In the mineral product manufacturing industry, a single mistake can cost more than just production time—it can cost lives. With a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) hovering between 3.88 and 5.19, nearly double the average for all manufacturing, this sector faces some of the highest risks in U.S. industry. Amputations, crushing injuries, and fatal accidents are all too common, with machinery incidents alone responsible for 58% of severe injuries.

What’s driving these incidents? It’s often the same handful of hazards: unguarded machines, lapses in lockout/tagout, falls from slick surfaces, vehicle-pedestrian collisions, and poor material handling. The good news: most of these injuries are preventable with the right mix of proven protocols and modern monitoring technology.

Today, safety leaders are turning to AI-powered video intelligence to bridge the gap between policy and practice, surfacing risks in real time and empowering teams to act before harm occurs. In this guide, we'll break down the top 5 preventable injuries in mineral product manufacturing facilities—and, most importantly, how to stop them in their tracks.

The Cost of Safety Negligence in Mineral Product Manufacturing

Even a single incident can lead to six-figure fines, not to mention indirect costs—production delays, new training, equipment repairs—that can multiply the impact by three to eight times. But these costs are avoidable. Proactive safety programs, supported by real-time monitoring and data-driven insights, are proven to prevent incidents long before OSHA gets involved.

The Top 5 Preventable Injuries in Mineral Product Manufacturing: What Every Facility Needs to Know

1. Machinery-Related Amputations and Crush Injuries

Scenario:
An experienced operator reaches into a running press to clear a jam. In a split second, unguarded rollers catch his hand, resulting in a traumatic amputation.

Root Causes & Impact:
Machinery incidents are the leading cause of severe injuries, responsible for 34% of all incidents and a staggering 78% of amputations in this sector. Root causes include missing or bypassed guards, production pressures, and complacency from experienced staff. The impact is profound: 28% of all reported injuries are amputations, and the average cost per machinery amputation is $42,000–$120,000 not including indirect costs.

How video intelligence helps:
AI-powered cameras can monitor machine guarding in real time, flagging when guards are removed or when someone enters a danger zone. Video analytics surface unsafe behaviors—like reaching around guards—before injuries happen. When an incident does occur, instant video review clarifies root causes, enabling fast, targeted corrective action.

2. Falls, Slips, and Trips

Scenario:
A maintenance tech hurries across a dusty mezzanine. His boot slips on accumulated powder near an unprotected edge. He falls, fracturing his leg.

Root Causes & Impact:
Falls account for 15% of all incidents in mineral product manufacturing, often resulting in fractures to lower extremities. The usual culprits: mineral dust on walkways, unprotected edges, and skipped harness checks. Rushed maintenance or inconsistent housekeeping can turn a minor hazard into a major injury.

How video intelligence helps:
Computer vision detects slip hazards—like liquid spills or dust accumulation—before someone gets hurt. Cameras placed at key points can alert teams when barriers are missing or when someone skips a harness check. Reviewing fall incidents on video reveals patterns: where slips happen, when, and why—so you can stop the next one before it starts.

3. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Failures

Scenario:
During a cleanup, a maintenance worker skips a step in the lockout process to save time. A coworker unknowingly restarts the equipment, causing a severe crushing injury.

Root Causes & Impact:
LOTO failures cause 12% of all severe incidents in this sector, including 60 fatalities annually. Common issues: skipped procedures under production pressure, inadequate audits, and "tapping out" (bypassing LOTO) especially among seasoned staff. These failures can result in amputations, fatalities, and six-figure penalties.

How video intelligence helps:
Video monitoring verifies that lockout/tagout steps are followed—every time. Real-time alerts can flag unauthorized access to control panels or when machinery is started during maintenance. Incident footage provides irrefutable evidence for incident investigations and training.

4. Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions

Scenario:
A forklift operator, focused on a load, fails to see a pedestrian entering a shared aisle. The result: a serious struck-by injury.

Root Causes & Impact:
Forklifts, loaders, and trucks are a frequent source of severe injuries—5% of major incidents and a recurring cause of fatalities. Poorly marked walkways, distracted operators, and inadequate traffic separation are to blame.

How video intelligence helps:
AI video analytics detect near-misses between vehicles and pedestrians, providing heat maps of high-risk zones. Operators and safety managers receive real-time alerts when safe zones are breached. Reviewing near-miss footage helps teams redesign traffic flow and reinforce pedestrian safety protocols.

5. Material Handling and Struck-By Injuries

Scenario:
A worker attempts to manually move a 60-pound stone slab. The slab slips, crushing his hand and causing a severe fracture.

Root Causes & Impact:
Material handling injuries, including struck-by and caught-between accidents, account for 9% of all injuries and a high share of fractures and crush injuries. Lifting heavy materials without mechanical aids, improper stacking, and inadequate team lifting are frequent factors.

How video intelligence helps:
Cameras monitor material handling processes for unsafe practices: solo lifting of heavy loads, improper stacking, or blocked access. Automated alerts can notify supervisors when team lift protocols aren’t followed. After incidents, reviewing video footage pinpoints exactly where and how safe handling went wrong.

Challenges and Impact of the Injuries

How Technology Strengthens Injury Prevention

1. Machinery-Related Amputations and Crush Injuries

Safety challenge:
Machines are only as safe as their guards and their operators' habits. Bypassed guards or unsafe access points can turn routine work into disaster.

Tech Solution:
AI video platforms like Spot AI continuously monitor critical machines, surfacing real-time alerts when guards are missing or when someone enters a danger zone. With unlimited video storage and easy search, incident investigations that used to take hours now take minutes. This rapid insight empowers safety teams to act fast, prevent repeat incidents, and reinforce best practices.

2. Falls, Slips, and Trips

Safety challenge:
Dust, spills, and clutter are invisible hazards until someone gets hurt. Falls on elevated platforms or slick walkways are a persistent threat.

Tech Solution:
Video intelligence detects slip and trip hazards as they develop, not after the fact. By mapping where falls happen and when, safety teams can target housekeeping improvements and retrain staff. Live alerts for missing barriers or skipped harness use keep everyone accountable.

3. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Failures

Safety challenge:
Even the best procedures fail if not followed. Under pressure, shortcuts happen, and the consequences are severe.

Tech Solution:
AI-powered cameras provide a visual audit trail of every LOTO procedure. Supervisors can quickly review footage to confirm compliance or spot unsafe "tapping out" behavior. Automated alerts flag unauthorized access to control panels, making it easier to enforce—and prove—safe practice.

4. Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions

Safety challenge:
Forklifts and trucks share space with foot traffic, especially in busy yards and loading docks. One blind spot can mean tragedy.

Tech Solution:
Spot AI’s video analytics create heatmaps of near-miss incidents, alerting managers to risky intersections and peak hazard times. Real-time alerts notify teams when pedestrians enter vehicle zones, enabling quick interventions before a close call becomes an injury.

5. Material Handling and Struck-By Injuries

Safety challenge:
Manual handling is part of the job—but when corners are cut, the risk of crush and struck-by injuries climbs.

Tech Solution:
Video platforms monitor storage and staging areas, alerting when heavy items are moved without proper aids or when team lift protocols aren’t followed. Footage of incidents or near-misses helps safety leads refine training and layout for safer handling.

Practical Implementation of Safety Technology

Integrating video intelligence into mineral product manufacturing doesn’t mean starting from scratch. Modern solutions, like Spot AI, are designed to work with both new and legacy cameras—no need for a full rip-and-replace. Plug-and-play hardware bridges on-prem cameras to a secure, cloud-native dashboard, giving safety, IT, and operations teams a unified view of plant activity.

• Start with Risk Mapping: Identify your most injury-prone processes—machine interface points, elevated walkways, loading docks.

• Layer Technology Over Protocols: Use AI video as a safeguard, not a replacement, for existing procedures. Automate compliance checks, not just incident reviews.

• Involve the Frontline: Train supervisors and operators to use video tools for self-audits and safety huddles.

• Prioritize Privacy and Compliance: Ensure video solutions align with OSHA recordkeeping and privacy regulations.

• Measure What Matters: Use incident and near-miss data to drive continuous improvement, not just compliance.

When evaluating a solution, focus on ease of integration, actionable alerts, and the ability to support your existing safety culture—not just bells and whistles. The goal: make it easy for your team to prevent injuries, not just document them.

Ready to Transform Safety in Mineral Product Manufacturing?

Every near-miss is a lesson. Every preventable injury is a call to do better. With the right technology and a commitment to proactive safety, mineral product manufacturing can become a model for injury prevention in 2025. Want to see how video intelligence fits with your safety goals? Book a safety consultation with our team and take the first step toward a safer, smarter workplace.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common injuries in mineral product manufacturing?

Machinery-related amputations and crush injuries, falls, lockout/tagout failures, vehicle-pedestrian collisions, and material handling injuries are the top five. These account for the majority of severe and costly incidents in the sector.

How can video intelligence improve compliance with safety protocols?

Video intelligence platforms provide real-time alerts and searchable records, making it easy to verify that procedures—like lockout/tagout or machine guarding—are being followed. This supports both proactive prevention and rapid response when protocols are missed.

What challenges do manufacturers face when implementing safety technology?

Key challenges include integrating new solutions with existing camera systems, ensuring staff adoption, and maintaining privacy and regulatory compliance. The best platforms offer plug-and-play integration and unlimited user seats, making rollout straightforward.

How does video analytics support OSHA compliance?

Video footage provides an objective record for incident investigations, training, and audits. It also supports digital recordkeeping, which is part of proposed OSHA requirements for real-time injury data submission.

How can safety teams use technology to prevent vehicle-pedestrian collisions?

AI-powered video analytics can detect and alert on near-miss incidents, map pedestrian and vehicle traffic patterns, and support redesign of walkways and loading zones. These insights help teams take proactive measures before a collision occurs.

What’s the first step to adopting video intelligence for safety?

Start with a risk assessment to identify your highest-priority hazards. Then, choose a solution that integrates easily with your existing infrastructure and supports your safety goals. Consult with vendors who understand the unique demands of mineral product manufacturing.

About the Author

Joshua Foster
‍IT Systems Engineer, Spot AI

‍Joshua Foster is an IT Systems Engineer at Spot AI, where he focuses on designing and securing scalable enterprise networks, managing cloud-integrated infrastructure, and automating system workflows to enhance operational efficiency. He is passionate about cross-functional collaboration and takes pride in delivering robust technical solutions that empower both the Spot AI team and its customers.