ABSTRACT
@#Health impact assessment is a means of evidence-based policy-making for improvement in health. It is a combination of methods whose aim is to assess the health consequences to a population of a policy, project, or program that does not necessarily have health as its primary objective. It is described as being “the leading global network on best practice in the use of impact assessment for informed decision-making regarding policies, programs, plans and projects”. In recent years, much evidence was revealed that the mining, metal mining, and processing industry has a greatly impact on humans. Residing population has affected directly and indirectly influenced to the health and wellbeing of human. </br>The mining, metal mining and processing industries play an important role in the economic and social development of Mongolia. With the rapid development of the mining industry in Mongolia, environmental protection and environmental rehabilitation have become a priority. Currently, there are 27 laws governing environmental legal acts in our country, and chapter 3 of the Hygiene Law covers environmental and health impact assessment. As stated the implementation of the law shall be financed from the state and local budgets, the central state administrative organization and the Governor at the appropriate level shall order the relevant professional organizations to carry out environmental research and analysis work and to develop projects, and in addition to financing with budget funds, as well as conducting research with their funds for interested citizens, enterprises, and organizations were are arrangements to support the implementation of the laws and its regulation. </br>However, Within the scope of the Law on Environmental Protection and Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures, the negative impact on the environment is identified but in the area of health impact, it is a lack of information on how the activities are conducted, and health impact assessments are not conducted according to procedures and methods. Thus, there are need to conduct health impact assessments of the mining area and its affected population.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Occupational injuries are known to be the main adverse outcome of occupational accidents. The purpose of the current study was to identify control strategies to reduce the severity of occupational injuries in the mining industry using Bayesian network (BN) analysis.METHODS: The BN structure was created using a focus group technique. Data on 425 mining accidents was collected, and the required information was extracted. The expectation-maximization algorithm was used to estimate the conditional probability tables. Belief updating was used to determine which factors had the greatest effect on severity of accidents.RESULTS: Based on sensitivity analyses of the BN, training, type of accident, and activity type of workers were the most important factors influencing the severity of accidents. Of individual factors, workers' experience had the strongest influence on the severity of accidents.CONCLUSIONS: Among the examined factors, safety training was the most important factor influencing the severity of accidents. Organizations may be able to reduce the severity of occupational injuries by holding safety training courses prepared based on the activity type of workers.
Subject(s)
Accidents, Occupational , Bayes Theorem , Focus Groups , Mining , Occupational InjuriesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Occupational injuries are known to be the main adverse outcome of occupational accidents. The purpose of the current study was to identify control strategies to reduce the severity of occupational injuries in the mining industry using Bayesian network (BN) analysis. METHODS: The BN structure was created using a focus group technique. Data on 425 mining accidents was collected, and the required information was extracted. The expectation-maximization algorithm was used to estimate the conditional probability tables. Belief updating was used to determine which factors had the greatest effect on severity of accidents. RESULTS: Based on sensitivity analyses of the BN, training, type of accident, and activity type of workers were the most important factors influencing the severity of accidents. Of individual factors, workers’ experience had the strongest influence on the severity of accidents. CONCLUSIONS: Among the examined factors, safety training was the most important factor influencing the severity of accidents. Organizations may be able to reduce the severity of occupational injuries by holding safety training courses prepared based on the activity type of workers.
Subject(s)
Accidents, Occupational , Bayes Theorem , Focus Groups , Mining , Occupational InjuriesABSTRACT
RESUMEN La minería sigue siendo necesaria para el desarrollo de la sociedad e influyente en la economía de los países de América Latina y el Caribe, pero las políticas públicas no son coherentes para mejorar su manejo socioambiental. Por ello, esta revisión tiene por objetivo analizar la incidencia de la minería en la economía de los países de América Latina y el Caribe, con especial enfoque en los aspectos socioambientales, incluidos en los planes de desarrollo nacional. El método de trabajo consistió en una revisión y análisis de la información sobre el tema, contenida en los principales observatorios de la región. Los resultados, se sintetizan en tablas y mapas que expresan: la relación entre la importancia en la economía y potencial minero; el número y distribución de conflictos socioambientales derivados de actividades mineras y, algunos efectos económicos, que dichos conflictos tienen sobre los proyectos mineros.
ABSTRACT Mining is still necessary for the development of society, and influential in the economy of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, but public policies are not coherent to improve their socioenvironmental management. Therefore, this review aims to analyze the impact of mining on the economy of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, with a special focus on socio-environmental aspects, included in the national development plans. The working method consisted of a review and analysis of information on the subject, contained in the main observatories of the region. The results are synthesized in tables and maps that express: the relationship between the importance in the economy and mining potential; the number and distribution of socio-environmental conflicts derived from mining activities; and, some economic effects that such conflicts have on in mining projects.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To study the correlation between low back pain (LBP) and occupational stress in coal miners.@*Methods@#From January 2015 to December 2016, a total of 472 front-line workers in a mining area of a large-scale coal mining enterprise in Shanxi, China were enrolled in the study. The general information, condition of LBP, and occupational stress level of the subjects were obtained by questionnaire survey. Dichotomous logistic regression (DLR) was used to analyze the correlation between LBP and occupational stress.@*Results@#Of the 472 subjects, 186 subjects experienced LBP in the past year; the prevalence rate of LBP was 39.41%. The scores of the Occupational Role Questionnaire were significantly higher for workers in the LBP group than in the non-LBP group (P<0.01) . As revealed by the DLR analysis, age, marital status, length of service, occupational stress role, labor intensity, keeping single posture during work, and working in shifts were risk factors of LBP (P<0.01) , while smoking may be a protective factor against LBP (P<0.01) .@*Conclusion@#Occupational stress role is a potential risk factor for LBP in coal miners (P<0.01) . Reasonable work assignment and timely alleviation of occupational stress may be one of the effective approaches to prevent LBP.
ABSTRACT
La Organización del Trabajo se define como la forma en que el trabajo es diseñado y a los factores económicos que influyen en el diseño de éste. La teoría de rol y los principios de la comunidad ocupacional proveyeron el marco interpretativo para explorar cómo la organización del trabajo predice el estrés en los trabajadores de planta y subcontratados. Se realizó una encuesta a 451 trabajadores en 4 ciudades mineras del norte de Chile, más preguntas abiertas acerca de la percepción del trabajo. La serie de regresiones jerárquicas realizadas mostró que los factores de organización del trabajo asociados a roles explicaron la mayor varianza en el estrés. Respecto a las preguntas abiertas, los trabajadores valoraron la amistad como la principal fuente de bienestar y la falta de apoyo organizacional como la principal fuente de problemas. La diferencia de resultados entre grupos (planta y subcontratados) pone de relieve las inequidades sociales y laborales. Los programas de prevención de riesgos en este ámbito debieran considerar los principios de la comunidad ocupacional en los trabajadores de planta. Asimismo, se sugiere educar en organización del trabajo a los subcontratistas, para promover la salud ocupacional y la seguridad hacia estándares mínimos.
Work organisation refers to the way work is designed and managed, and to the economic factors that shape job design. Role theory and occupational community notions provided the framework for exploring how work organisation predicts work stress in staff and subcontractor groups in the mining industry. A survey was carried out on 451 workers in four Chilean mining cities to explore work organisation and stress issues. Open-ended questions about job perceptions were also asked. A series of hierarchical regressions showed that work organisation factors based on role relationships explain the main variance observed in strains and organisational hazards. Workers' opinions highlight work mates' friendship as the most important source of well-being, and lack of organisational support as the main source of problems. Differences between groups highlight social and work inequalities. Intervention programmes addressing work organisation and stress in this sector should consider occupational community principles for the staff group. Education in work organisation is recommended to raise occupational health and safety minimum standards in subcontractor companies.