1. Occupational Health Hazards in Minerals Exploration- Assessing the Known and Unknown.
QLD Mining Industry Health & Safety Conference Townsville
Dustin Bennett
Principal Consultant- OHS & Hygiene
GCG Health Safety & Hygiene

2. Introduction Introduction
Challenges facing the mineral exploration industry.
Likely health hazards for Mineral Exploration workers.
Risk assessing health hazards- Where do I start???
Identify
Assess
Control
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3. Why?
Introduction
Minimise the risk of ill health from exposure to workplace stressors.
Occupational Disease
Legislative Requirements
Occ Disease- still occurs; ignorant about hazardous nature of materials or processes; arise from unexpected as well as known sources; no assessment= haphazard or non-existent controls.
Legislative- safe workplace; employees and contractors alike; periodic monitoring of hazards likely to create an unacceptable level of risk.
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4. Challenges Challenges Resourcing Transient workforce Remote work areas
Work environment
Limited access to maintenance facilities
Variable mineralisation
Competitive cost driven market
Lack of engineering controls in industry
Resourcing- access to people with skills to identify and assess health haz?
Transient workforce- move from site to site & company to company; Training & competencies current
Remote- access to equipment & resources; away from focal points; health surveillance
Environment- temp & UV; background particulates & toxics;
Maint facilities- equipment not always maintained; field maintenance;
Mineralisation- influence likelihood of exposure- dust, RCS, heavy metals, NORM, ergonomics
Competitive market- affects maint, controls, skills, training; reduces push for hard controls.
Engineering controls- until recently (BHPB/RT), minimal drive for hard controls.
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5. Health Hazards Health Hazards Health hazards may come in the form of:
Biological hazards
Chemical hazards
Ergonomic hazards
Physical hazards
Biol- faecal coliforms, legionella, mould etc.
Chem- from chemicals in use to material extracted
Ergonomic- manual handling, vibration
Physical- Noise, UV, ionising radiation, thermal
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6. Typical Exploration Health Hazards
May include, but not limited to:
Airborne Particulates
Noise
Vibration
Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM)
Thermal Stress
UV Radiation
Chemicals
Ergonomics
Water
Noise- sources such as engine, hammer, compressor, pneumatic releases, impacts > NIHL & tinnitis
Vibration- HAV & WBV from control console, hand tools and transport > nerve & blood vessel damage; lower back.
NORM- Uranium and Thorium and associated decay in mineralisation > inhalation and proximity to source
Thermal- high and low temps, long shifts, limited facilities, acclimatisation
UV- high exposures and durations
Chemicals- diesel and drill fluids (typically low risk); polyurethane foam for collar (toxic), others
Ergonomics- lifting drill rods and sample bags; tighten/loosen rods; maintenance > some new mechanical aids.
Water- onsite water storage; low Chlorine; faecal colliform and legionella (need aerosols)
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7. Airborne Particulates
Airborne Particulates- A closer Look
Airborne Particulates

8. Airborne Particulates
Airborne Particulates- A closer Look
Airborne Particulates
Inhalable Dust
Respirable Dust
Crystalline Silica
Coal Dust
Heavy Metals
Asbestiform
NORM
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9. Health Hazard Risk Management Model
Characterise Workplace- Establish SEGs
Identify Hazards and their Health Impact
Risk Register and Action Plan
Monitor Responses and Review Risks
Consider the Likelihood of Exposure- could the health impact or consequence occur?
Determine level of Risk
Existing Controls? OK
Not OK
Treat/Control Risks
Source: Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists- Simplified Occupational Risk Management Strategies.

10. Health Hazard Risk Management Model- Presentation Focus
Characterise Workplace- Establish SEGs
Identify Hazards and their Health Impact
Risk Register and Action Plan
Monitor Responses and Review Risks
Consider the Likelihood of Exposure- could the health impact or consequence occur?
Determine level of Risk
Existing Controls? OK
Not OK
Treat/Control Risks
Source: Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists- Simplified Occupational Risk Management Strategies.

11. Health Hazard Risk Management Model- Presentation Focus
Characterise Workplace- Establish SEGs
Identify Hazards and their Health Impact
Consider the Likelihood of Exposure- could the health impact or consequence occur?
Determine level of Risk
Source: Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists- Simplified Occupational Risk Management Strategies.

12. Likelihood of Exposure
1. Establish SEG’s
Similar Exposure Groups = SEG’s
Grouping of employees/contractors whose exposure to health hazards are similar.
Risk management applied to a group rather than each individual.
No simple way to define groups accurately. Commonly by role:
RC Driller
RC Offsider
RC Field Technician
RC Geologist
Diamond Driller
Diamond Drill Offsider
Supervisor/Technical
Etc.
Establish SEGs
Identify Hazards
Likelihood of Exposure
Risk Assessment
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13. Likelihood of Exposure
2. Hazard Identification & Consequence
Health hazards may change from site to site or even between drill holes.
Systematic process to identify hazards:
Consider: Biological, Chemical, Physical &Ergonomic Hazards.
Culmination of Information at hand.
“Walkthrough Survey”
Consequence rating
Walkthrough Survey
Process to identify and characterise hazards on site.
May involve:
Staff discussions, inspections, environment, products, methods.
Establish SEGs
Identify Hazards
Likelihood of Exposure
Risk Assessment
Changing hazards- health hazards and consequence may be transferable, but likelihood and therefore risk level cannot be.
Info at hand- project type and methods; # people exposed; chemical manifest; enviro conditions; hazard information; rosters; mineralisation; guidelines/standards; data.
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14. Likelihood of Exposure
2. Hazard Identification & Consequence [Cont]
After hazards are identified, define consequence for each.
Example qualitative consequence scale:
Source: Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists- Simplified Occupational Risk Management Strategies & AS4360:2004
For example:
Asbestos= 5
Silica (RCS)= 5
Noise= 4
Vibration= 3
Establish SEGs
Identify Hazards
Likelihood of Exposure
Risk Assessment
Changing hazards- health hazards and consequence may be transferable, but likelihood and therefore risk level cannot be.
Info at hand- project type and methods; # people exposed; chemical manifest; enviro conditions; hazard information; rosters; mineralisation; guidelines/standards; data.
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15. Likelihood of Exposure
3. Exposure Characterisation & Likelihood
Assessment may be ‘Qualitative’ or ‘Quantitative’
Exploration: initial qualitative assessment?
Perform follow up quantitative assessment if:
Exposures could exceed exposure limit
Exposure have resulted in complaints or adverse health effects
Exposures are to known carcinogens, reproductive toxins or ionising radiation.
VARIABLE EXPOSURES?
Establish SEGs
Identify Hazards
Likelihood of Exposure
Risk Assessment
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16. Likelihood of Exposure
3. Exposure Characterisation & Likelihood [CONT]
Consolidate appropriate information and define likelihood.
Likelihood rating will change dependant on variables.
Example qualitative Likelihood scale:
Source: Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists- Simplified Occupational Risk Management Strategies & AS4360:2004
Establish SEGs
Identify Hazards
Likelihood of Exposure
Risk Assessment
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17. Likelihood of Exposure
4. Risk Assessment
Establish SEGs
Identify Hazards
Likelihood of Exposure
Risk Assessment
Perform risk assessment so controls can be applied.
Hazards with very low exposure potential do not need to be assessed. Must be recorded and assessed periodically.
Example Risk Assessment Matrix:
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18. Risk Score Matrix- Example
Risk Matrix- Example
For consideration to graphically display results:
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19. Conclusion Conclusion
Exploration projects will have hazards that require risk assessing.
Systematic process to Identify, Assess and Control.
May be performed internally by experienced and skilled persons, but expert advice must be sought for complex hazards or scenarios.
Processes allows resources to be applied efficiently where required.
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20. TOWNSVILLE BRISBANE PERTH
QUESTIONS?
Dustin Bennett
Principal consultant OHS & Hygiene
Mobile
Brett Jones
Principal Consultant Health & Safety 
Mobile
Brendan Green
Principal consultant Health & Safety
Mobile
TOWNSVILLE BRISBANE PERTH
Head Office – Perth Phone: (08)