Abstract
BackgroundHistorically, occupational health concerns associated with mining, particularly occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL), were ignored by the mining sector, policy-makers and academic researchers. As such, there is a dearth of literature related to ONIHL, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa. Consequently, mineworkers were not aware of the latent effects of excessive exposure to hazardous noise and the resultant hearing loss thereof.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of occupational health practitioners (OHPs) regarding education and training of mineworkers on occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) and its impact on mineworkers’ health.MethodQualitative, in-depth telephonic and face-to-face interviews were conducted with 16 OHPs. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were utilised to recruit participants. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsThree themes emerged from the data: ‘seeing is believing’, ‘not my department!’ and ‘barriers and facilitators to raising awareness’ with two subthemes: ‘blame it on the language and level of education’ and ‘compensation pay-outs’. Superficially, OHPs believe that mineworkers are aware of the impact of noise on health; however, the OHPs are not aware on how the mineworkers are educated on ONIHL and its latent consequences. Furthermore, language, low levels of education and literacy, as well as financial constraints, are the factors found to affect education and training of the mineworkers about the risks of ONIHL.ConclusionIf the mining industry is committed in eliminating ONIHL, they should prioritise health literacy, and mines need to have an effective awareness-raising plan in place to eliminate ONIHL from every mine. This plan must consider diversity of workforce, including linguistic, as well as educational level diversity.
Highlights
IntroductionMineworkers were not aware of the latent effects of excessive exposure to hazardous noise and the resultant hearing loss thereof (Kahan & Ross,1994)
Occupational health concerns associated with mining, occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL), were ignored by the mining sector, policy-makers and academic researchers (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [NIOSH], 1996)
The following three themes emerged from the data, which are discussed in the subsequent sections: ‘seeing is believing’, ‘not my department!’, and ‘barriers and facilitators to raising awareness’ with two subthemes: ‘blame it on the language and level of education’ and ‘compensation pay-outs’
Summary
Mineworkers were not aware of the latent effects of excessive exposure to hazardous noise and the resultant hearing loss thereof (Kahan & Ross,1994). A literature search into ONIHL in the mining sector in South Africa prior to 1994 revealed only one study by Hessel and Sluis-Cremer (1987), which was conducted on white mineworkers, with the exclusion of black workers who formed the majority of the mines’ workforce. It was only in 1994, at the apartheid-democracy twilight, that a study was conducted on black mineworkers.
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