Analysis of Workplace Safety at the Musoshi Mine in Katanga Province, 1970-2010

Occupational injuries and fatalities pose significant societal concerns. This article analyzes the workplace injury patterns and causative factors at the Musoshi mine in the Katanga province. On average, 71.52 accidents occurred per year for every 1000 workers at the Musoshi mine. In Japan, the average severity rate was 2.94 per 1000 workers per year, whereas in the DRC, it was 3.1. In total, 23% of deaths resulted from handling heavy machinery, 23% from worker falls, and 21% from block falls. In addition, 30% of the workers’ hands and 20% of their legs were injured in the accidents. Miners in the DRC have a higher accident rate than Japanese miners. Heavy machinery and worker falls caused approximately 46% of the fatal accidents at the Musoshi mine.