Occupational health hazards in mining

Occupational health hazards in mining

Since the inception of human beings digging a hole in the ground to extract whatever they required from below, it has been recognised that mining is a dangerous business. Miners are put through some of the worst underground conditions in order to extract gold, diamonds, coal, platinum, copper, iron ore, and other minerals of value to the economy they support. Mining requires the expertise of various industries – engineering, metallurgy, geology, motor vehicle and equipment, unskilled and semi-skilled labour, etc. – however, it’s the mineworkers themselves who are working under the greatest risk.

Types of occupational health hazards in mining

Throughout civilisation, all the way to modern day mining, the techniques used for mining have been continuously improved to extract ore
and minerals more efficiently and
economically. Mineworker safety has also been a key focus, especially to avoid dispute resolution and claims for occupational health and safety incidents.

Mineworkers are at risk for:

Physical hazards Underground and on the surface, miners are at risk of fires and explosions, rock falls, equipment accidents, falling from height, electrocution, and entrapment and suffocation. These conditions can cause traumatic and fatal injuries. Other physical hazards include hearing loss due to incessant,
continuous noise, which is still very common in mining. Lung problems due to poor ventilation, spinal injuries due to mobile equipment vibration, and a variety of other physical problems will affect mineworkers who are exposed to them for extended periods of time.

Chemical hazards
Chemicals used in mining to extract and process gold and minerals can cause long-term chronic conditions for mineworkers and those working in processing plants. Arsenic, nickel
compounds, diesel particulates, asbestos dust, coal dust, coal tar pitch volatiles, cyanide, and mercury are just a few of the chemical compounds miners are exposed to, which are carcinogenic, poisonous, and aggravating.

Ergonomic hazards
Since the use of machinery has reduced much of the ergonomic risk for miners, there are fewer incidents, but these are still prevalent because of the long shift work and resulting
fatigue and repetitive motion injuries.
Biological hazards Mineworkers in different locations are faced
with tropical diseases and hygiene issues such as waste disposal and contaminated water.

Psychosocial hazards
A lot of mine work is in remote locations and mineworkers are often separated from their families and support structures. Mineworkers
are known to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with their circumstances, especially when subject to traumatic situations such as the deaths of fellow miners. Mineworkers are not always compensated in
line with the level of risk they face, which has always been a sensitive issue. Dispute resolution around mineworkers’ compensation tends to get heated because of how profitable
mining is and how little miners are paid.

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