Spain: five killed exploring mine for minerals
Five workers died and four others were seriously injured in an accident in a mine in Asturias on Monday. Initial indications showed the blast may have been caused by an explosive mixture of gas in the mine. In the past a lot of coal was mined in the north of Spain, but the shafts are now being used to search for minerals that can be extracted and are in high demand. The national press discusses the risks this entails.
New mining - old dangers
The mining industry is increasingly focusing on the search for raw materials for the digital era rather than energy production, ABC points out:
“Mine gas, which has killed many miners over the years and had disappeared from our collective memory with the phasing out of fossil fuels, is being cited as the cause. ... What should never have disappeared, however, are the safety measures to minimise the risk of gas explosions, even though the work in the old Blue Solving mine was not for mining, but for cleaning and searching for graphite, which is attracting a lot of interest at the moment. This tragedy comes just as the EU is recommending the resumption of mining and reminding us that this must be done with maximum safety precautions to protect workers.”
Deaths underground not a thing of the past
The age-old profession of miner is back in demand today, but its risks have not disappeared either, El País states:
“This is not an industry from the past. Mining is back in the spotlight because in its current geopolitical situation Europe needs strategic minerals. And this continues to be the sector with the highest ratio of fatalities to employees. ... The mine explosion is a reminder that many workers are still dying in work-related accidents. ... Prevention and safety in the workplace must be a priority, both in a constantly changing world of work and in professions with centuries of history.”
This shouldn't be inevitable
Eldiario.es laments society's resignation in the face of such a high number of work-related accidents:
“More than 41,000 employees have lost their lives at work in Spain over the last three decades - not just cases of people being crushed or falling, but also of heart attacks and strokes due to work-related stress. And road accidents. After a period in which the number of accidents at work went down it has been rising again for years. ... Sometimes it's the lack of social security, or the workload simply gets too heavy, or safety regulations are not adhered to. ... The worst thing is the fatalism with which we continue to regard work-related accidents: we see them as the inevitable price to be paid for economic activity, progress and prosperity.”