Building Trust: Work Health and Safety Management in the Mining Industry

Abstract A previous paper by the authors identified a ‘cluster of characteristics’ closely associated with the formation of mistrust, and the negative impact such characteristics can have on work health and safety. This paper builds on this work to address how to overcome mistrust and, in particular, how to nurture trust between workers, mine site management, corporate management and trade unions, in the context of work health and safety management. In doing so, the paper draws on qualitative research conducted at 10 mine sites across three coal mining companies.