Citation

Winn J, Biersner RJ, Morrissey S. Int. J. Ind. Ergonomics 1996; 18(5-6): 417-422.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The National Occupational Health Survey of Mining (NOHSM) was designed to provide estimates of health and safety hazards, including ergonomic hazards, to which miners are exposed. Nine specially-trained observers documented health hazards for 144 mines that were representative of the metal-nonmetal mining industry. The observers documented 9,121 exposures to 12 different ergonomic hazards. Almost 25% of these exposures were to hazards involving the neck and back. Other major ergonomic hazards included: Movement of the forearms, arms and shoulder; and finger-hand movement. The mining categories (i.e., 'commodities') most at risk for ergonomic hazards were (in order of diminishing risk, with the total workforce at risk in parentheses): Trona (N = 749), Leonardite (N = 52), Gold-Lode/Placer (N = 4,290), Gemstones (N = 80), Rare Earths (N = 218), and Aluminium Ore (N = 3,801). These results are discussed in terms of evaluating the effectiveness of various ergonomic interventions, as well as improving the efficacy of current health and safety inspection strategies.