Industrial Health in Mining for the Non-Industrial Hygienist

1
Industrial Health in Mining for the
Non-Industrial Hygienist

• Health Problems often over-shadowed by Safety
  Problems.
• Cumulative Trauma injuries are very common.
• Historically, management has not felt the need to
  do monitoring.

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Health Monitoring

• A Preventative Action
• Can Prevent Injuries and Save
• A Health Management Plan
• Recognize and Understand the Problem.
• Follow Federal Guidelines.
• Medical Testing.
• Health Monitoring.

3
Recognize and Understand the Problem.

• Noise and Dust have always been a problem.
• The health problems created by noise and dust
  have sneaked up on us. Lung disease and Hearing
  loss are chronic problems.
• Miners realize the problems when they retire.

4
Follow Federal Guidelines

• Noise Standard
• Dust Controls
• The newcomer-Crystalline Silica

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Medical Testing

• Pre-employment medical screens.
• Regular medical screens-especially hearing and
  lung function.
• Post-employment.

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Health Monitoring

• Noise Monitoring- both area and personal.
• Dust Monitoring-both area and personal.
• Silica Monitoring

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Noise

• So Whats the Problem?
• What is noise?
• Sources
• dBs
• What is hearing loss?

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The OSHA/MSHA Noise Standard

• Proposed December 17, 1996.
• An OSHA clone-final by year end.
• 30 CFR Parts 56 57, 62, 70 and 71.
• Sections 56.5050 57.5050 removed.
• A new Part 62 added on October 1, 1999-
  Occupational Noise Exposure.

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Two Major Differences between MSHA OSHA Noise
Standards

• In MSHAs a miner cannot be exposed to noise at
  115 dB or above.
• In MSHAs hearing protection cannot be used to
  reduce dB levels.

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MSHA Noise Standard, Cont.

• .120 Limitations on Noise.
• .125 Hearing Protection.
• .130 Training.
• .140, .150, .160, .170, .180 and .190
  Audiometric Testing Program.
• .200 Access to Records.
• .210 Transfer of Records.

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Area Sampling vs Personnel Sampling

• Area Sampling- Sampling media is placed in an
  area for a specified period of time.
• Personnel Sampling- Sampling media is attached to
  a person and moves from area to area with that
  person.
• Use both.

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Instruments and Calibration

• Noise
• Sound level meter- for area sampling. A
  snapshot in time.
• Dosimeter- measures sound levels over a specified
  period of time. Can be used for both area and
  personnel sampling.
• Calibrator- Must be sent in to manufacturer
  annually to ensure that it meets or exceeds ANSI
  standards. (S1.40-1984)

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Sound Level Meter
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Noise Dosimeter
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Noise Dosimeter on Miner
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Recordkeeping and Calibration

• Chain of custody.
• Pertinent data at collection site.
• Use of AIHA approved labs.
• Results of sampling and communication.
• Records kept- employment plus 30 years.

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The Hierarchy of Controls

• Engineering Controls.
• Administrative Controls.
• Personal Protective Equipment.

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DUST

• Nuisance
• Sources-Tires, loading, crushing, transfer.
• Little effect on lungs because it is normally
  caught and expelled.
• gt PM 10

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DUST

• Respirable
• Sources- Exist with same sources. Are invisible
  to the eye.
• Dangerous because of small size, lt PM 10, are
  inhaled into thoracic and gas-exchange areas of
  the lungs.
• May lead to pneumoconiosis.

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CRYSTALLINE SILICA

• The latest MSHA hot button in the industrial
  hygiene area.
• On October 22, 1996 the International Agency for
  Research on Cancer (IARC) reclassified
  crystalline silica as a class 1 carcinogen.
• Proposed MSHA AND OSHA PEL went from 10 mg/m³ to
  0.1 mg/m³.

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CRYSTALLINE SILICA

• MSHA STUDY
• Cause of Silicosis
• Emphasizes the need for dust control and
  industrial hygiene monitoring.

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Instruments and Calibration

• As with noise, instruments which help monitor
  potential dust exposures are only as good as the
  calibration.
• Chain of Custody.
• See Handout.

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Pump with Cassette
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Pump with Cyclone
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Cyclone on Miner
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Getting Outside Help

• Pros
• Consultants have the equipment and are usually
  qualified.
• Third party reliability.
• Time and guarantee.
• Cons
• Lack of knowledge in mining and of your facility.

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SUMMARY

• Health problems among miners are fast becoming
  high priority items.
• Cumulative trauma type injuries are hard to
  determine until it is too late.
• IH Monitoring and a solid Medical Screening
  program are a must.
• If you cant do it, then find someone who
  can----Its That Important!