The Impact of Emergency Planning and First Aid Communication on Injury Rates in The New Zealand Mining Industry

A Rapid Review

Abstract

The mining industry is considered hazardous and dangerous, requiring robust emergency planning systems and effective first aid communication to mitigate injury severity. In New Zealand, the Pike River coal mine disaster was a catastrophic accident due to systemic weaknesses in emergency preparedness, communication systems and organisational safety leadership failure. Effective and linguistically appropriate communication is considered and important factor in safety management systems, particularly in complex high-risk, culturally diverse work environments. However, despite its acknowledged importance, there is limited research on how communicating emergency planning and first aid directly influences injury frequency and severity within the New Zealand mining sector. This limitation is particularly critical given the sector’s remote operational settings, dependency on modern technology, reliance on rapid peer-to-peer response during an emergency situation.

The University library database was used to retrieve relevant research articles using Boolean keyword combinations related to communication, emergency preparedness, first aid response, and injury outcomes. Search results that met the inclusion criteria are screening underwent data extraction. Findings were analysed using thematic synthesis to identify common themes and patterns. Interpretation was guided by Safety culture theory and System accident theory, allows to critically analyse emergency preparedness and first aid communicating and overall health outcome.

The findings suggest that effective communication is a harm mitigation mechanism rather than injury rate determinant. However, the review found inconclusive evidence demonstrating emergency planning and first aid communicating could reduce the injury rate, also studies shows there is close associations in terms of communicating emergency planning and injury severity. By implementing clear escalation pathways, simulation-based emergency exercises, integrated communication technologies, and peer dependency on first aid support in remote operations were associated with enhanced injury mitigation.

This review positions communication not only as an operational tool but also an implication on practitioners, policy perspective. While local research is limited, this review offers theoretically informed principles to support future investigation within the New Zealand mining sector.