MINING, HEALTH, AND SOCIETY: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS IN KAZAKHSTAN AND JAPAN

Abstract

This study compares occupational incidents in the mining industries of Kazakhstan and Japan from 2018 to 2023. Kazakhstan’s rising workplace accidents, particularly in coal mining, highlight deficiencies in safety management despite adopting global standards. In contrast, Japan benefits from advanced safety technologies and stringent protocols, resulting in significantly lower incident rates. The study analyses trends in incident types, such as falls and machinery-related injuries, using harmonized injury classifications. Findings reveal regulatory weaknesses and underreporting in Kazakhstan, while Japan faces challenges with aging infrastructure and disaster preparedness. The research emphasizes Kazakhstan’s need to enhance legal frameworks, training, and safety culture, while Japan must address infrastructure-related risks. Recommendations for both countries focus on improving occupational safety systems to meet international standards, providing key insights for policy reform in high-risk industries such as mining.

Keywords

• Mining industry
• Occupational injuries
• Socioeconomic factors
• Culture of safety
• Kazakhstan
• Japan

Ethical Statement

This study did not require approval from an ethics committee as it did not involve human participants, animals, or sensitive personal data. All data used in this research were obtained from publicly available sources.

Thanks

The research team extends its sincere gratitude to Head of statistics data department of Republican Research Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Ms. Shynar Aitimova for her valuable contributions by providing statistical data, as well as to the RRIOSH for their support throughout the study. Special appreciation is also extended to Dr. Ryutaro Matsugaki (MD, PhD) for his insightful and precise comments, which significantly enhanced this manuscript and contributed to the professional growth of the corresponding author as a researcher. This research was made possible through funding provided by the Ministry of Science for the project titled «Transformation of the State Mechanism of Social Guarantees for Persons Employed in Harmful Working Conditions in the Modern Context» (Grant No. BR22182673). Additionally, this article is a component of the PhD dissertation of Kazbekova D.B., titled «Challenges of the Institutional Infrastructure of Compulsory Insurance from Industrial Accidents in Kazakhstan», conducted under the auspices of the Department of Sociology at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

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