This Thursday, July 17, 2025, the Committee of Ministers approved the first National Mining Safety and Health Policy (PNSSM), marking a milestone for the national mining industry and positioning Chile as a pioneer country worldwide in having a specific policy in this area.
This policy was developed through an unprecedented tripartite process that actively involved representatives of the State, employers and workers' organizations. The process, promoted by the government through the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare and with the technical support of the International Labor Organization (ILO), seeks to guarantee safer and more dignified working conditions for all people working in mining, one of the country's most important productive activities.
During the session, the Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Giorgio Boccardo, emphasized that this policy represents a substantive advance to raise safety and health standards in mining, aligning itself with the principles of ILO Convention 187 and promoting a cultural transformation that prioritizes safe, healthy and inclusive workplaces.
The Association of Industrial Mining Suppliers (APRIMIN) actively participated in this process through its president, Dominique Viera, Vice President of Operations of Metaproject, who was part, in her capacity as coordinator, of the Tripartite Commission in charge of drafting the document. Dominique emphasized that one of the main challenges was the work in consensus between representatives of workers, employers and the State during eight months. "It was a huge and complex job, especially because we were starting from scratch and we all had biases. However, from the beginning we focused on what unites us, and safety was that common trunk, the axis of interest for all," he said during his speech.
También expresó que esta política marca un cambio de paradigma dentro de la industria: “Esta política aborda de manera integral todo lo que significa el rubro minero. Involucra a cada uno de ustedes y, de alguna manera, nos permite concluir en un documento con el que, por primera vez, creo que estamos todos de acuerdo.”
“Nos tomó dos semanas. Tuvimos diferencias, discutimos incluso hasta la última palabra. Pero hoy lo que presentamos es un acuerdo transversal entre todos los sectores. Y eso tiene un enorme valor”, agregó Dominique.
The National Mining Safety and Health Policy establishes fundamental principles such as full respect for the life and physical and psychosocial integrity of workers, the promotion of a preventive culture based on risk management, and a cross-cutting approach to gender and diversity. It also includes clear objectives to strengthen education, technical assistance and oversight in occupational health and safety.
The document also defines specific commitments for the different actors in the sector: workers, employers, government agencies and social security agencies. These commitments seek to ensure coordinated, effective and responsible management to prevent occupational accidents and diseases.
This work not only responds to the challenges of mining, but also connects closely with the general development of the country. The implementation of this policy contributes to promoting a growth model that incorporates social justice, territorial development and quality employment, transcending the strictly productive sphere.
The approval of this policy will be accompanied by an action plan with concrete goals, inter-institutional follow-up mechanisms and continuous evaluation, which will allow its effective implementation and adaptation to the dynamic needs of the mining sector.
