Abstract
Background.Underground miners can experience occupational health diseases due to exposure to particulate matter hazards.Objectives.The aim of the present study was to examine occupational exposures of underground miners to dust and diesel particulate matter and to identify exposure groups with high potential to develop associated health effects due to the presence of dust and diesel particulate matter (DPM) hazards in an underground gold mine in Ghana.Methods.Purposive sampling was employed using gravimetric air samplers over an 8-hour time weighted average period. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) analytical Chapter Q and 5040 were used in determining crystalline silica dust and diesel particulate matter fractions, respectively. Structured questionnaires were administered to gather data on workers' level of awareness to dust and DPM exposures.Results.It was found that 41% of the sampled groups were exposed to higher crystalline silica levels above the (NIOSH) permissible exposure limit (PEL) level of 0.05 mg/m3. For DPM, 49% of these groups had exposures above the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) PEL level of 160 μg/m3. Among the 94 mine workers who responded to this study, 62% were found to be aware of the presence and hazardous nature of silica dust, 28% had minimal knowledge and the remaining were found to be unaware.Conclusions.There are varying levels of dust and DPM due to the presence of silica-bearing rocks, the production of diesel fumes and inefficiencies of available mitigation measures. Research carried out over the past decades has found confirmed cases of silicosis and lung cancer due to high dust exposure levels. Rock drillers, blast men and shotcrete operators were found to be exposed to higher levels of dust and diesel particulate matter and are at greater risk of silicosis.Participant Consent.ObtainedEthics Approval.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana and carried out under full consent of the mining company under study.Competing Interests.The authors declare no competing financial interests.
Highlights
The mining industry serves as an economic driving force for countries with untapped natural resources.[1]
Four out of the ten exposure groups were identified as class A, while the remaining were identified as Diesel particulate matter exposures
Silicosis and other silica-related diseases over the past decades have been attributed to respirable crystalline silica dust exposures in the gold mining industry, leading to mortality of workers globally
Summary
The mining industry serves as an economic driving force for countries with untapped natural resources.[1] In Ghana, metals are the primary mined natural resource; the main extract is gold, followed by manganese and bauxite The profitability of this sector has resulted in the growth of both legal and illegal mining companies.[2] The former are well-controlled with regulations and safety measures in place for workers depending on their level of exposure to toxicants, whereas the latter remain anonymous owing to the illegality of their operations.[3] The present study focuses. The risk of developing disease from exposure to mining activities depends on the degree of inhaled dusts, duration of exposure, particulate size, ventilation and individual factors.[2] In Ghana, there are ongoing processes to officially formalize an Occupational Health bill This bill is expected to help develop additional health and safety standards that suit local scenarios. The studied gold mine was under the supervision of these laws
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