Accidents, Injuries, and Safety among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe

Singo, Josephine; Isunju, John Bosco; Moyo, Dingani; Blüml, Stephan; Steckling-Muschack, Nadine; Mamuse, Antony

doi:10.3390/ijerph19148663

Cited by 17 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In 2020, 5000 deaths from ASM were reported worldwide, while Zimbabwe had 42 deaths, based on an online media data set [ 5 ]. In addition, our previous articles revealed reported occurrences of health and safety problems (45%) [ 7 ], accidents (35%) and injuries (26%) [ 8 ]. The health and safety problems included respiratory (n = 33, 26.6%), musculoskeletal (n = 29, 23%), stress (n = 28, 23%), hearing (n = 11, 8%), and reproductive (n = 4, 3%) challenges [ 7 ] with little or no access to health care services [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, our previous articles revealed reported occurrences of health and safety problems (45%) [ 7 ], accidents (35%) and injuries (26%) [ 8 ]. The health and safety problems included respiratory (n = 33, 26.6%), musculoskeletal (n = 29, 23%), stress (n = 28, 23%), hearing (n = 11, 8%), and reproductive (n = 4, 3%) challenges [ 7 ] with little or no access to health care services [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Occupational injuries and health risks in mining negatively impact miners, their families, and ASGM communities [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The health and safety problems included respiratory (n = 33, 26.6%), musculoskeletal (n = 29, 23%), stress (n = 28, 23%), hearing (n = 11, 8%), and reproductive (n = 4, 3%) challenges [ 7 ] with little or no access to health care services [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Occupational injuries and health risks in mining negatively impact miners, their families, and ASGM communities [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. The range of control measures from most protective to least protective consist of elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative controls, and PPE [ 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The range of control measures from most protective to least protective consist of elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative controls, and PPE [ 12 ]. While most fatalities in ASM are preventable [ 6 ], preventive measures such as engineering controls, accident investigations, and consistent risk management are scarce in ASGM [ 7 , 8 , 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to Reason (2000), the ‘holes’ in protective layers open and close in response to prevailing circumstances [ 25 ]. Therefore, efforts should be made to minimise gaps and weaknesses in each defence layer to protect health and safety in ASGM [ 8 ]. A single protective layer could increase the likelihood of accidents, injuries, and poor health [ 7 , 8 ], while an additional protective layer may improve protection of miners in ASGM [ 8 ]; see Figure S1 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe

Singo

Moyo

Isunju

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is often associated with no or compromised attention to health and safety. Although headlines of fatal accidents in Zimbabwe characterise ASGM, little attention is paid to prevention strategies. This study, therefore, explores health and safety risk mitigation in ASGM in Zimbabwe to inform prevention strategies. A qualitative design was used with focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, coding, and descriptive statistics. Reported factors contributing to compromised health and safety included immediate causes, workplace factors, ASM related factors, and contextual factors, with interconnectedness between the causal factors. In addition, factors related to ASGM were significant. For risk mitigation, formalisation, organisation of risk reduction, behaviour change, and enforcement of prevention strategies is proposed. A multi-causal analysis is recommended for risk assessment and accident investigation. A multi-stakeholder approach could be considered for risk mitigation including community and public health interventions. However, risk mitigation has been characterised by gaps and weaknesses such as lacking ASM policy, lack of capital, poor enforcement, negative perceptions, and non-compliance. Therefore, we recommend addressing the threats associated with health and safety mitigation to ensure health and safety protection in ASGM.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe

Singo

Moyo

Isunju

et al. 2022

IJERPH

Self Cite

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Occupational Health and Safety of Artisanal Miners in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo: A Problem for Goals 3 and 8 of Sustainable Development

Maweja,

Mbonane,

Bidassey-Manilal

et al. 2024

The Anthropocene: Politik—Economics—Society—Science

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Emerging mercury and methylmercury contamination from new artisanal and small-scale gold mining along the Nile Valley, Egypt

Abdelaal

Sultan

Abotalib

et al. 2023

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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The past decade witnessed the initiation and boom of the Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) activities in the hyper-arid southern Egypt. The ores are mined in the Eastern Desert and then transported to the densely populated farming communities in the Nile Valley, where the river provides the water resources needed for ore processing. In search for economic benefits, the poorly educated farmers with limited technical resources transformed their cultivated lands into ASGM operations, exposing themselves, their families, the residents, and the Nile ecosystems to several environmental and occupational health problems. Using integrated remote sensing, field, geochemical, and isotopic analyses, we report the first inventory of ASGM-related total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) levels in tailings, amalgamation-tailing ponds, and surface and groundwater with emphasis on the Edfu city and its surroundings. The field and remote sensing-based mapping of ASGM activities reveals clustering around the Nile waterways and suggests interaction of Hg contamination sources with their surrounding receptors. Common ASGM practices include release of contaminated water from unlined amalgamation-tailing ponds into irrigation and drainage canals, and spreading of tailings over cultivated soils. In a short period (10 years), the released Hg contaminated multiple media, including the surface water, the shallow and deep aquifers, and possibly the soil, crops, and livestock. THg levels in amalgamation-tailing ponds (1200–8470 ng/L) are fourfold higher than US EPA and eightfold the WHO thresholds. The contaminated waters released from amalgamation-tailing ponds raised THg levels in surface water (irrigation canals: 50–100 ng/L; drainage canals: THg: > 200 ng/L) and groundwater (shallow and deep aquifers: 80–500 ng/L). Our findings highlight the need to extend the adopted approach to cover the entire length of the Nile River and its valley and the importance of conducting awareness campaigns to educate residents and health care providers about potential ASGM-related environmental and health hazards. Graphical Abstract

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Accidents, Injuries, and Safety among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe

Cited by 17 publications

References 29 publications

Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe

Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe

Occupational Health and Safety of Artisanal Miners in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo: A Problem for Goals 3 and 8 of Sustainable Development

Emerging mercury and methylmercury contamination from new artisanal and small-scale gold mining along the Nile Valley, Egypt

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