Microsoft Word LeonreportVo doc

COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
 
17
previous periods, leading to greater exposure to dust and the development of dust related 
diseases. 
 
It is sufficient in this chapter to give a broad outline of some of the statistics put before the 
Commission, particularly by Dr. Leger and Dr. White. 
 
-Tuberculosis rates were about 58 per thousand after 15 years exposure.  After 10 years 
exposure between forty and eighty per cent of workers involved in drilling operations would 
have hearing problems. An 18 year old man starting a career in mining at the stope face 
would have a one in two to one in three chance of being permanently disabled from accident 
or disease. 
 
-A study of shaft sinkers, developers, stopers and shift bosses had shown that if a man were 
to work 8 000 shifts the probability of developing silicosis was over 30 per cent.  If silicosis 
is severe it can develop into progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) which is one of the most 
feared complications of the disease. 
 
-Asbestos is a fibrous mineral which is known to cause several kinds of lung disease.  After 
20 years exposure in an asbestos mine, twenty five per cent of the workforce can be 
detected as having lung disease.  It has now been established scientifically that there is an 
association between asbestos exposure and lung cancer. 
 
-Research has shown that after forty years of exposure, fifty to sixty per cent of coal miners 
would develop simple coal miners’ pneumoconiosis, and about 5 per cent would develop 
PMF. 
 
-About 4 000 miners develop tuberculosis every year.  One survey in the 1930s suggested 
that about 60 per cent of these may die within two years.  The longer a worker works at the 
mines the more likely he is to develop tuberculosis.  Miners with less than five years 
experience develop the disease to the extent of only eight per 1000, while those with more 
than five years experience develop it to the extent of 20 per 1000. 
 
-Lung function is reduced by lung disease.  With silicosis after fifteen years exposure, a 
worker will have lost about fifty percent of his lung function if he reached 65 years of age. 
 
-There has been a significant under diagnosis of coal miners’ pneumoconiosis.  Statistics 
from routine examinations suggested that the prevalence was 4% but autopsy studies show 
that it is 7,1%. Based on examinations at 61 collieries in the United Kingdom between 1990 
and 1993, the prevalence for all age groups was 0,4% and for age groups below 44 years 
0,1%. 
 
Further comment on health issues in the mining industry will be made in Chapter Four.

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COMMISSION
  
OF
  
INQUIRY
  
INTO
  
SAFETY
  
AND
  
HEALTH
  
IN
  
THE
  
MINING
  
INDUSTRY 
 
18 
TABLE 1   STATISTICS FOR GRAPHS RELATING TO THE GOVERNMENT MINING ENGINEER’S DIVISION 
 
(1932 FIGURES USED AS BASIS = 100%) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STAFF 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
X 
1000   
 
AUTHORISED
 
ACTUAL
 
% OF  
AUTHORISED 
 
% INCREASE  
AUTHORISED 
 
% INCREASE  
ACTUAL 
 
FATALS 
 
REPORTABLES 
YEAR LABOUR
%  TONNAGE % 
INCREASE  
 
 
 
 
NO 
RATE/1000 
NO 
RATE/1000 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1932 310963 100
47099 
100 
60 
60 
100 
100 
100 
 
 
 
 
1959 611383 197
138000 
293 
118 
102 
86 
197 
170 
 
 
 
 
1960 622163 200
149303 
317 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1961 638159 205
162500 
345 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1962 634269 204
174301 
370 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1963 617853 199
178145 
378 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1964 624642 201
189359 
402 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1965 631114 203
200096 
425 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1966 670000 215
 
 
144 
127 
88 
240 
212 
801 
1.20 
31284 
46.69 
1967 659000 212
 
 
144 
125 
87 
240 
208 
802 
1.22 
30351 
40.06 
1968 632000 203
 
 
145 
132 
91 
242 
220 
 
 
 
 
1969 636000 205
 
 
151 
136 
90 
252 
227 
872 
1.37 
30245 
48.50 
1970 684000 220
 
 
151 
142 
94 
252 
237 
 
 
 
 
1971      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1972 630100 203
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1973 677668 218
201347 
427 
167 
140 
84 
278 
233 
737 
1.09 
29114 
42.96 
1974 666693 214
202665 
400 
167 
139 
83 
278 
232 
791 
1.19 
28607 
42.91 
1975 628315 202
 
 
160 
135 
84 
267 
225 
 
 
 
 
1976 657592 211
 
 
160 
139 
87 
267 
232 
 
 
 
 
1977 701434 226
 
 
160 
136 
85 
267 
227 
 
 
 
 
1978 687021 221
 
 
160 
139 
87 
267 
232 
 
 
 
 
1979 719444 231
244254 
519 
156 
127 
81 
260 
212 
832 
1.16 
22997 
31.96 
1980 743152 239
246668 
524 
159 
121 
76 
265 
202 
861 
1.16 
21058 
28.34 
1981 763553 246
160166 
552 
162 
120 
74 
270 
200 
853 
1.12 
18538 
24.28 
1982 735984 237
266714 
566 
164 
155 
95 
273 
258 
807 
1.10 
17406 
23.65 
1983 715053 230
164382 
561 
165 
161 
98 
275 
268 
831 
1.16 
16584 
23.19 
1984 733581 236
290745 
617 
223 
182 
82 
372 
303 
807 
1.10 
17406 
23.73 
1985 754701 243
300104 
637 
199 
173 
87 
332 
288 
706 
0.94 
14820 
19.64 
1986 781621 251
299521 
636 
199 
178 
89 
332 
297 
800 
1.02 
12709 
16.26 
1987 780016 251
290011 
616 
199 
 
 
332 
 
753 
0.97 
11473 
14.71 
1988 738214 237
298395 
634 
199 
161 
81 
332 
268 
674 
0.91 
11357 
15.38 
1989 740804 238
301723 
641 
197 
162 
82 
328 
270 
735 
0.99 
10097 
13.63 
1990 715170 230
197793 
632 
195 
163 
84 
325 
272 
675 
0.94 
9858 
13.78 
1991 679547 219
313720 
666 
195 
168 
86 
325 
280 
604 
0.89 
9103 
13.40 
1992 543629 175
195053 
626 
192 
176 
92 
320 
293 
552 
1.02 
8801 
16.19 
1993 562113 181
304297 
646 
192 
170 
89 
320 
283 
578 
1.03 
8532 
15.18 
 

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