Salt Worker safety

Safe working conditions in any industrial plant should be an important concern. Historically, mining is among the most dangerous occupations. Mining fatalities in 2001, for example, were 31.8 fatalities per 100,000 workers in the U.S. Non-fatal injuries add to the human toll.

Worker safety has always been a priority for American salt companies and the results reflect this. Over the life of the Institute, since 1914, occupational fatalities have declined 90% to 4.1 per 100,000 worker-years. Overall, more than 1,000 times more on-the-job injuries occur: every year, 5% of American workers have lost time injuries. In the mining industry, however, that rate has been improved dramatically, to 3.5%, lowest among all U.S. goods-producing sectors -- too many, still, but gratifying progress.

In the U.S. salt industry, in 2008, workers set an all-time safety record with 99 reportable injuries (21 lost-time) in nearly 12 million work-hours recorded (up 8.3% from 2007) as the industry produced record amounts of salt , particularly for roadway deicing.

And that rate has improved over the years. As we say: “Safety is no accident.” The Salt Institute’s Safety Recognition program encourages safe working practices, and the Institute has developed guidelines for such practices as ensuring the ceiling and wall stability in salt mines and safely operating on huge road salt stockpiles to protect salt workers.