Abstract
Background:Workers in the informal economy often incur exposure to well-documented occupational health hazards. Insufficient attention has been afforded to rigorously evaluating intervention programs to reduce the risks, especially in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM).Objectives:This systematic review, conducted as part of the World Health Organization’s Global Plan of Action for Workers’ Health, sought to assess the state of knowledge on occupational health programs and interventions for the informal artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, an occupation which directly employs at least 50 million people.Methods:We used a comprehensive search strategy for four well-known databases relevant to health outcomes: PubMed, Engineering Village, OVID Medline, and Web of Science, and employed the PRISMA framework for our analysis.Findings:Ten studies met the inclusion criteria of a primary study focused on assessing the impact of interventions addressing occupational health concerns in ASGM. There were no studies evaluating or even identifying comprehensive occupational health and safety programs for this sector although target interventions addressing specific hazards exist. Major areas of intervention—education and introduction of mercury-reducing/eliminating technology were identified, and the challenges and limitations of each intervention taken into assessment. Even for these, however, there was a lack of standardization for measuring outcome or impact let alone long-term health outcomes for miners and mining communities.Conclusion:There is an urgent need for research on comprehensive occupational health programs addressing the array of hazards faced by artisanal and small-scale miners.
Highlights
The term informal economy was first coined by British anthropologist Keith Hart in observing the work of rural migrants in Ghana in 1971 [1]
As access to occupational health services is a right recognized by the United Nations [6], including measures to prevent occupational risks, health surveillance, training and advice in safe working methods, and first aid, the informal sector was identified as a critical target for action in the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Plan of Action for Workers’ Health 2008–2017 as well as Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)’s 2015–2025 plan
This review was conducted in this context, seeking to assess effectiveness of occupational health interventions implemented in a particular subset of the informal economy, namely artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM)
Summary
The term informal economy was first coined by British anthropologist Keith Hart in observing the work of rural migrants in Ghana in 1971 [1]. While work-related hazards in this area are well-known, and many communities rely on it [5], only a few countries have regulations on occupational health that include the informal sector [2, 4]. This review was conducted in this context, seeking to assess effectiveness of occupational health interventions implemented in a particular subset of the informal economy, namely artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Objectives: This systematic review, conducted as part of the World Health Organization’s Global Plan of Action for Workers’ Health, sought to assess the state of knowledge on occupational health programs and interventions for the informal artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, an occupation which directly employs at least 50 million people. Conclusion: There is an urgent need for research on comprehensive occupational health programs addressing the array of hazards faced by artisanal and small-scale miners
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
