Occupational Health in large

Opencast mines &

Preventive Measures


By Sri GS Khuntia

Former Director, NMDC
Executive Director (Operation) SAIL
Former Mining Advisor,ESSAR /MSL
Currently Director, OMC Ltd & VP,MDC on SHE

Presence of high concentration of
dust in the work place, exposure to
noxious gases, fumes and hot humid
work environment in underground
mines, noise and vibration, poor
illumination, ergonomically different
abnormal positions during work, working
in confined space etc. are the causes of
various short-term and long -term health
hazards in mines. What is
Occupational Health Hazard?
The factors that affect the health of
the miners while working in the
underground mines, surface mines and
quarries are called health hazards.

Occupational Health in large
Opencast mines-provisions as
per 10
th
safety conferences

-Noise & Vibrations provisions

-Audimetry provisions
- G. S. Khuntia
Occupational health sevices
1.1 In respect of small mechanized mines, which
are operating in the non-coal sector, it may not be
possible for small organization to create a special
department on Occupational Health Services. For
such small mines, it is suggested that an
Association of small mine operators creates
common facilities and infrastructure for
Occupational Heath Services. Creation of such
facilities is specially needed for asbestos,
manganese and mica mines.

Noise and vibration
1.1 The recommendations of DGMS(Tech)
circular No 18 of 1975 shall be
implemented forth with(protection of
workers against Noise and Vibration in
Working Environment.

Audiometry
Audiometry should be introduced as a part
of mandatory medical examination of
persons seeking employment in mines and
for persons engaged in endangered
operations / areas where noise level exceed
90 dB(A)
Common Occupational Hazards in Mines
Dust
Dust is the major hazard in any type of mining operation. Fine
dust particles of size range 0.5 micron to 5 micron are injurious to the
health of the miners. These dust particles are inhaled through the nose,
pass through the respiratory tract (breathing passage) and get deposited
in the lungs in the chest cavity.
An occupational disease, Pneumoconiosis is caused due to
coal dust. Depending on the nature and composition of dust, the
pneumoconiosis may be named as Silicosis (silica), Siderosis (iron)
Asbestosis (asbestos fibber), Anthracosis (coal), Anthraco-silicosis (silica-
mixed coal), Baritosis (barium), Stanosis (tin) etc.
Monitoring the dust at the work environment and maintaining a
health record of all miners working in dusty areas is useful.

Noise and Vibration
Hearing defects may be causes due to exposure to excess noise
(above 90dB) during work in the long run.
The disease is called Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) which
does not affect the normal speech range initially. It affects the high
frequency (above 4000 Hertz) at first and shifts to the speech frequency
gradually.
The person gradually becomes deaf; irritable, talks in a loud
voice, develop sleeplessness and high blood pressure.
The hearing impairment can be detected early by audiometric
test.
Hearing conservation program should be adopted in every mine
in noisy areas to reduce noise hazard.
This program consists of noise measurement at the work place,
control of noise level in the source, on the pathway and at the miners ear
level, use of ear protection (ear plugs and ear muff), periodic ear
examination and audiometer, educating employees about noise hazard
and job rotation to minimise exposure.
A record should be maintained in for every miner for future health
assessment.

Poor Illumination
Poor illumination produces eyestrain and abnormal movement of the
eyeball (nystagmus) among the mines, sometimes poor illumination causes
accidents.
Therefore, it is necessary to keep the work area well lighted without
shadows or glare. The miners should also wear goggles to protect their eyes.
Lighting standards at various work places are specified by DGMS,
Dhanbad.
Ergonomic Hazards(Equation of Man & Machine-due to pose,posture while
working )
Hot humid work environment and mechanical problems during work
lead to health impairment.
Most of the mines in our country uses various equipment, which are not
designed for Indian workers. As a result, most of the miners, who have poor
health condition, suffer from fatigue, back pain, and joint pain and work stress.
In addition to this, poor illumination, lack of ventilation. Hot and humid
work environment and mechanical problems during work lead to health
impairment.
To prevent this, proper workstation design, selection of health workers
to operate heavy equipment, rest pause and periodic medical examination to
assess fitness for the job are some of the important steps to reduce this hazard.

Problems due to Air Pollution
Both in underground and surface mines, dust nuisance is a
problem for the community residing nearby.
To reduce the environmental degradation and to maintain the
ecological balance, reducing dust generation and proper disposal of the
overburden should control air pollution.
Tree plantation at the mining area is another step to reduce air
pollution.
Suspended particulate matter (SPM), smoke, fumes and other
chemical pollutants should not be discharged to the atmosphere
mercilessly.
Air pollution causes irritation to the respiratory systems of the
people staying nearby. Many people, particularly the children suffer from
allergy, asthma, respiratory infection and bronchitis.

Preventive Measures
Engineering Control
Medical Control
Statutory Control
Engineering control measures should be adopted at the work place
and environment to reduce generation of dust, suppression of dust, proper
maintenance of equipment and adopting environmental hygiene measures.
Medical control measures are directed towards the miners with a
view to protect their health. The medical center (OHS) should undertake the
following need based functions.
Pre-employment health examination of all miners.
Emergency medical cares.
Health Education & Training.
Health Counseling
Computerised health information system.
Medical and occupation health facilities are meager in most of the
mines and even nonexistent in a few.
Occupational Health Service of SAIL (Policy) - example
SAIL had established Occupational Health Service centers in all its
manufacturing units including captive mines to promote and maintain the
physical, mental and social well being of all the employees.
Occupational Health Service at the unit level is functioning under
Medical Department.
Occupational Health Service in all units had been equipped to detect
and prevent occupational/work-related diseases and to offer effective emergency
and injury care at work.
Occupational Health Service at unit level has employed any of or all the
specialties of occupational medicine, occupational hygiene, occupational
physiology and ergonomics, occupational psychology, occupational health
nursing, health education, biochemistry and toxicology, health information
system, epidemiology and research depending on the needs of the unit in which
they are housed, as approved by the management.
The Occupational Health Service is headed by the Occupational
Physician who is totally responsible for organising various functions and
comprehensive occupational health programmes as decided from time to time.
Occupational Health Service Centers have sufficient and adequate
facilities (by way of qualified specialists, equipment, reference books and
journals, etc.) to perform there above functions effectively.
OHS had arranged to provide adequate number of First Aid Boxes
with approved contents on the shop floor and in the captive mines. These
boxes shall be maintained and kept under the charge of trained and
competent first-aiders. OHS staff regularly from time to time shall carry out
inspection of such boxes.
Occupational Health Service has developed health education
training packages including use of personal protective equipment for all
employees and impact training accordingly.
OHS Centers had played a vital role in suitably redeploying or
rehabilitating an employee, if it is found that he she is incapacitated due to an
accidental injury, occupational disease or otherwise.
OHS Center had taken special care of women employees working in
hazardous areas or handling toxic substance, which may cause danger or
interfere with pregnancy/childbearing/reproductive system.
The Occupational Physician advises on suitability of the various
personal Protective equipment. While recommending, he considers all
factors relating to health, anthropometric measurements, comfort and other
ergonomic aspects of relevance.
All OHS units of SAIL also caters to the emergency medical care as
outlined in the disaster management plan. It is well equipped with
medicines, dressings, injections and such other medical equipments to
meet the emergency.
Key personnel with assigned specific functions are identified and a
chart indicating this to be displayed prominently. The OHS staff also
participates in mock-drills organised for the purpose.
The Occupational Physician is a member of Medical Board and
Safety & Health oriented Committees.

Status of Occupational Health Services at Mines (OHS)
5 OHS centers established with industrial doctors and staffs at an
investment of Rs. 1.50 crore each in 1992 at Iron ore Mines at Barsua,
Kiriburu, Chasnalla, Kuteshwar & Rajhara iron ore mines.
Employee welfare programme, periodic health check-up of
employees beyond 45 years age level at plants & mines are done.
a) In a year about 20% of employees are medically examined b)
Computer records maintained for health records and analysis C) Health
education & Counselling adequate no of employees done. D) BHP Kinhill
joint venture training in Australia, 8 doctors trained in 1994 E) Occupational
Physicians & professionals participated in various programmes.
OHS center in iron ore mines are operating satisfactorily with
provisions of staffs and equipments with following functions.
a) Assessment of risk from health hazards at work place and
surveillance of factors affecting workers health.
b) Workers education of sanitation, hygiene including training &
retraining on first aid;
c) Diagnosis & treatment of occupational injuries including
rehabilitation;
d) Compilation & Maintenance of health records & survey
reports related to dust, noise, temperature etc. e) Identification of
the need of protective equipments & evaluation of their
effectiveness.
Noise survey was conducted once a year in all Iron Ore
Mines of SAIL for initiating corrective measures & each time draws
up plan for job rotation, machine upkeep, employee rehabilitation,
and the details are furnished in Annexure - 1
The international noise level standards are shown below :
Annexure - 1
Status of Noise Pollution in SAIL Mines
A. Details showing Noise level in dBC (A) At different Machine Locations

Operation Mine A
Spl Leq
Dumpers
Empty run 94-99 96.3
Loaded run 97-100 99.8
SHOVELS
Near Operator -- --
3m away -- --
Drills
Near Operator 108-112 108.3
3m away 87-94 92.4
Crushers
Primary 76-83 82.5
Secondary 86-88 87.3
Screens
Primary 95-97 96.2
Secondary 86-99 87.7
Spl - Mean Range, Leq- Level Equivalent
B. Degree of Hearing Loss
Studied at 0-25 db/25-40 db/40-55 dB/above
55 dB
C. Hearing Loss of Employees (Age -Wise)
Studied in age group basis (say-<30age/30-
39/40-49/50-60age)
D. Hearing Loss of Employee (Service-Wise)
Done for years of service say-<10 years/10-
19 years/20-29 years/>30 years
International Noise Level standards - A comparison

Country Maximum Permissible Remarks
exposure level for
8 hours/day
USA 85 dB(A) Exposure to impact noise < 140 dB (A)
Australia 95 dB (A) Number of exposure to 115 dB (A) at any time
Canada 87-90 dB (A) For different noise level exposure time
specified 115 db (A) max. for
U.K 90 dB(A)
USSR 50 dB (A) Office
85 dB (A) Factories / Mines
India 90 dB () DGMS circular
No. 18 of 1975
A 3 years & 5 years OHS activities plan has been
prepared Upto 2005/6 A.D
Examination conducted in SAIL mines OHS :
Periodic medical Examination
Audiometry ( sound measurement)-ear testing
Spirometry-lung testing
Immunisation
Health Education
First Aid
Activities of OHS centres of SAIL mines-
Kiriburu/Meghatuburu mines
Periodical medical examination(PME) of employees working
in mines of KIOM/MIOM
Immunisation against T .T Toxoid to all the workers.At the
end of PME, each employee is given an immunisation cum
health card where immunisation schedule, blood group
name,ST No, Designation & any other personal significant
disease record is maintained
Sound survey & dust survey are carried out
Health examination programme is carried
(2 ).Equipments provided-
Spidometer
Audiometer
Noise Dosimeter
Employees covered under OHS Tests-(HYPOTHETICAL)


Types of Examination 2005 2006 2007
medical examination 294 290 411
Audiometry 304 269 383
Spirometry 114 124 142
Immunisation 54 65 20
Health Education------ 57 65 67
First Aid 33 35 28


Author: Sri G S Khuntia
Formerly Executive Director, SAIL and Director in NMDC,
Hyderabad, currently Director,OMC Ltd & IIMCS,
born in Bhubaneswar.
Graduated in 'Mining Engineering' from 'Indian School of
Mines, Dhanbad' in 1962 and obtained 'First Class
Mines Manager Certificate.
Worked for 33 years in 'Managerial Capacities' in Mining
Industry of India, (mines of OMC, NMDC, SAIL units
at Rourkela,Bokaro,Bhilai,Durgapur SAIL corporate
office )
Received a large number of National awards like
NATIONAL MINERAL AWARDS from Ministry of
Mines, Govt of India, National Design Award-2001 from
Institution of Engineers (India), John Dunn Medal,
Jawaharlal Award, Rungta Awards
Presented over 100 Technical Papers in various National and
International Conferences including 'World Mining
Congress' in DELHI (84) I, SWEDEN (87), CHINA (90),
MARDID (92), AUSTRALIA (96) and DELHI (2003).
Visited widely mines in foreign countries (Sweden, Norway,
Poland, England, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain,
Hongkong, Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore & Australia). He
has been Chairman of a large number of Professional
bodies-Institution of Engineer, (India), Orissa State (2008-
12)/ Current Council Member ,Past Council member of
I EI /,Kolkatta Vice-President of Multi-disciplinary center
for Presently committee member (Mining) of Institution
of safety, health & environment, Bhubaneswar (a state
govt. sponsored organisation), Editor in Chief of Indian
Mining & Engineering Journal, Consultant (mines &
steel)
Former Mining Advisor to ESSAR /Maharastra Seamless Ltd
/ Currently Director ,IIMCS /Director, OMC Ltd,
Bhubaneswar.
E-mail---gskhuntia@gmail.com


THANKS