1. HEALTH DEPARTMENT CHAMBER OF MINES
Approaches to Dust Control in the South African Mining Industry APRIL 2018
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
CHAMBER OF MINES

2. Outline Airborne Pollutants Occupational Health Programme
Airborne Pollutants Exposure
Dust Control
General principles
MHSC’s system
COM’s system
DMR’s system
21 April 2018

3. 21 April 2018

4. Airborne Pollutants
Airborne contaminants can occur in the gaseous form (gases and vapours) or as aerosols, which include airborne dusts, sprays, mists, smokes and fumes.1
Dusts are solid particles ranging in size from below 1 µm up to around 100 µm, which may be or become airborne, depending on their origin, physical characteristics and ambient conditions.1
Examples of the types of dust found in the work environment include:1
mineral dusts, such as those containing free crystalline silica (e.g., as quartz), coal and cement dusts;
metallic dusts, such as lead, cadmium, nickel, and beryllium dusts;
other chemical dusts, e.g., many bulk chemicals and pesticides;
1. Organization WH. Hazard prevention and control in the work environment:: airborne dust

5. Airborne Pollutants
Airborne dusts are of particular concern because they are associated with classical widespread occupational lung diseases such as the pneumoconioses, as well as with systemic intoxications such as lead poisoning, especially at higher levels of exposure.1
Whenever people inhale airborne dust at work, they are at risk of occupational disease.1
Year after year, both in developed and in developing countries, overexposure to dusts causes disease, temporary and permanent disabilities and deaths.1
1. Organization WH. Hazard prevention and control in the work environment:: airborne dust

6. Airborne Pollutants
There is also increasing interest in other dust-related diseases, such as cancer, asthma, allergic alveolitis and irritation, as well as a whole range of non-respiratory illnesses, which may occur at much lower exposure levels.1
Dusts in the workplace may also contaminate or reduce the quality of products, be the cause of fire and explosion, and damage the environment.1
1. Organization WH. Hazard prevention and control in the work environment:: airborne dust

7. Occupational Health Programme

8. AIRBORNE POLLUTANTS EXPOSURES

9. % Exposures to Employees on Airborne Pollutants 10 Years trend

10. COM Systems - RCS Aspirational Targets

11. COM Systems – Coal Dust Aspirational Targets

12. DUST CONTROL

13. APPROACH TO DUST CONTROL BY SAMI
General Principles
CEOs
Mandating Health Committees
Chamber of Mines SA
Dust
Milestone Reporting Systems
MOSH Initiatives
MHSC
MHSC
Tripartite Committees
(SIMRAC, MITHAC, MOHAC, CTAC)
DMR
Summit
Adoption of Common leading practices and research
21 April 2018

14. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
21 April 2018

15. GENERAL PRINCIPLES TO DUST CONTROL
Hierarchy of control measures
Elimination
Substitution
Isolation
Engineering Controls
Administrative
PPE
Handbook for Dust Control in Mining2
2. Kissell FN. Handbook for dust control in mining: Citeseer; 2003

16. MHSC SYSTEMS
21 April 2018

17. MHSC SYSTEMS Occupational Health Milestones
SIMRAC (Safety in Mines Research Advisory Committee)
MOHAC (Mining Occupational Health Advisory Committee)

18. MHSC SYSTEMS Occupational Health Milestones
Agreed tripartite occupational health milestones on elimination of occupational lung diseases to be achieved in 2024 are as follows:

19. Occupational Health Milestones: - To eliminate silicosis
By December 2024, 95% of all exposure measurement results will be below the milestone level of respirable crystalline silica of 0.05%mg/m3
Using present diagnostic techniques, no new cases of silicosis will occur amongst previously unexposed individuals (new people entering mining industry in 2009)
21 April 2018

20. Occupational Health Milestones: - To eliminate pneumoconiosis
By December 2024, 95% of all exposure measurement results will be below the milestone level of platinum dust respirable particulate of 1.5mg/m3 (<5% crystalline silica)
Using present diagnostic techniques, no new cases of pneumoconiosis will occur amongst previously unexposed individuals (new people entering mining industry in 2009)
21 April 2018

21. Occupational Health Milestones: - To eliminate coal workers pneumoconiosis
By December 2024, 95% of all exposure measurement results will be below the milestone level of coal dust respirable particulate of 1.5mg/m3 (<5% crystalline silica)
Using present diagnostic techniques, no new cases of coal workers pneumoconiosis will occur amongst previously unexposed individuals (new people entering mining industry in 2009)
21 April 2018

22. Occupational Health Milestones - Performance
Occupational health milestones data recorded through the MHSC’s system.

23. Occupational Health Milestones - Performance
Occupational health performance towards achieving the milestone targets is monitored by the MOHAC and MITHAC.
MHSC’s system has been piloted with 16 mines and will be roll-out on a national level.
Mines are encouraged to register and capture occupational health milestones on the MHSC’s system ( and for support: or
SAMI performance towards achieving milestone targets will be reported at the 2018 MHSC Summit, which will continuously be reported to the MHSC Summit on two yearly basis.

24. SIMRAC 2018/2019 MHSC financial year research needs analysis
CoE “Develop a feasible methodology for real –time monitoring and measurement of respirable dust”
CoE “Feasibility study on the possible interventions that can be introduced to limit the dust exposure in the South African Mining Industry (SAMI)”
CoE “Assess the feasibility of developing a continuous dust monitoring and suppression system for South African Mines”
CoE “Develop the standard operating procedure for the measurement and reporting towards controlling respirable crystalline silica”
CoE “Determine if airborne silica quartz composition and medical impact on persons varies between reef bands and tailings material”

25. SIMRAC conti… 2018/2019 MHSC financial year research needs analysis
CoE “Review the current airborne exposure limits as listed in schedule (a) of the MHSA”
CoE “Revision of the TB audit tool to include HIV, AIDS and occupational lung diseases”
CoE “The health impacts of lead exposure to employees in the South African mining industry (SAMI)”
Any completed MHSC project/s will be disseminated by the Research Outcomes Dissemination Technical Committee (through Regional Tripartite Forums, MHSC website, etc.) such as the following:
SIM “Adverse health impacts associated with dust emissions from mine tailings.”

26. SIMRAC conti… 2019/2020 MHSC financial year research needs analysis
Investigate improved technology for dust suppression on continuous miners in underground coal mining operations.
What is the applicable ratio of SANAS accredited laboratories with regards to the mines to be serviced; and what quality control standard/s that can be used by the mining’s occupational hygiene laboratories in order to make a meaningful impact to the improvement of occupational health in SAMI?
What financial model, requirements and resources can be used in developing a chemical laboratory for verifying occupational hygiene hazardous airborne pollutants that mine employees are exposed to?
Is the current medical surveillance system approach in the SAMI comprehensive to monitor all human organs that may be affected by exposure to crystalline silica bearing dust?
What is the prevalence of occupational Lung Disease amongst 2008 novice mine workers? Can an exposure dose be calculated from their exposures?

27. MOHAC
Revised airborne pollutant guideline was in the government gazette on the 06th April 2018.
National roadshows will be held on the revised airborne pollutant guideline.
Limit the Dust Concentration through Identifying leading Practices for Platinum, Gold, Coal and Other Sectors within the Mining Industry.

28. MOHAC conti…
Revised DMR 276 (Employee’s Record of Hazardous Work) in order to also link occupational hygiene with the occupational medicine data.

29. COM SYSTEMS
21 April 2018

30. COM SYSTEMS CEOs meeting Mandating Committees
Chamber’s occupational health reporting system
MOSH

31. CHAMBER OF MINES’ SYSTEMS
CEOs Zero Harm Leadership Forum quarterly meetings
2024 Milestone Performance of Industry (Chamber members).
Adoption progress on MOSH Dust initiatives.
TB: Masoyise Programme
Mandating Health/Ventilation Engineering Committees
2.1 Group Environmental Engineers Committee (GEE) – monthly meetings
2.2 Health Policy Committee (HPC) – monthly meetings
2.3 Joint GEE and HPC meetings – Quarterly
3. Utilization of the Chamber’s system (HealthSource) used to gather data on occupational health milestones and health (DMR 164) related data.

32. CHAMBER OF MINES’ SYSTEMS conti…
MOSH (
The Chamber of Mines established the MOSH Learning Hub in to encourage mining companies to draw and learn from the areas of excellence that exist throughout the industry.
The MOSH Learning Hub team areas include the following:
Falls of ground;
Transport & Machinery;
Dust; and
Noise.

33. MOSH LP Adoption System Process
The shortened MOSH Leading Practice Adoption system process may be characterised by the following steps:
Facilitate Adoption of Noise Measurement Methodology
Step 1
Identify leading practices with the greatest potential to address the major risks
Step 2
Document the selected leading practice at the source mine where it is already applied
Step 3
Facilitate widespread adoption of the practice using a Community of Practice for Adoption
21 April 2018

34. MOSH Dust Team
To find practices that have the highest potential for dust mitigation.
Facilitate wide spread adoption through Community of Practice for Adoption (COPA) bi-monthly meetings to monitor progress.
Monthly MOSH adoption meetings to share team progress.
For more info visit follow dust link.

35. CURRENT MOSH DUST PRACTICES

36. Continuous Real-time Monitoring Of Airborne Pollutant2 3
Engineering Control
Continuous Monitor 1 4
The Leading Practice that will make a
DIFFERENCE
Activity
PLC/RTU’s
Includes:
Communication drivers
Real-time data monitoring
Real-time database
Alarm and event journal
Historic archive
Configuration database 6 5
Communication/
Telemetry
Host/Control Room

37. Fogger System
Fogger/Misting sprays at intake airways

38. Footwall/Sidewall Treatment
The wetting of footwalls and sidewalls with water and surfactants. Spray cars, drawn by a locomotive, spray the solution onto the foot and side walls so as to consolidate the dust and to prevent it becoming airborne.

39. Multi-stage Filtration System (MSFS)
The principle of multi-stage filtration system ensures that contaminated air is extracted by means of a fan through the filtration unit where it undergoes the following stages of filtration:
Stage 1: A pre-filtration system removes large dust particles
Stage 2: This stage consists of two layers of oil-wet fibre pads
Stage 3: High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter (HEPA) is used to ensure complete removal of harmful dust.

40. Multi-stage Filtration System (MSFS)

41. Multi-stage Filtration System (MSFS)

42. WINCH COVER
In principle, the winch cover simply involves fitting a cover to the winch drum guard or to the winch casing of existing winches thereby reducing winch operators' exposure to harmful dust.

43. DMR SYSTEMS
21 April 2018

44. DMR SYSTEMS
Mining Charter – mines required to investigate implementation of research need analysis outcome/s or recommendation to prevent exposures.
Section 11.5 investigations.
Airborne pollutants quarterly reporting.
Verification audits.
Mine visits.
Enforcement through section 55 and 54.

45. QUESTIONS?

46. THANK YOU
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
CHAMBER OF MINES