Occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica at an underground copper mine in Zambia.

IF 1.8 4区 医学 Q3 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Lubinda Nabiwa, Stephanus J L Linde, Adrian Habanyama, Patrick Hayumbu, Mwaba Sifanu, Masilu Daniel Masekameni
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction: Overexposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can lead to the development of silicosis and other respiratory diseases. The mine under study was reported to have the highest number of certified cases of pneumoconiosis in Zambia in 2015, and in 2008, a study revealed that 56% of the RCS samples exceeded 0.05 mg/m3. This study aims to assess occupational exposure to RCS at this underground copper mine.

Method: In this cross-sectional study, personal exposure monitoring was conducted using National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's methods 0600 and 7602 (KBr pellet), and 114 samples were collected. Gravimetric analysis of respirable dust (RD) samples and quantification of RCS were performed at an ISO 17025:2005 accredited analytical laboratory. BOHS-NVvA 2022 standard was used for determining activity areas' overexposure.

Results: The median, 95th percentile (P95), and maximum (Max) RD concentrations were 0.279, 1.650, and 3.7 mg/m3, respectively. For the RCS exposure, the median, P95, and Max RCS exposure concentrations were 0.02, 0.179, and 0.548 mg/m3, respectively. Thirteen (11.7%) of the 111 samples had exposure exceeding the Republic of South Africa (RSA) TWA-OEL of 0.1 mg/m3, and 11 out of 18 activity areas were statistically overexposed to RCS when applying the BOHS-NVvA 2022 standard.

Discussion: The number of RCS samples exceeding 0.05 mg/m3 reduced from the 67% recorded in 2008 to 32.4% in this study. One factor that could have led to this reduction is the mine not working at full capacity during the sampling period. However, the lack of adherence to the occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines by the miners still leads to personal exposure above the limits set by various countries.

Conclusion: Exposure to RCS in more than half of the activity areas was not under control. Routine RCS monitoring in Zambian mines should be mandatory, as this is not an isolated case, though it is more of a challenge at this mine because of the high percentage of RCS in RD samples (18.5%). Miners should be continuously trained on the importance of adhering to the OHS guidelines. Furthermore, Zambia should consider adopting the RSA occupational exposure limit for RCS and the BOHS-NVvA 2022 standard for exposure level compliance testing.

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来源期刊
Annals Of Work Exposures and Health
Annals Of Work Exposures and Health Medicine-Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
CiteScore
4.60
自引率
19.20%
发文量
79
期刊介绍: About the Journal Annals of Work Exposures and Health is dedicated to presenting advances in exposure science supporting the recognition, quantification, and control of exposures at work, and epidemiological studies on their effects on human health and well-being. A key question we apply to submission is, "Is this paper going to help readers better understand, quantify, and control conditions at work that adversely or positively affect health and well-being?" We are interested in high quality scientific research addressing: the quantification of work exposures, including chemical, biological, physical, biomechanical, and psychosocial, and the elements of work organization giving rise to such exposures; the relationship between these exposures and the acute and chronic health consequences for those exposed and their families and communities; populations at special risk of work-related exposures including women, under-represented minorities, immigrants, and other vulnerable groups such as temporary, contingent and informal sector workers; the effectiveness of interventions addressing exposure and risk including production technologies, work process engineering, and personal protective systems; policies and management approaches to reduce risk and improve health and well-being among workers, their families or communities; methodologies and mechanisms that underlie the quantification and/or control of exposure and risk. There is heavy pressure on space in the journal, and the above interests mean that we do not usually publish papers that simply report local conditions without generalizable results. We are also unlikely to publish reports on human health and well-being without information on the work exposure characteristics giving rise to the effects. We particularly welcome contributions from scientists based in, or addressing conditions in, developing economies that fall within the above scope.
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