Pollution and Health Hazards: Solutions for Mine Workers' Health

This report addresses the critical health hazards faced by fly-in/fly-out camp workers in a mining environment. The study focuses on gastrointestinal illnesses, particularly diarrhea, affecting employees. The report highlights the adverse workplace conditions, including long working hours, exposure to mine emissions, and potential water contamination from septic tanks, as contributing factors. It delves into the importance of risk assessments for thermal stress, chemical exposure, and air quality, with recommendations for improved ventilation, personal protective equipment, and comprehensive worker training. The report also acknowledges the risk of communicable diseases and emphasizes the significance of hygiene, sanitation, and monitoring worker health to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Furthermore, it suggests the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and spill response plans to mitigate these hazards. The report also references studies on the subject, like those from NCBI, to support its arguments.

POLLUTION AND HEALTH HAZARDS -THE WAYS TO TACKLE IT
HEALTH HAZARDS AMONG THE MINE WORKERS AND WAYS TO
DEAL WITH IT
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POLLUTION AND HEALTH HAZARDS -THE WAYS TO TACKLE IT
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Condition of the workplace and work culture at the camp:.............................................................2
Safety measures recommended:......................................................................................................3
References:......................................................................................................................................5
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POLLUTION AND HEALTH HAZARDS -THE WAYS TO TACKLE IT
Introduction
The report is about the Fly in/Fly out camp workers who were working with a mining company
where an employee camp was set up with all high-class facilities for them like individual tents
with air-conditions, bathrooms and swimming pool, sports courts, and all high-quality amenities
to feel at home away from home. A standard cleanliness condition is mentioned where the
employee suites are cleaned twice a week and the employees are fed with healthy hot and cold
low-fat meals. Overall conditions of the camp are high quality and the water for daily activities
are taken from the nearby creek with all sorts of traditional purification facilities of the water
plant and the sewage/ septic tank is placed near the creek. But the camp is facing a massive
emergency as many employees have been suffering from diarrhea and have been forced to leave
the camp due to this. It was tested during the recession time when they were away but to no
advantage. As the problem was back once they returned to work.
Condition of the workplace and work culture at the camp:
The camp has a work culture where the workers work for nine days at a stretch and the hours go
working is 12 hours shift. So, the mining work goes on for 24 hours, and each worker works for
12 hours. first of all, one must look into the fact that the workers are exposed to mines for 12
hours where actually according to the federal law they should work for 9 hours a day. Secondly,
the mining works are on for the whole 24 hours nonstop and nine days continuously. So, the
emissions from the mines are continuous. It has been noted by WHOM, NCBI reports that
hazards of occupation in mines are varied. Extensive exposure to various toxic gases, dust, high
temperature, humidity may bring about various health hazards. Fatal heat strokes have been
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POLLUTION AND HEALTH HAZARDS -THE WAYS TO TACKLE IT
recorded due to excessive heat and humidity whose symptom may be diarrhea in the initial
stages.
Apart from the air pollutants that represent in the air due to mining activities, fatigue due to the
long hours of work is identified as one of the greatest problems. Sleep deficits, in hot locations,
may result in indigestion and diarrhea eventually. The occupational stress causes gastrointestinal
tract diseases which have been proved by the NCBI reports (Patra, Gautam and Kumar, 2016).
According to the reports presented by the Australian authorities about the amount of substance
in the air and water found, it proved that the air and water quality are still not at danger and with
added purification methods it becomes better.
But the main gastrointestinal problems among the mine workers are seen by NCBI reports,
mainly caused by the occupational stress of long working hours, deprivation of sleep and away
from the family cause’s depression. This may lead to IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
However, the water pollution of the area has not been taken into account as the nearby creek
produces natural water, which is treated by the camp with the traditional methods as well as river
osmosis methods. But still, the danger of infiltration of hazardous minerals and gases from the
nearby sewage septic tanks placed by the camps pose the problem of getting the water polluted
and causing gastro problems (Haas and Yorio, 2016).
Safety measures recommended:
To address the main problem of gastrointestinal diseases occurring in the camp, one must look
into the following steps and follow the necessary actions to be taken. The mining industry is
known as a risky enterprise with diverse and often quite serious health risks. Miners need to be
protected accordingly. "The first step towards preventing disease or injury on the workplace is to
understand and to be aware of your environment," reveals the researcher for mining medicine,
Megan Clark, who describes 7 common health hazards in the mining industry.
Thermal–or heat–stress is a common health risk facing miners."Mining environments, especially
in outback Australia, are often extremely hot and humid that may cause heat stress in employees
over time. The body may get weary and distressed by excessive exposure to heat and humidity.
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POLLUTION AND HEALTH HAZARDS -THE WAYS TO TACKLE IT
This can lead to heat stroke or enduring health problems. If heat stroke is a probability,
companies must undertake a risk assessment that takes into consideration the work pace, working
environment, and working gear, as well as breathing gear. (Maurya et al.,2016).
A risk assessment test must be done by the mining company, to test the heat and thermal stress
that may occur due to long hours of work, with proper cooling systems inside the mines and
dresses to protect from thr heat and equipments to deal with the temperature, and protective types
of equipme(Hansen et al., 2018).
Several particulate matter, natural gases, engine exhausts, and some chemical vapors are the
main airborne hazards in the mining industry; the main physical hazards are due to noises,
segmental vibration, heat, changes in barometric pressure and ionizing radiation. Depending on
mine depth, and stone structure, and mining techniques, they are displayed in distinct
proportions.
Control the high temperature with technical resolution; provide support to reduce work rates
where possible and control the duration of contact to the hot atmosphere. Moreover, companies
should provide training and monitor the health of workers at risk for employees, especially
young and new employees (Walters et al.,2016).
Miners are frequently exposed to harmful chemical substances. Polymeric chemicals are, for
example, the most widespread grouping of chemicals which origin anxiety in a coal mining
environment. Regardless of what chemicals you work nearby, you should use adequate wear and
safeguards to minimize your body's exposure. Chemical burns and poisoning are the risks.
Each item has distinctive risks and must be correctly managed to guarantee employee security,
so employers must carry out hazard analyses to create best procedures. A normal working
scheme (SOP) should be created to promote the use of appropriate protective gear for protection
against exposure of harmful chemicals and gases and also disposal of the mining wastes .
Ventilation is also essential to minimize exposure and overall cleanliness and housekeeping.
Comprehensive training and training in the “spill response plans” and chemical sanitation plans
of the Company should be conducted.
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POLLUTION AND HEALTH HAZARDS -THE WAYS TO TACKLE IT
Apart from this, it has been seen that amongst a number of groups of miners who work together
in a remote site, there is in addition hazard of spreading some communicable diseases such as TB
(tuberculosis), hepatitis B and E, and the (HIV) virus. Miners’ contacts with hazardous
substances varies with the occupation, its closeness to the foundation of hazards. And the
efficiency of exposure managing ways is the key to healthy wellbeing. (Reid et al.,2018).
References :
Patra, A.K., Gautam, S. and Kumar, P., 2016. Emissions and human health impact of particulate
matter from surface mining operation—a review. Environmental Technology & Innovation, 5,
pp.233-249.
Haas, E.J. and Yorio, P., 2016. Exploring the state of health and safety management system
performance measurement in mining organizations. Safety science, 83, pp.48-58.
Maurya, T., Karena, K., Vardhan, H., Aruna, M. and Raj, M.G., 2015. Effect of heat on
underground mine workers. Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 11, pp.491-498.
Hansen, A., Pisaniello, D.L., Varghese, B.M. and Bi, P., 2018, August. Lived Experiences of
Heat Exposure as an Occupational Safety Hazard in Australia. In ISEE Conference
Abstracts (Vol. 2018, No. 1).
Walters, D., Johnstone, R., Quinlan, M., and Wadsworth, E., 2016. Safeguarding workers: A
study of health and safety representatives in the Queensland coalmining industry, 1990-
2013. Relations Industrielles/Industrial Relations, 71(3), pp.418-441.
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POLLUTION AND HEALTH HAZARDS -THE WAYS TO TACKLE IT
Reid, A., Merler, E., Peters, S., Jayasinghe, N., Bressan, V., Franklin, P., Brims, F., de Klerk,
N.H. and Musk, A.W., 2018. Migration and work in postwar Australia: mortality profile
comparisons between Australian and Italian workers exposed to blue asbestos at
Wittenoom. Occup Environ Med, 75(1), pp.29-36.
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