ICMM has published Tools for Psychological Health and Safety to support mining and metals companies in embedding strong mental health and safety practices into daily operations and organizational culture.
“There is no higher priority for ICMM members than keeping people safe and healthy at work. These new tools will accelerate critically needed progress on strengthening safety cultures and supporting workers’ psychological health and safety that will help to reduce harm and fatalities, which are unfortunately still far too common in the industry,” said Rohitesh Dhawan, president and CEO of ICMM.
“Better psychological safety leads to better physical safety. When people feel able to speak up, take responsibility, and bring their whole selves to work, they help to prevent the kinds of incidents that lead to serious harm, and they contribute to a culture that attracts and retains the skilled people we need. ICMM’s new tools support progress at both local and organizational levels to build workplaces where people are not only protected, but supported to do their best work – in environments that are safer and more sustainable.”
As operational environments become more complex and expectations around workplace culture and care continue to evolve, ICMM said psychological health and safety have become a critical yet underdeveloped frontier. Fatigue, isolation, job strain, bullying, and trauma exposure continue to affect workers at rates that surpass those in other sectors. If left unaddressed, the organization noted, these issues can harm workers’ health and safety, along with broader impacts on workforce stability, operational performance, and the industry’s ability to attract and retain talent.
Aligned with ISO 45003 and national health and safety legislation, ICMM’s Tools for Psychological Health and Safety builds on its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Tools published last year, supporting companies to:
- Prevent harm by embedding psychosocial risk management into business systems and designing mentally healthy work.
- Intervene early to identify issues before they escalate, through leadership training, safe reporting pathways, and integrated monitoring.
- Respond to injury or illness using trauma-informed approaches, workplace adjustments, and return-to-work plans.
- Promote positive work experiences that foster connection, meaning, and engagement.
Based on a modular and scalable model, ICMM’s tools enable companies to adapt their implementation based on operational maturity, site context, and available capacity. It also supports the integration of mental health and safety across multiple internal functions, including within existing risk management systems, and is linked to the same processes and accountabilities that underpin physical health and safety.
More information on Tools for Psychological Health and Safety can be found here.
Source: ICMM