Using the Potential of The Employees' Expertise and Awareness of Occupational Hazards in The Mining Industry

Abstract

The paper highlights the results of a study that examined the employees' expertise andawareness of occupational hazards in their work environment. The research involved a survey conductedin the form of a short questionnaire among employees responsible for loading and hauling of excavatedmaterial in an opencast mine. Among 23 major hazards that were thus identified, there were global hazards(affecting the entire mining process) as well as local, task-specific hazards. Depending on the number ofresponses, 10 local and 3 global hazards were identified in the analyzed area, involving noise, stress anddust. Active participation of the crew in the risk identification process helped in the assessment of theircriticality levels, according to employees carrying out various task, highlighting the benefits of suchapproach for effective work safety management in a mining company. The conducted researchdemonstrated yet another goal to be achieved - i.e. the comparison of criticality levels of hazards asidentified by employees and those reported in occupational risk assessment reports in the mine.