The Various Effects of Excessive Mine Dust Exposure to a Person?s Health

Posted by Wet Earth on September 17th, 2016

Mining is an essential industry in today’s society. Without it, our economy would not be the same. However, despite its importance, it has its own risks. Aside from the physical dangers that certain mining styles can have, the production of mine dust is also a health risk for those who work in mines.

Many would think that dust is something inevitable if you decided to work on a mining site. Airborne dust may seem like the most harmless thing there is, especially since everyone’s exposed to it on a daily basis. However, it must be noted that dust may be minute, but prolonged exposure to it can cause a wide array of health problems later on. Included in the many health issues dust can bring are:

1. Respiratory diseases

There are several respiratory diseases that dust from mines can bring including pneumoconiosis, silicosis, cancer, asthma, allergic alveolitis, and respiratory irritation just to name a few. Prolonged inhalation of airborne dust will definitely affect the functioning of one’s lungs, making mine workers highly susceptible to serious lung illnesses. The problem here is, most ailment caused by dust from mines are incurable. Prevention is still the best option to avoid fatal cases of these diseases, making dust suppression an important precaution for mining companies to take.

2. Other serious diseases

Aside from respiratory issues, the disturbed dust in mines also have other serious effects in the other parts of the body. Some develop congestive heart failure, osteroporosia, renal dysfunction, ataxia, and dermatitis among many others. It all depends on one’s level of exposure and their pre-existing illnesses, really, so if a worker already has health issues early on, they can be aggravated over time.

3. Poisoning

Prolonged exposure to certain kinds of dust can also lead to poisoning, especially if the particles inhaled are broken down from heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Asbestos can also be seriously damaging to health.

4. Occupational hazard

Disturbed dust in mining sites can also pose dangers to workers while they work. Thick dust can create a massive cloud that could reduce visibility at the site. If necessary adjustments are not taken right away, these can lead to accidents.

Then there’s also the fact that some types of dusts are highly flammable. If these particles accumulate in high concentrations, they can pose risks to every mine worker in the site. Explosions and fire could erupt, endangering the lives of many.

A responsible mining company will make sure to take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of its employees. With the right professional mine dust control firm offering their services, finding the right people to minimize the generation of dust or at least be able to properly control it, guaranteeing the safety of mine workers can be done.

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