Introduction to the 2026 Mining Safety Symposium
Zacatecas, Zac. – The 2026 Mining Safety Symposium, titled “Safety Without Excuse,” focused on the evolution of workplace safety concepts within the mining industry. The central theme revolved around transforming workers’ rights to refuse unsafe actions into an obligation.
The Shift in Responsibility
A debate among business and union leaders highlighted that a mature safety culture requires shared responsibility for prevention, not just by specialized departments. Carlos Pavón, General Secretary of the “Frente” Mining Union, stated, “The final decision to prevent an accident lies with each of us. This change positions workers as the primary responsible parties for their own safety and that of their colleagues.”
Primary Responsibilities and Leadership Conditions
Panelists, including Rafael Rebollar (Peñoles Director General) and Octavio Alvidrez (Fresnillo PLC Director General), emphasized that implementing this obligation requires two leadership conditions: consistency and building trust.
- Workers must feel secure reporting unsafe conditions without fear of repercussions.
- Leaders must align safety discourse with operational decisions, prioritizing life over production or utility.
In a regulated work environment, individual decisions operate within a framework of rules. Disregarding procedures to expedite tasks can lead to direct consequences, primarily physical harm.
Building a Culture of Trust
“Trust is an asset that takes time to establish and can be quickly undermined by inconsistencies,” panelists reiterated.
Commitment to Zero Fatal Accidents
To foster a work environment where reporting unsafe conditions is recognized, mining companies pledged to adopt the “Safety Without Excuses” commitment, aiming for zero fatal accidents.
