In 2024, 1,408 workers were injured in workplace accidents, 202 of whom died. Meanwhile, workplace injuries fell by 4.5% compared to 2023.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population, high injury rates are mainly observed in industrial regions. Thus, in the Karaganda Region, 159 people were injured, in the East Kazakhstan Region – 124, in the Pavlodar Region – 112, in the Abai Region – 101, in the Kostanay Region – 91, and in Almaty – 116 people were injured.
By economic sector, the highest number of casualties was recorded at enterprises of the mining and metallurgical complex – 18.3% and in the construction industry – 10.1%.
The main causes of accidents were:
- unsatisfactory organisation of production work (35.5%);
- gross negligence of the injured party (31%);
- violation of road traffic regulations (8.2%);
- violation of safety and labour protection rules (7.6%).
Recall that on 2 September 2024, it was reported that 5 workers died at the Irtysh and Artemyevsk mines in the East Kazakhstan Region, owned by the copper mining company ‘KAZ Minerals’.
On 18 September, in the Zhambyl Region, at one of the mining and processing complexes of JSC ‘AK Altynalmas’, a worker was buried under rock.
On 20 September, in the Aktobe Region, a crusher operator died in a mine of the mining enterprise ‘Aktobe Copper Company’ due to an ore collapse.
Literally the next day, it became known that a worker died at the Orlovskaya mine in the Abai Region as a result of a rock mass collapse.
On 7 October, a carbon monoxide release occurred at the ‘Sayak-3’ mine in the Karaganda Region. Two workers died, and several others were taken to hospital.
On 31 October, two workers died in the ‘Mirny’ quarry of the ‘Molodezhnaya’ mine at the Donskoy Mining and Processing Plant, a branch of JSC ‘TNC Kazchrome’.
On 24 December, a repair shop foreman died at LLP ‘MAEK’ (Mangistau Nuclear Power Plant) in Aktau after a pipe fell on him.
On 27 December, an oil and gas production operator died at the ‘Severnye Buzachi’ field in the Mangistau Region.
After the tragedy, the deceased's colleagues recorded a video expressing doubts about the employer's adequate provision of all safety conditions in the workplace. They demanded a meeting with the general director of Buzachi Operating.
In January of this year, a crusher operator died at the ‘Annenskaya’ mine of the East Zhezkazgan mine of the Kazakhmys company in the Ulytau Region. Authorised bodies set up a special commission to investigate the tragedy.
Later, it was reported that the prosecutor's office of the Mangistau Region had uncovered cases of concealment of industrial injuries from law enforcement agencies.
For example, officials of an oil service company concealed a worker's serious injury, despite a corresponding medical report. A similar concealment was established in another accident.