The dynamics of the decline in work-related injuries and the economic efficiency of industrial safety measures in the Republic of Kazakhstan using the example of Ulba Metallurgical Plant JSC Kazatomprom JSC

Abstract

This paper examines injury dynamics and the economic effectiveness of industrial safety measures in the UMP JSC over 2020–2024. The study relies on internal reporting data: the number of lost-time injuries, the LTIFR indicator, and annual expenditures on occupational and industrial safety. A comparative time-series analysis of «injuries-expenditures» is performed, accounting for the specifics of beryllium processing (thermal and mechanical hazards, toxic beryllium aerosols). LTIFR declined from 0.18 (2020) and 0.28 (2021) to 0.00 in 2022–2024, coinciding with increased safety investments in 2022–2023 and subsequent cost optimization in 2024. The results indicate a systemic effect driven by a combination of engineering barriers (extraction and dust collection, local enclosures, interlocks, modernization of lifting equipment), control of high-risk work (hot, gas-hazardous, rigging, LOTO), and strengthened behavioral discipline. The trajectory of «zero LTIFR» aligns with the ALARP model and suggests positive economic returns on targeted safety investments. Limitations include data aggregation, lack of breakdown by incident type, and the absence of leading indicators (near misses, micro-injuries).