ‘Safety Pays in Mining’, mining companies can see in dollars what specific injuries, such as burns, fractures, dislocations and sprains, might cost them - from US$1,100 for a knee sprain to more than US$15,000 for a broken ankle. Companies can enter their own figures, or use the default values based on past workers’ comp claims, to show impact to profit margins and annual sales.

Dr Jessica Kogel, associate director for mining at NIOSH, said: “Injuries on the job can be devastating to a mine worker, but they also affect the workplaces where injuries occur. This program is instructional for mining operations, and the message of the web tool is clear: In mining, it pays to invest in injury prevention.”