While about R20-million has been spent over the past three years on researching silicosis, an incurable occupational lung disease caused by the inhalation of crystalline silica dust, this disease continues to be a major health challenge for South Africa’s mining industry.
The research into silicosis is a R40-million programme spread over five years and is being undertaken by the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC) of South Africa.
This latent disease is still not under control, with globally accepted legislated exposure levels of silica dust of 0,1 mg/m3 still not protective, and the fact that response levels to crystalline silica dust vary with different individuals renders this disease a majorsecond hand mining equipment for sale in congo challenge for the industry, MHSC occupational health programme manager Dr Audrey Banyini tells Mining Weekly.
The silicosis research programme has three main areas of focus, namely silicosis dust measurement, environmental and engineering control, and health promotion and awareness.
Banyini affirms that research programmes are targeting a 0,1dry and wet process of cement manufacturing-mg/m3 exposure level of respirable silica dust in mining.
“South Africa’s mining industry is collectively determined to reach the 0,1-mg/m3 exposure level by 2013, the international benchmark for exposure levels,” she adds.
Banyini explains that silicosis can only be diagnosed through having an X-ray taken, and is often undiagnosed in many miners, especially those who are retired. crusher sand manufacturing machinery
She says that this disease is a social burden that has socio- economic impacts. South Africa is the only country internationally to compensate posthumous silicosis sufferers irrespective of the cause of death, with mostly families receiving compensation as opposed to the sufferers.
Many miners are also unaware of their diagnosis, which could often be mistaken for tuberculosis (TB). Upon diagnosis, miners silica sand processing equipmentcannot continue to be exposed to silica dust and employment elsewhere, especially when medical screening does occur, as silico- tuberculosis sufferers are not allowed to work underground.
For compensation purposes, families are encouraged to offer the lungs of the deceased for autopsy purposes."
However, lack of autopsy service knowledge, sociocultural and economic factors and other factors preventsmobile impact crusher for sandstone this from occurring. Some mineworkers who leave their place of employment may pick up the disease at a later stage and, as a result of the lack of proper health facilities and infrastructural facilities in their communities, they are unable to be diagnosed or sometimes assume they have TB,” explains Banyini.
While current statistics for people suffering from silicosis or those that have died from the disease are not available, Banyini points out that there has been no decline in the number of individuals diagnosed with the disease.
“We have made progress in our current research programmes, yet we are faced by many challenges. We will counteract this disease in time through a collaborative approach with medical academics and organisations locally and internationally, and by expanding our research capacities,” she affirms.
Meanwhile, R7-million has been allocated to date to a research programme centred on base-lining the noise and dust i the mining industry. The first phase has been successfully completed and currently the project has moved to small- to medium-scale mines.