Microsoft Word LeonreportVo doc

COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
185 
 
It is clear that under ideal conditions living and sleeping space should be allowed for separately; 
that bunk beds are in general outlawed, and that inter alia cross ventilation is essential. The 
commission has therefore recommended that a detailed survey of all mine compounds be carried 
out and an extensive search of regulations made in order to determine what targets for the 
improvement of living and sleeping accommodation are achievable.  
 

---

COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
186 

---

COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
187 
 
APPENDIX 7 
 
 
FURTHER COMMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH MATTERS IN EXISTING 
LEGISLATION 
 
 
No definitions of “healthy” or “Safe” or of related concepts are contained in Chapter 1 (Definitions) 
of the Minerals Act.  In contrast the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act No 85 of 1993) 
defines the following health related terms:- 
 
“biological monitoring” means a planned programme of periodic collection and analysis of body 
fluid, tissues, excreta or exhaled air in order to detect and quantify the exposure to or absorption of 
any substance or organism by persons; 
 
“danger” means anything which may cause injury or damage to persons or property; 
 
“hazard” means a source of or exposure to danger; 
 
“healthy” means free from illness or injury attributable to occupational causes; 
 
“medical surveillance” means a planned programme of periodic examinations (which may include 
clinical examinations, biological monitoring or medical tests) of employees by an occupational 
health practitioner or in prescribed cases, by an occupational medicine practitioner; 
 
“occupational health” includes occupational hygiene, occupational medicine and biological 
monitoring; 
 
“occupational health practitioner” means an occupational medicine practitioner or a person who 
holds a qualification in occupational health, recognised as such by the South African Medical and 
Dental Council as referred to in the Medical, Dental and Supplementary Health Professions Act, 
1974 (Act No 56 of 1974), or the South African Nursing Council as referred to in the Nursing Act 
1978 (Act No 50 of 1978); 
 
“occupational hygiene” means the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of conditions 
arising in or from the workplace which may cause illness or adverse health effects to persons; 
 
“occupational medicine” means the prevention diagnosis and treatment of illness, injury and 
adverse health effects associated with a particular type of work; 
 
“occupational medicine practitioner” means a medical practitioner as defined in the Medical, 
Dental and Supplementary Health Professions Act, 1974 (Act No 56 of 1974), who holds a 
qualification in occupational medicine or an equivalent qualification which qualification or 
equivalent is recognised as such by the South African Medical and Dental Council referred to in the 
said Act.; 
 
“risk” means the probability that injury or damage will occur; and 
 
“safe” means free from any hazard. 

---

COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
188 
 
It is difficult to see how enabling legislation can ensure the prevention of disease and effectively 
safeguard the health of mineworkers in the absence of these and other definitions.  The word 
“health” is used in the long title of the Act, coupled with the word “safety”, thus; “to provide for the 
safety and health of persons concerned in mines and works” which is an unusual (quaint) 
description of workers, as “concerned in” - the analogous provision in the OHS Act referred to 
“persons at work”.  Thereafter the two words are coupled (or not) in an apparent unsystematic way, 
throughout the Act. 
 
In Chapter 2 (Administration) there is reference to health in Section 2(2), which allocates 
administrative functions to the GME whose primary function shall be supervision and control over 
safety, health and related matters at any mine or works. 
 
In Chapter 3 (Authorisation to prospect and to mine) the words “health” or “healthy” are used only 
once in Section 8 (1) and once in Section 15, though there is reference to “safe” or “safety” or 
“safely” in several Sections. As read in the context of the Chapter as a whole it is clear that both 
prospecting for, and exploitation of, minerals are to be authorised subject to provisions to safeguard 
health. 
 
Reference to Section 9 (3)(a) and (c) and to Section 9 (5)(e) will demonstrate how easily 
meaningful and appropriate reference to health could have been ensured in both places by the use 
of a phrase such as “safely and without danger to the health of workers or the residents of the 
surrounding area”. 
 
In Chapter 4 (Optimal Exploitation and Utilisation of Minerals) there is no direct reference to 
health, nor is there in Chapter 6 (Rehabilitation of Surface) or Chapter 7 (Transitional Provisions). 
Chapter 5 (Safety and health) deals, ostensibly, with safety and health and might be expected to 
give appropriate emphasis to each. 
 
Section 26 establishes a mine safety committee, sets out its functions, specifies the frequency of 
meetings and the composition of the committee.  There is no reference to health nor is any member 
of the committee required to be expert in health matters (nor safety for that matter). In the 
constitution of this key committee there is manifest neglect of the need for expertise in the fields of 
both health and safety. 
 
Section 27(1) empowers the RME to order rectifying steps to be taken, or to suspend operations, if 
he “believes that any practice or any other thing at a mine or at a mine or works may cause bodily 
harm to any person or be injurious to his health or constitute a danger to his safety in any 
manner..”. As far as it is known there is no instance on record in which an operation has been 
suspended for a health reason. 
 
Section 28 deals with inquiries into accidents and other matters.  Health is presumably, in respect of 
this Section an “other matter”.  Section 28(1)(a) refers specifically to accidents, whereas both 
Section 28(1)(b) and 28(2)(a) couple the words safety or health. 
 
Much of the remainder of the Chapter deals with accidents or / and safety, but not with health.  
Section 37(a) couples safety and health once again, and prohibits any person from endangering the 
health or safety of any person by a negligent act or omission. 

---

COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
189 
 
In Chapter 8 (General and Miscellaneous Provisions) the Minister is empowered to make 
regulations.  The word health is used twice in Section 63(1)(a) and once in Section 63(1)(x).  
Section 63(2) requires consultation on health matters with the Minister of Health prior to the 
making of regulations. 
 
Notably Section 63(3) makes reference specifically to “safety standards” - the words health or 
health standards do not appear in this sub section. 
 
The purpose of the discussion in Appendix 7 is to establish that the enabling legislation is deficient 
in respect of provision for safeguarding the health of workers.  To ensure better control of adverse 
health conditions the revision will entail the incorporation of extensive new provisions. 
 
Prior to the promulgation of the Minerals Act health and safety in the mining industry were 
regulated by two Acts which could be seen as complementary. The Mines and Works Act was 
concerned primarily with the way things were done, and by whom.  This Act was the basis for the 
revision, and was repealed in terms of the Minerals Act. The ODMWA regulated the initial, 
periodical and  benefit examinations of active and retired mine workers, established a medical 
facility for this purpose, a mechanism for establishing the risk for a particular mine and the 
administrative and fiscal procedures for compensating persons with occupational disease. Both 
Acts were for many years the responsibility of the DMEA, and the MBOD was run by the DMEA.  
Prior to the promulgation of the Minerals Act responsibility for the ODMW Act and the MBOD 
were transferred to the DoH.  As amended, to remove reference to ethnic groups, this Act continues 
to regulate many aspects of health in the mining industry. Significant changes may have to be made 
to the regulations promulgated in terms of the ODMW Act - of which there are, it seems, very few. 
 
Detailed examination of the Regulations made in terms of the Minerals Act also shows that health 
matters are neglected. 
 
Chapter 1 
(Definitions) does not define any health related term, 
 
Chapter 2 
(Responsibility) is concerned with the appointment, responsibilities and duties of 
managers, including the appointment of environmental control officers in terms of 
Regulation 2.15.1.1. 
 
(a) 
This regulation excludes mines with less than 1 000 employees underground on any one 
shift, and coal mines producing less than 5 000 tons per shift, except as a result of a written 
notice by the Regional Director, based solely on his opinion.  Evidence presented to the 
Commission, admittedly fragmentary, indicates that, as a rule, conditions in small mines are 
more hazardous than in large mines. 
 
Safety representatives are appointed in terms of Section 2.18.1 and are so called despite reference 
to safety and health in Section 2.18.3 which requires that they should have “training in and 
knowledge and experience of the safety and health requirement applicable to and be conversant 
with the conditions at the working place or group of working places where he is to be appointed”. 
In addition in Section 2.19.1(b)(c) and (e) which sets out the duties of safety officers there is 
reference to health and safety.  Similar considerations apply to Sections 2.19.2, 2.19.3(e) (f) and (j), 
and to 2.19.6.2. 
 
Section 3.5 deals with the treatment of gassing, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, drowning and electric 
shock. 
 
 

---

COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
190 
Chapter 4 
(Workmen) includes provision for access to potable water in the workplace (4.2), for 
the provision and maintenance of change houses (4.3.1) and for the control of 
working clothes (4.32).  These clearly have important health implications. Nowhere 
in the regulations is there any mention of housing or hygienic standards, despite the 
fact that these are known to play a crucial role in promoting health and preventing 
disease. 
 
The complaint book provided for in Regulations 4.4.1 - 4.4.6 is clearly an important source of 
information about adverse working conditions. 
 
The requirements of Sections 4.9, 4.10 and 4.11 for latrines in underground workings, for the 
disinfection of working places and for the prevention of pollution of workings raise the question as 
to inspection and enforcement of the regulations. The expertise required is that of a health 
inspector, or environmental health officer, and it is unlikely that inspectors of mines are competent 
in this field. 
 
Section 4.17.1 - 14.17.4 make provisions for the control of noise and the introduction of a hearing 
conservation programme where workers are exposed to levels in excess of 85 dB (A) and for the 
provision of personal protective equipment. Nowhere in the regulations is there a requirement to 
measure noise levels, or to demarcate areas in which noise levels exceed 85 dB (A). 
 
It is clearly appropriate that in terms of Section 6.3.2.1 work necessary to ensure health and safety 
should take precedence over all other work. 
 
Chapter10 (Ventilation, Gasses and Dust) deals with critical issues in the prevention of 
occupational diseases. 
 
Section 10.1.1 prohibits entry into “Any place in which the air contains harmful smoke, gas, fumes 
or dust perceptible by sight, smell or other senses” without respiratory protection.  This ignores the 
well established and absolutely fundamental fact that injurious dust is not visible, and that 
dangerous gases are often odourless and colourless. Where a dangerous atmosphere is likely there 
is no substitute for prior sampling or mandatory respiratory protection. The regulation as written 
may be said to be not only scientifically unsound but to encourage dangerous act. Section 10.1.2 
prohibits work in areas in which the level of dust, noxious fumes or harmful gases exceeds 
concentrations laid down from time to time by the Director General. There is an evident 
inconsistency here as subsequent regulations lay down specific limits for a number of gases, and for 
cyanide in the effluent from tailings used for backfill, but there are no regulated limits for airborne 
particulate matter. 
 
Viewed as a whole Chapter 10 of the regulations may be seen as the occupational hygiene 
component of the entire body of regulations. The major defect throughout the Chapter is a failure to 
incorporate the process of hazard identification, measurement, control and subsequent monitoring. 
The COMMISSION CONCLUDES that unless the basic principles of occupational health inform 
the regulatory process remedial action will not follow unsatisfactory measurements. The drift 
towards an uncritical acceptance of the principle of loss control, as opposed to the well established 
principle of the practice of occupational health have no doubt led to this situation. 
 
To make the requirement to measure dust (Section 10.5.1) contingent upon the appointment of an 
environmental control officer in terms of Section 2.16.1.1 (the reference to 2.16.1 is incorrect) or 
dependent on the opinion of the Regional Director supports the opinion put forward in evidence 
that small mines are neglected. 
 
 

---

COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
191 
Though particular substances hazardous to health are dealt with in a number of regulations (for 
example, hard metal in drill sharpening shops [10.2.3 and 10.1.5] or cyanide [10.3.4 and 10.3.5] 
and others) there is no regulation to require employers to list the substances hazardous to health 
used in or on the mine, and to take steps to minimise exposure and to carry out the appropriate 
medical examination and biological monitoring of the risk groups involved. 
 
For other diseases originating in the workplace, for example heavy metals other than manganese 
and those incorporated in hard metal, and occupational asthma due to agents other than platinum 
salts, there are no provisions. 
 
Noise induced hearing loss, barotrauma, hand - arm syndrome, and asphyxia (from a number of 
causes) are compensated under the Compensation for Occupational Diseases and Injuries Act.   
 
 
 
 

---

COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
192 
 
TABLES INCLUDED IN VOLUME 1 
 
TABLE CONTENTS 
NO 
 
1. 
GME Accident Statistics and Accident Rates 
 
1932 - 1959 - 1993 
 (2.2.1) 
2. 
Accident Data - GME Statistics 
 
1984 - 1993 
 (2.2.2) 
3. 
International Labour Office Statistics 
 
From page 13, Table 2 of publication “Safety and Health in Mines, 
 
Report V (1)” ILO Geneva 81st Session 1994 
 (2.2.2) 
4. 
Frequency of Fatalities in Underground Coal Mines in 
 
1992 – GRAPH - From the Polish State Mining Authority, 
 
Department of Health and Working Conditions, 
 Publication 
Dated 
19/11/93 
(2.2.2) 
5. 
Breakdown of All Injuries into Main Categories 
 (3.0) 
6. 
Injuries Classified by Commodities Mined 
 (3.0) 
7. 
Most Significant Accidents in Gold Mining 
 (3.1.1) 
8. 
Most Significant Accidents in Coal Mining 
 (3.2.1) 
9. 
Number of Persons Killed in Explosions and Total Number of Fatalities 
 (3.2.1) 
10. 
Proposed scheduling of Health Intervention for Miners 
 (After 
White) 
 (4.5.9) 
11. 
Certification Under Act 78 of 1973 
 
Whites and Coloureds / Blacks 
 (4.5.10) 
12. 
Comparison of Ionising Radiation Doses Expected in  
Various Activities - After CNS 
 (4.10.2) 
13. 
Annual Individual Exposure Range Among Mineworkers -  
After CNS 
 (4.10.2) 
14. Distribution 
of 
Education 
Levels at Kriel Colliery 
 (6.1) 
 

---

Document Outline

• Notes to electronic copy
• Cover page
• Presentation of the report
• Volume 1
• Contents
• Chapter One: Introduction
• Chapter Two: A review of the state of the industry
• Chapter Three: Main safety hazards in mines
• Chapter Four: Health at work in the mining industry
• Chapter Five: Recommendations of the interested parties
• Chapter Six: The Commission's views on further critical issues that must be addressed
• Chapter Seven: Research policy and research management
• Chapter Eight: Current Minerals Act
• Chapter Nine: Accident inquiries, and the conduct of mining cases in courts of law
• Chapter Ten: Proposed structure for the Health and Safety in Mines Act 199..., and Regulations
• Chapter Eleven: Enforcement
• Chapter Twelve: Summary of recommendations
• Chapter Thirteen: A minority view on some issues by Professor M D G Salamon
• Appendices to Volume 1
• Appendix 1 - List of organisations and persons who submitted written representations
• Appendix 2 - Witnesses who gave oral evidence before the Commission
• Appendix 3 - List of exhibits handed in to the Commission
• Appendix 4 - List of mining companies, members of the COM of South Africa
• Appendix 5 - Standards of accommodation
• Appendix 6 - Comparison of remuneration packages in mine management and in the Inspectorate graph
• Appendix 7 - Further comments relating to health matters in existing legislation
• Tables included in Volume 1