Occupational Health and Safety in Small Scale Mines Prof. Dr. K. G. Jadoon Balochistan University of Information Technology Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta
Small scale Mining Definition Different countries have different criteria for defining small scale mining Based on employment: Usually less than 50 employees, Pakistan (less than 20), US(fewer than 75 in underground mines) , and less than 150 in surface mines in India Based on Production: Maximum out output ore/minerals 15000-250000 tones Capital Investment basis $2.5 million in Argentina, R8 million in South Africa, Rs.300 million in Pakistan, $1 million in Thailand, $30,000 in Zimbabwe ) Social and labour issues in small-scale mines http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techmeet/tmssm
Small Scale Mining Characteristics: Low investment Primitive Mining Techniques Lack of mechanization Inadequate Mine design Low productivity Inadequate safety standards "The three countries with the highest number of small-scale underground coal mines ( China, India and Pakistan) have significantly higher numbers of fatal accidents, even when the size of the workforce is taken into account, than is the case in other sorts of mines," https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_007929/lang--en/index.htm
Occcupational Health and Safety Global Burden (all occupations) According to ILO estimates world-wide, about 2.3 million people meet work related accidents or illness Nearly nearly 350,000 deaths are due to accidents and 160 millions people contract work related diseases annually. In Asian-pacific region: in 2000, work related deaths (600,000) Number of disabling injuries and workdays lost days (in millions) Statistics by ILO (2000). In EU, during 2003, around 193,000 deaths were reported due to work related diseases. https://www.ilo.org/moscow/areas-of-work/occupational-safety-and-health/WCMS_249278/lang-- en/index.htm https://www.ilo.org/moscow/areas-of-work/occupational-safety-and-health/WCMS_249278/lang--en/index.htm https://www.britsafe.org/media/1570/the-causes-incidence-occupational-accidents-ill-health-across-globe
Facts from Pakistan “PAKISTAN ranks as the sixth richest country in respect of coal reserves but those who dig out the black gold from the depths of the earth are the most exploited section of the workforce. Descending into dark, airless tunnels, miners extract coal from simple tools, inhaling coal dust, fearing methane gas explosions, fires, cave-ins, poisonous gas leakages and haulage accidents.” Zeenat Hisam, The Dawn, July 28, 2014 https:// www.dawn.com/news/print/1122021
Recurring mining fatalities unacceptable: HRCP “ HRCP urges the government to carry out an immediate exercise to estimate and document the workforce employed in the mining sector, given that mining accidents in smaller areas often go unreported. The regulatory regime must be extended and enforced to all workers employed in this industry, including” small-scale mining. https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/355539-recurring-mining-fatalities-unacceptable-hrcp
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONDITIONS IN SMALL SCALE MINES IN PAKISTAN Facts from Pakistan “Coal mines have become death chambers for miners. This is especially true in Balochistan, where miners work under deplorable conditions and little is done to ensure safety precautions.” Khalid Bhatti, the news, Sep 21, 2018 https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/371342-coal-mines-or-death-traps https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/313062-six-miners-dead-13-missing-in-quetta
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONDITIONS IN SMALL SCALE MINES IN PAKISTAN Facts from Pakistan “ Nearly 50 miners have died in two months, Senate committee told The Balochistan government has formed a committee to investigate the causes of the two explosions and determine who was responsible. The committee will furnish its report on June 5. The Senate meeting was told that despite the latest technology and mining methods, more workers are dying today than they were 100 years ago. There are no safety measures being practiced inside mines, in complete disregard of workers’ lives” The Dawn, 24, 2018 https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/368657-mining- https://www.dawn.com/news/1409577 deaths
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONDITIONS IN SMALL SCALE MINES IN PAKISTAN Relevant legislation: Mines Act 1923 Supporting legislation 1. Consolidated Mines Rules 1952 2. Metalliferous Mines Rules 1926 3. Coal Mines Regulations 1926 4. Workmen Compensation Act 1923 9
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONDITIONS IN SMALL SCALE MINES IN PAKISTAN Controlling Authorities: Federal level: Ministry of Petroleum and natural Resources, government of Pakistan Provincial level Directorate General of Mines and Minerals 10
Occupational Health and Safety Conditions in Small Scale Mines in Pakistan Hazards contributing multiple injuries or fatalities o Methane gas explosions, o Coal dust explosions, o Cave-in (mine roofs), o Suffocation due to accumulation of gases.
MINE DISASTERS Worst explosions Year loss of lives Place 1914 687 Japan 1945 1549 China 1960 684 China 1962 299 Germany 1963 457 Japan 1965 331 Japan 1965 306 India 1965 144 Yugoslavia 1968 78 USA 1970 51 Yugoslavia
Occupational Health and Safety Conditions in Small Scale Mines in Pakistan Major occupational Health and Safety Problems in small scale mining Restricted work-places and low height mines o Inadequate illumination of workplaces o Uneven and slippery mine floors o Week mine roofs o Ill-maintained machinery and equipment o Extreme temperature conditions o High amount of fine dusts generated o Mine gases (Carbon monoxide, Carbon dioxide, Hydrogen sulphide, Sulphur dioxide, o Oxides of nitrogen and Methane Poor Hygiene o Work related stress o
Glimpses of working conditions in small scale Mining
Field survey
Field survey
Field survey
Some facts from a study conducted about incidence of Pneumoconiosis in coal Mining in KPK
Occupational diseases related to Mining Common diseases 1. Pneumoconiosis 2. Carcinoma of the lung Occupational disease 3. Nystagmus 4. Dermatitis Any chronic ailment that occurs as a result of 5. Heat stroke occupational activity 6. Carbon monoxide poisoning 7. Loss of hearing acuity It is typically identified when it is more prevalent 8. Tuberculosis in a given body of workers than in general population
Minerals Dusts Dust is collection of solid particles, which are dispersed, in gaseous medium, able to remain suspended in gaseous medium for relatively long time and have high surface 1 area to volume ratio According to a report of World Health Organization (WHO) dusts are solid particles ranging in size from below 1 micron up to around 100 micron (Burrows, J, 1992) 1. ( WHO Geneva 1999 W HO/SDE/OEH/99.14, dust report-executive summary ) 2.
Dusts categories based on particle size Harmfulness of Airborne Dusts (Factors) Inhalable Dust: That size fraction of dust that enter Composition nose and mouth. Particle size and shape Thoracic Dust: The fraction that can enter into the Concentration airway of lungs, it is approximately 10 Exposure time micron in diameter or less Respirable Dust: Individual susceptibility The size fraction of dusts that actually reaches deep into lungs i.e. into gas exchange region is called respirable dust
Sample for study A random sample of around 250 A Chest Physician and his team workers from different Mining Conducted medical investigation. localities in KPK Clinical Laboratory of Khyber Medical Investigation Teaching Hospital were used Chest x-ray Spirometry General Physical examination
General symptoms: Presence of respiratory ill-health Symptoms like cough, feeling shortness of breath, chest tightness, and history of allergies or related diseases, etc. A significant majority of workers (60%) reported presence of seven out of nine respiratory symptoms
Che st E xa mina t ion : C h e s t e x a m i n a t i o n w a s p e r f o r m e d f o r t h e p r e s e n c e o f s y m p t o m s l i k e W h e e z e a n d C r e p t s A m o n g j o b c a t e g o r i e s , h i g h p e r c e n t a g e f a c e wo r k e r s s h o w e d s y m p t o m s o f w h e e z e D r i l l e r s g r o u p m a i n l y s h o w e d p r e s e n c e o f c r e p t s . E x p e r i e n c e d w o r k e r s ( 1 6 y e a r s a n d a b o v e ) s h o w e d h i g h p e r c e n t a g e s o f t h e s e s y m p t o m s
Chest Radiographs The results of chest X-rays indicated an alarming condition as about 60% of all workers included in the sample (154 for this case) have shown early symptoms of respiratory disease. A small proportion about 10% indicated advanced stage of disease
Dust Sampling Personal samplers were used To find out shift exposure of workers Grab Samples For mineralogical analysis to find out silica content Results indicated that: Shift exposure of workers to dust was much higher than standard Analysis of grab samples indicated high percentage of silica presence
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