NEBOSH invests £80k to support miners

The project – coordinated by the International Occupational Medicine Society Collaborative (IOMSC) and supported by the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) – aims to improve the health, safety, livelihoods and wellbeing of people who work and live in these mining communities.

The World Bank estimates that 100 million people¹ work in the sector worldwide, using basic tools to extract minerals and metals, often without proper equipment or safety regulations. Further, because there is little separation between living and working areas, miners and their families are exposed to pollutants and toxic hazards, leading to serious illnesses such as silicosis, tuberculosis, chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and death.

Professor Dingani Moyo, FRCP; FFOM; MFOM; MOHS; MAppMgnt. president of the Zimbabwe Society of Occupational Medicine (ZISOM) and IOMSC member said: “Uncontrolled mercury use and exposures are a common feature. I have dealt with many ASMs with mercury poisoning who have excessive memory loss, aggressive behaviours, and tremors. There is also a very high burden of silicosis due to poor knowledge, prevention of exposures and lack of adequate and effective respiratory protection. I have seen many young ASMs with very advanced stages of silicosis and the level of suffering is intense in this population”.

Due to the remote and often illegal nature of ASM, the exact number of miners is unknown and likely higher than estimated. Patterns of disease, injury and premature death are also poorly documented. Closing this data gap is crucial for planning and delivering health and safety interventions.

NEBOSH’s investment will fund the first phase of the project, in which occupational medicine society members from Uganda, Zimbabwe, Columbia and Brazil will conduct research to create a clearer picture of the situation. Their findings will feed into a global steering group, which will collectively identify key issues and areas for action.

Andy Shenstone, NEBOSH chief executive added, “By investing in this crucial project, we are helping to lay the groundwork for long-term improvements in the health, safety, and livelihoods of artisanal and small-scale miners. This initiative highlights our dedication to supporting some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.”

1 https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-022-00877-5