Kazakhstan’s mining giant Kazakhmys is ramping up its commitment to industrial safety with a comprehensive new strategy focused on digital transformation, increased investment, and a proactive risk management model, according to CEO Nurakhmet Nuriev, who presented the measures at a recent government meeting.
Digital Tools Take Center Stage
A key pillar of the safety overhaul is digitization. Since 2021, Kazakhmys has implemented real-time tracking systems for personnel and equipment in its mines, enabling quicker emergency responses. In 2022, a process monitoring system was deployed at the Balkhash enrichment plant, and in 2025, the company launched pilot versions of a barrier-based injury prevention system and the integrated Kazakhmys SuperAPP, which digitizes HR and workplace safety workflows.
Kazakhmys is also rolling out automated PPE (personal protective equipment) tracking, digital medical screening systems, and a centralized platform for occupational safety management.
Tangible Results: 25% Drop in Workplace Incidents
Over the past three years, Kazakhmys has achieved a 25% reduction in workplace accidents. Although a gas explosion at the Zhomart mine in 2025 marked the first such incident since 2014, the overall safety trend remains positive. The most common risks—rockfalls and machinery collisions—are now under tighter control.
The company has invested 24 billion tenge in labor safety since 2022, with an additional 26 billion tenge allocated for 2025. These funds support not just technical upgrades but also employee training, culture-building, and safety tech innovation.
New Strategy Anchored on Five Key Priorities
Kazakhmys’s updated safety framework for 2025 is built around five core principles:
-
Fostering a culture of safety;
-
Shifting toward proactive labor protection management;
-
Deepening digitization;
-
Implementing barrier-based, risk-oriented oversight;
-
Expanding occupational health systems.
A technical audit conducted in 2025 uncovered 2,378 safety violations, with 64 operations suspended until issues were resolved. The company now tracks 15 key production risks and has tightened internal control protocols.
Accountability and Inclusion
Safety KPIs are being extended to top management, while contractors, who significantly impact incident rates, are now held to strict safety standards. A violation tracking system is also in place, and serious incidents are reviewed at plant-level safety councils, with individuals held personally accountable.
Kazakhmys’s approach signals a shift from reactive measures to a preventative, risk-aware safety culture embedded at every level of the organization.
