Workplace accidents in the Peruvian Mining Sector and their associated factors: Frequency and Severity Analysis in 2020 – 2024

This research analyzed the frequency and severity of workplace accidents in Peruvian mining (2020–2024). The unit of analysis was the mining concession/UEA record (concession-year); of 10,051 monthly records from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, 1,808 (18%) reported at least one incident or accident, and after cadastral validation 1,774 valid records (566 concessions) were analyzed. Serious accidents (disabling + fatal; 5,665 events) were modeled with multiple linear regression with cluster-robust standard errors (β coefficients with 95% CI). In metallic mining, the small-scale-producer regime, larger concession size, a larger number of company workers and contractors, and higher man-hours were associated with greater severity. In non-metallic mining, the small-scale-producer regime, a larger number of company workers and higher man-hours were associated with greater severity, while larger concession size was associated with fewer serious accidents. Operational workload (man-hours) and workforce size were associated with greater severity across both sectors, supporting occupational-safety policies differentiated by mineral type and operation size.