Exposure to respirable crystalline silica amongst stope employees in an underground gold mine between July 2008 and June 2010
Date
2014-02-12
Authors
Kesilwe, Senki Benjamin
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Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine if the gold mine under study achieved the 2008
elimination of silicosis occupational hygiene milestones as set out by the South African mining
industry in 2003.
To identify high risk quartz exposed occupations within the conventional stope and TM³ stope
employees of an underground gold mine between July 2008 and June 2010; to describe the
personal quartz exposure of conventional stope and TM³ stope employees in an underground
gold mine between July 2008 and June 2010; and to compare the time weighted average (TWA)
quartz exposures between the conventional stope and TM³ stope to the Department of Mineral
Resources-Occupational Exposure Limit (DMR-OEL) of 0.1 mg/m3, the National Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health-Recommended Exposure Limit (NIOSH-REL) of 0.05 mg/m3 and
the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists-Threshold Limit Value (ACGIHTLV)
of 0.025 mg/m3.
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health: Occupational Hygiene, Johannesburg, 2012