Search Documents

By V. C. Rogers, K. K. Nielson

INTRODUCTION An evaluation of the radiological health risks from uranium mining and milling requires the determination of several key parameters. As shown in Figure 1, the first step is the estimation of the radioactive source term. The radionuclides in the ore consist of the 238U decay series nuclides shown in Figure 2, the 235U series nuclides, and 40K. The 238U decay series isotopes dominate the source term, with the 235U series isotopes causing less concern and 40K remaining at background levels. [ ] Specifically, the risks from uranium mining and milling are mainly associated with 230Th, 226Ra, 222Rn, and its short-lived daughters. These radioisotopes are mainly alpha-particle emitters; hence, some dispersion mechanism is necessary to bring them into intimate contact with man so that they can be inhaled or ingested For water pathways, the leaching of the isotopes from [ ] the solid ore or tailings provides a measure of the amount of contaminant initially available to the environment. For the air pathway, dust-creation mechanisms such as blasting, crushing or general resuspension processes dominate for 226Ra and 230Th. However, 222Rn, being a chemically inert gas generated from the decay of 226Ra, can migrate through the ore, overburden and tailings over considerable distances. As shown in Figure 1, the next step in the pathway to man is environmental dilution and delay. For the water transport mechanism, the delay in the isotopes reaching an accessible water supply may be considerable (several thousand years or more), but for airborne nuclides the dispersion in the atmosphere is rapid and constitutes the main mitigating factor. Considerable ventilation is provided in underground mines to dilute and remove radon and its daughters in order to keep their concentrations low and thereby minimize their inhalation by miners. The rate of uptake by both the workers and the general public is often difficult to ascertain. It involves breathing rates, rates of water consumption and other poorly-defined parameters. The final steps are the risk estimators used to predict doses and cancer rates from the inhaled radon daughters and ingested or inhaled radium. Many

Jan 1, 1981

By Stanley Ferguson

Since 1978, the Colorado Department of Health has become involved in specific investigations of possible radiation hazards among nonminers in Colorado communities. In each instance, the improper disposal of mill tailings has precipitated concerns and allegations of radiation hazards. This presentation is a brief summary of the findings, to date, of 4 such investigations involving tailings disposal problems in Canon City, Denver, Durango and Grand Junction, Colorado. Canon City In the summer of 1979, allegations of excessive cancer incidence were made at public hearings concerning an application for a Radioactive Materials License submitted to the Colorado Department of Health by the Cotter Corporation for a uranium mill at Canon City. Canon City is the site of a uranium mill operated since 1958 by Commonwealth Edison. Local residents accumulated figures and calculated rates suggesting a 2-fold excess in total cancer mortality. These rates were not adjusted or standardized for demographic varibles. A review of cancer mortality data and computation of age standardized rates for years 1950 through 1977 showed that Canon City's cancer mortality rates were within expected limits, actually lower than rates for the State of Colorado or the United States. The first slide shows rates for every fifth year, 1950 through 1975. Further, an analysis of Canon City cancer incidence data from the Colorado Central Cancer Registry revealed that 1979 incidence rates were not significantly different from Colorado rates, with the exception of prostate cancer. The next slide shows age standardized incidence rates for lung, colon, breast and prostate cancer. Data were also reviewed for leukemia, myeloma, lymphoma and cancers of the thyroid stomach, uterine certix, ovary, kidney, bladder-and brain, however, small numbers of cases prevented meaningful rate calculation. 1980 data are presently being analyzed. None of the data yet examined support allegations of radiation-associated cancer in Canon City. Denver In February of 1979, the Department of Health became aware of a number of radium mill tailing deposits in the Denver metropolitan area, remnants of the radium milling industry of the early 1900's. Several of the deposits were situated so as to possibly contribute significantly to radiation exposure of a small number of people over a period of several decades. The Department developed protocols for radiation surveys, dosage estimates and, for a small number of persons, body burdens determinations and peripheral blood lymphocyte cytogenetic studies. The results of this investigation suggested no measurable biomedical impact as a result of the radium deposits. Durango In October of 1979, a physician residing in Durango, Colorado released information from a preliminary analysis of lung cancer data suggesting an incidence rate several times expected in that city. The data were presented at a meeting of a citizen's group concerned about the possible health hazards of 2 uranium mill tailing deposits located in the south end of the city. Since cancer incidence data generally do not exist in most of western Colorado, a team of epidemiologists was dispatched to Durango to work with local physicians and hospitals in conducting an epidemiologic study of selected cancers for the period 1969 through 1978. After case-finding and record abstracting were completed, it was determined that sufficient data were available for study of only 3 sites: lung cancer, breast cancer and leukemia. The next slide shows age standardized incidence rates for these 3 sites for 1969-1978 for Durango and the State of Colorado. There are no significant differences in these rates. The data did show a geographic peculiarity with regards to the relative proportion of tumor types near the tailings deposits as opposed to away from the deposits, however, this finding is based upon very small numbers of cases and may represent only the random excursion of rates based upon small observations. This investigation suggests that if a carcinogenic hazard is present, it is too small to be detected by the study method employed. Grand Junction The Department of Health has been involved in the Grand Junction mill tailings problem for several years. In 1966, the Department issued an order terminating the practice of free public access to a 55-acre pile of uranium mill tailings. Prior to this order, an estimated 300,000 tons of material was removed. Of this amount, an estimated 50,000 tons was presumably used in residential and commercial construction. Despite many allegations of cancer and birth defects excesses in Grant Junction since the mid 1960s, the first epidemiologic study of cancer was conducted in the spring of 1977. Data from the Colorado Central Cancer Registry were analyzed and reported to the Executive Director of the Department of Health in June of that year. The findings of the first and preliminary study were an unexplained excess of acute leukemia and chronic myelocytic leukemia. The excess was based upon small numbers but was present across all age groups. No increase in chronic lymphocytic leukemia was evident.

Jan 1, 1981

By Antonio Fontana

"Environmental problems encountered with the use of diesel equipment in underground mining operations are discussed. The concept and procedure o implementing the Health Effects Index equation as a means of quantitatively assessing an underground working environment is outlined and sample calculations are present ed. Advantages and disadvantages of utilizing this method are also discussed.IntroductionWith the introduction of diesel-powered mining equipment in the 1960s there arose several question s for the environmental engineer to consider. These included: 1. What are the constituents of diesel exhaust and how can they be detected and evaluated?2. What are the toxicities and long-term health effects of these constituents?3. What is the ventilating volume required to maintain the concentration of these constituents below toxic levels?Diesel engines are a class of reciprocating, internal combustion engines in which relatively high compression ratios are used to generate high air-charge temperatures, which cause ignition of fuel to occur spontaneously. Ideally, perfect combustion of the fuel would produce an exhaust consisting solely of nitrogen (N2), water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2). However, because no combustion process is perfect, relatively small quantities of imperfect-combustion products, or pollutants, are also generated. These include hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon (C) or soot, and sulphur dioxide (SO2).Currently, the Regulations for Mines and Mining Plants, made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Section 176), stipulate that weekly tests shall be made to determine the carbon monoxide (CO) concentration in the undiluted exhaust and at the operator's position, and the nitrogent dioxide (NO2) concentration at the operator's position. Also, the aldehyde (as HCHO) concentration in the atmosphere, at the operator's position, is to be measured at least every three months. Threshold limit values (TLVs) have been established for each of the three combustion products, and each is regarded as a separate entity. Consequently, this does not allow for consideration of interactions and possible synergistic effects between the various exhaust components."

Jan 1, 1982

By Jill Murray

This study focuses on the amosite mining region in South Africa and associated health effects, compared to other mined asbestos fiber types. Historically, dust and fiber levels were high in the amosite mills and mines, and many miners and members of the surrounding communities were exposed to the fibers. Research has shown that amosite produces both benign and malignant disease. Nevertheless, the mesotheliomagenic potential of amosite is several fold lower than crocidolite. The risk of disease associated with amosite exposure is difficult to quantify. Reasons for this include the scarcity of available information, including fiber measurements, and case ascertainment, as well as the juxtaposition of the amosite and crocidolite asbestos seams in South Africa. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Amosite; Mesothelioma; Crocidolite; South Africa; Asbestos

Jan 1, 2007

By Brenda J. Morrison

Anything to do with radioactive waste disposal in these days is regarded in a very negative light and with the thought that no possible good could come of anything connected with it. However, it should be remembered that the Austrian government's disposal of some tailings from the Joachimsthal mines resulted in what was probably the most important scientific discovery of this century. In 1898 the Austrian government agreed to give a Polish research assistant working at the School of Physics in Paris one ton of tailings to enable her to carry on her research. Her meagre stipend and the lack of a research grant did not allow her to purchase the ore which was relatively expensive. The uranium oxide in it being used to colour the famous Czechoslovakian glassware. As we all know, from this ton of ore Marie Curie by her own physical labours extracted one gram of radium. When she started this research she was pregnant with her first child. Nothing of course was known at the time about the biological effects of radiation. Very shortly, of course, the acute effects such as skin burns were observed but it was some years before the chronic effects were noted. It is impossible to estimate to what cumulative amount of radiation that Marie, Pierre and their daughter Irene were exposed but it must have been enormous and it took its toll. Marie complained for many years of fatigue and exhaustion and at one point she was seriously ill with some kidney problem which was probably due to toxic effects of ingestion of uranium. She lived until she was 67, however, and died of leukemia. Her eldest child, Irene, who carried on her work, did not live as long; she died of leukemia at 57. The other daughter, Eve, related how her mother and she went on a skiing holiday not many years before her death, and how her mother at this time would swim 300 meters at a stretch. (Curie, 1937). This suppleness of limb could have been due to the anti-inflammatory action of radiation. Even today, patients in France with certain types of rheumatic conditions are treated with injections of radium, where other anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or cortisone have not worked. (Bertrand, Legras and Martin). All this anecdotal information is just to point out that it is an ill wind that blows no good. The risks connected with uranium waste disposal and tailings piles are

Jan 1, 1980

By M. Van Siclen

THE outstanding fact in connection with dust disease in the United States at present is the growing recognition of its seriousness by state officials and by the more progressive operators of mining, metallurgical and allied industrial plants. The same may perhaps be said of labor in some of its better organized centers, but the average independent non-union workman continues, .as of yore, to suffer the toll of disability and even of death from dust inhalation without realization of the source of his ill-being. Progress in the betterment of the handling of sufferers from dust disease and of the conditions creating dust hazards in mining and allied industries is pursuing a course similar to that of the now widespread campaign against accidents, in which the risk is more obvious, more severe, and was naturally recognized sooner. The coming on of dust disease is generally relatively slow and its immediate effects not infre-quently masked by or attributed to other diseases. Marked exceptions to this general rule have occurred in districts where the dust is particularly pernicious, such as the Rand and Joplin; yet such exceptions, unhappy in themselves, opened the eyes of medical men, and of those in other localities charged with the responsibility for the welfare of industry, to the much more widespread if less spectacular hazard existing from the inhalation of dust in all rock-excavating operations and all industrial operations creating inorganic dust, whether it be crushing and grinding, sand-blast-ing, granite-cutting, or what not. Advancement to date in the United States in prevention and treat-ment has been slow, yet the record shows that quantitative methods for determining the degree of hazard and means for decreasing it were being developed as far back as 25 years ago; and that more rapid progress may be looked for from now on. In 1908, in this country; F. L Hoffman?(1) discussed the mortality from consumption in dusty trades, especially brass foundries; and in 1913 E. R. Hayhurst(2) described the effects of inhalation

Jan 1, 1933

By M. Van Siclen

THE outstanding fact in connection with dust disease in the United States at present is the growing recognition of its seriousness by state officials and by the more progressive operators of mining, metallurgical and allied industrial plants. The same may perhaps be said of labor in some of its better organized centers, but the average independent non-union workman continues, as of yore, to suffer the toll of disability and even of death from dust inhalation without realization of the source of his ill-being. Progress in the betterment of the handling of sufferers from dust disease and of the conditions creating dust hazards in mining and allied industries is pursuing a course similar to that of the now widespread campaign against accidents, in which the risk is more obvious, more severe, and was naturally recognized sooner. The coming on of dust disease is generally relatively slow and its immediate effects not infre-quently masked by or attributed to other diseases. Marked exceptions to this general rule have occurred in districts where the dust is particularly pernicious, such as the Rand and Joplin; yet such exceptions, unhappy in themselves, opened the eyes of medical men, and of those in other localities charged with the responsibility for the welfare of industry, to the much more widespread if less spectacular hazard existing from the inhalation of dust in all rock-excavating operations and all industrial operations creating inorganic dust, whether it be crushing and grinding, sand-blast-ing, granite-cutting, or what not. Advancement to date in the United States in prevention and treat-ment has been slow, yet the record shows that quantitative methods for determining the degree of hazard and means for decreasing it were being developed as far back as 25 years ago; and that more rapid progress may be looked for from now on. In 1908, in this country, F. L Hoffman?(1) discussed the mortality from consumption in dusty trades, especially brass foundries; and in 1913 E. R. Hayhurst(2) described the effects of inhalation

Jan 1, 1933

By M. Van Siclen

THE outstanding fact in connection with dust disease in the United States at present is the growing recognition of its seriousness by state officials and by the more progressive operators of mining, metallurgical and allied industrial plants. The same may perhaps be said of labor in some of its better organized centers, but the average independent non-union workman continues, as of yore, to suffer the toll of disability and even of death from dust inhalation without realization of the source of his ill-being. Progress in the betterment of the handling of sufferers from dust disease and of the conditions creating dust hazards in mining and allied industries is pursuing a course similar to that of the now widespread campaign against accidents, in which the risk is more obvious, more severe, and was naturally recognized sooner. The coming on of dust disease is generally relatively slow and its immediate effects not infre-quently masked by or attributed to other diseases. Marked exceptions to this general rule have occurred in districts where the dust is particularly pernicious, such as the Rand and Joplin; yet such exceptions, unhappy in themselves, opened the eyes of medical men, and of those in other localities charged with the responsibility for the welfare of industry, to the much more widespread if less spectacular hazard existing from the inhalation of dust in all rock-excavating operations and all industrial operations creating inorganic dust, whether it be crushing and grinding, sand-blast-ing, granite-cutting, or what not. Advancement to date in the United States in prevention and treat-ment has been slow, yet the record shows that quantitative methods for determining the degree of hazard and means for decreasing it were being developed as far back as 25 years ago; and that more rapid progress may be looked for from now on. In 1908, in this country, F. L Hoffman?(1) discussed the mortality from consumption in dusty trades, especially brass foundries; and in 1913 E. R. Hayhurst(2) described the effects of inhalation

Jan 1, 1933

By M. Van Siclen

THE outstanding fact in connection with dust disease in the United States at present is the growing recognition of its seriousness by state officials and by the more progressive operators of mining, metallurgical and allied industrial plants. The same may perhaps be said of labor in some of its better organized centers, but the average independent non-union workman continues, as of yore, to suffer the toll of disability and even of death from dust inhalation without realization of the source of his ill-being. Progress in the betterment of the handling of sufferers from dust disease and of the conditions creating dust hazards in mining and allied industries is pursuing a course similar to that of the now widespread campaign against accidents, in which the risk is more obvious, more severe, and was naturally recognized. sooner. The coming on of dust disease is generally relatively slow and its immediate effects not infre-quently masked by or attributed to other diseases. Marked exceptions to this general rule have occurred in districts where the dust is particularly pernicious, such as the Rand and Joplin; yet such exceptions, unhappy in themselves, opened the eyes of medical men, and of those in other localities charged with the responsibility for the welfare of industry, to the much more widespread if less spectacular hazard existing from the inhalation of dust in all rock-excavating operations and all industrial operations creating inorganic dust, whether it be crushing and grinding, sand-blast-ing, granite-cutting, or what not. Advancement to date in the United States in prevention and treat-ment has been slow, yet the record shows that quantitative methods for determining the degree of hazard and means for decreasing it were being developed as far back as 25 years ago; and that more rapid progress may be looked for from now on. In 1908, in this country, F. L Hoffman?(1) discussed the mortality from consumption in dusty trades, especially brass foundries; and in 1913 E. R. Hayhurst(2) described the effects of inhalation

Jan 1, 1933

By M. Van Siclen

THE outstanding fact in connection with dust disease in the United States at present is the growing recognition of its seriousness by state officials and by the more progressive operators of mining, metallurgical and allied industrial plants. The same may perhaps be said of labor in some of its better organized centers, but the average independent non-union workman continues, as of yore, to suffer the toll of disability and even of death from dust inhalation without realization of the source of his ill-being. Progress in the betterment of the handling of sufferers from dust disease and of the conditions creating dust hazards in mining and allied industries is pursuing a course similar to that of the now widespread campaign against accidents, in which the risk is more obvious, more severe, and was naturally recognized sooner. The coming on of dust disease is generally relatively slow and its immediate effects not infre¬quently masked by or attributed to other diseases. Marked exceptions to this general rule have occurred in districts where the dust is particularly pernicious, such as the Rand and Joplin; yet such exceptions, unhappy in themselves, opened the eyes of medical men, and of those in other localities charged with the responsibility for the welfare of industry, to the much more widespread if less spectacular hazard. existing from the inhalation of dust in all rock-excavating operations and all industrial operations creating inorganic dust, whether it be crushing and grinding, sand-blasting, granite-cutting, or what not. Advancement to date in the United States in prevention and treatment has been slow, yet the record shows that quantitative methods for determining the degree of hazard and means for decreasing it were being developed as far back as 25 years ago; and that more rapid progress may be looked for from now on. In 1908, in this country; F. L Hoffman?(1) discussed the mortality from consumption in dusty trades, especially brass foundries; and in 1913 E. R. Hayhurst(2) described the effects of inhalation

Jan 1, 1933

By M. Van Siclen

THE outstanding fact in connection with dust disease in the United States at present is the growing recognition of its seriousness by state officials and by the more progressive operators of mining, metallurgical and allied industrial plants. The same may perhaps be said of labor in some of its better organized centers, but the average independent non-union workman continues, as of yore, to suffer the toll of disability and even of death from dust inhalation without realization of the source of his ill-being. Progress in the betterment of the handling of sufferers from dust disease and of the conditions creating dust hazards in mining and allied industries is pursuing a course similar to that of the now widespread campaign against accidents, in which the risk is more obvious, more severe, and was naturally recognized sooner. The coming on of dust disease is generally relatively slow and its immediate effects not infre-quently masked by or attributed to other diseases. Marked exceptions to this general rule have occurred in districts where the dust is particularly pernicious, such as the Rand and Joplin; yet such exceptions, unhappy in themselves, opened the eyes of medical men, and of those in other localities charged with the responsibility for the welfare of industry, to the much more widespread if less spectacular hazard existing from the inhalation of dust in all rock-excavating operations and all industrial operations creating inorganic dust, whether it be crushing and grinding, sand-blast-ing, granite-cutting, or what not. Advancement to date in the United States in prevention and treat-ment has been slow, yet the record shows that quantitative methods for determining the degree of hazard and means for decreasing it were being developed as far back as 25 years ago; and that more rapid progress may be looked for from now on. In 1908, in this country, F. L Hoffman?(1) discussed the mortality from consumption in dusty trades, especially brass foundries; and in 1913 E. R. Hayhurst(2) described the effects of inhalation

Jan 1, 1933

By M. Van Siclen

THE outstanding fact in connection with dust disease in. the United States at present is the growing recognition of its seriousness by state officials and by the more progressive operators of mining, metallurgical and allied industrial plants. The same may perhaps be said of labor in some. of its better organized centers, but the average independent non-. union workman continues, as of yore, to suffer the toll of disability and. even of death from dust inhalation without realization of the source of his ill-being. Progress in the betterment of the handling of sufferers from dust disease and of the conditions creating dust hazards in mining and allied industries is pursuing a course similar to that of the now widespread campaign against accidents, in which the risk is more obvious, more severe, and was naturally recognized sooner. The coming on of dust disease is generally relatively slow and its immediate effects not infre-quently masked by or attributed to other diseases. Marked exceptions to this general rule have occurred in districts where the dust is particularly pernicious, such as the Rand and Joplin; yet such exceptions, unhappy in themselves, opened the eyes of medical men, and of those in other localities charged with the responsibility for the welfare of industry, to the much more widespread if less spectacular hazard existing from the inhalation of. dust in all rock-excavating operations and all industrial operations creating inorganic dust, whether it be crushing and grinding, sand-blast-ing, granite-cutting, or what not. Advancement to date in the United States in prevention and treat-ment has been slow, yet the record shows that quantitative methods for determining the degree of hazard and means for decreasing it were being developed as far back as 25 years ago; and that more rapid progress may be looked for from now on. In 1908, in this country; F. L Hoffman?(1) discussed the mortality from consumption in dusty trades, especially brass foundries; and in 1913.E. R. Hayhurst(2) described the effects of inhalation

Jan 1, 1933

By Martha E. Smith

INTRODUCTION Radiation is one of the many agents occurring in our environment that is capable of causing cancers. We are all unavoidably exposed to natural background radiation. If we wish to exploit the beneficial uses of radiation in medicine, industry, and for the production of electricity, some further exposures to radiation are almost inevitable. One needs to ensure therefore, that the standards of radiation protection are safely derived and one would want to understand the mechanism by which radiation might cause cancer and genetic defects. In order to study the effects of radiation one can: (1) analyze human data, (2) perform animal experiments, and (3) do molecular level experiments. Indeed all three kinds of information are needed. This paper will concentrate on the steps required to obtain some of the necessary human data regarding health effects, where the concern is about the impact and consequences of long-term low-level exposures to an agent. Such investigations require some knowledge of work histories, dose histories, health "outcomes", and the personal identification of the individual involved. Three inter-related computer systems have been developed at Statistics Canada which have been designed to permit optimal use of a number of different records for our entire country for such health related research. The development of the Canadian Mortality Data Base, the initiation of the National Cancer Incidence Reporting System, and the development of new computer linkage techniques have helped reduce the cost and increase the scale and efficiency of automated follow-up to produce statistics of sickness or death associated with radiation and other carcinogenic agents in mines. These computer systems have already been implemented, and references will be made to studies currently being conducted using these files and facilities (e.g. a study of all Ontario miners, plus various Canadian uranium, fluorospar, salt and nickel miners). We will also look at the kinds of data that need to be collected now, to improve such studies in the future. DELAYED RISKS - THE STUDY SIZE AND COST Delayed effects on human health, as for example industrially caused cancer, can in general only be detected and measured by following-up the individuals to see what eventually becomes of them. What is not generally recognized is that the relatively low levels of individual risk, about which the public is often concerned, usually requires for their detection that very large numbers of "exposed" and "control" individuals (e.g. 10,000 to 100,000 or more) be followed over a period of two or three decades to determine when they die, what they die of, and whether they contracted cancer or some other disease of special concern. Thus, it is frequently exceedingly difficult to make such investigations cost-effective so that they will be undertaken at all, and as a result very real risks to health can remain undetected or unquantified. THE MANUAL PROCEDURES Follow-up of individuals by epidemiologists has until recently been a largely manual and clerical operation. It has used a diversity of source record files; local, regional, and national. Often the tracing of people has involved letters sent through the mails and visits to institutions, physicians, municipal offices, and former neighbours. Only thus could one find out whether the individuals were dead or alive. Such studies were necessarily small, or else very expensive. Death registrations have, by tradition, provided a valuable tool for the identification of harmful influences in the environment. However, with the increasing mobility in the population, death may often occur far away from the place of exposure to such an influence. Thus, no longer will simple manual searches in a single registry office suffice to inform the investigator concerning the deaths that may have occurred in a study population, especially when that population is large. In the past, manual follow-up to locate the relevant death registration normally required some prior knowledge of the province and year of death in question, so that the alphabetic indexes could he used to direct researchers to the appropriate bound volumes of registration forms. To search manually in this fashion for any large number of death registrations, without knowing in which year or province the deaths had taken place, or even whether they had yet occurred, would be impractical, since each year in Canada there are about 170,000 deaths. DEATH AND CANCER AS SPECIAL ENDPOINTS Much of recent effort has been focused on the organization of the "endpoint" files required to do long-term follow-up studies on a national scale, because that is a function which other institutions are unable to perform due to the confidentiality laws governing the use of such information. Outside organizations generally come to us with detailed "starting" point records which relate to some specific group requiring study. We carry out these epidemiological searches on a cost-recovery basis. The analytical interpretation of results is normally

Jan 1, 1981

By P. Smit

Health hazards of South African . mIne water by P. SMIT, M.B., Ch.B., D.T.M.H., D.P.H. (Visitor) The water supply in South African mines is not as good as most mining engineers would like to believe, nor is sufficient care taken to ensure the safe dispensing, transportation, and consumption of water. As long as cases of dysentery and typhoid continue to occur in large numbers, it can be assumed only that the water supplies are not safe, or that the water-dispensing methods are poor. A dual water supply is a real health hazard. The ideal water supply is a single safe source for human consumption and industrial use.

Jan 4, 1977

By P Kirsch, P Jagals, D Viswanathan, J Shandro, R LaBouchardiere

The planning, design and operation of mines must include the development of positive environmental, community and land-use benefits if it is to achieve good corporate social responsibility and minimise detrimental impacts throughout the life of the mine. Life-of-mine (LOM) planning should, therefore, consider conducting mining activities in the best socially, environmentally and economically acceptable manner, from the commencement of exploration to post-closure of the mine. Current knowledge of LOM activities in relation to public health (life-of-community, or LOC) impacts neither fully captures the full suite of human health and well-being impacts, nor comprehensively informs society on these issues. This knowledge gap is becoming more apparent as public antipathy is increasing towards mining activities within Australia, Canada and globally. The purpose of this paper is to present preliminary and informative results of a literature review to gain insight into the extent of available public health and well-being knowledge associated with mining development. LOM development must also benefit the LOC, in that it must aim to minimise detrimental impacts, and maximise beneficial (including health) impacts on all associated communities. Health planning and programing for mitigation of potential adverse health impacts of mining should extend beyond the scope of work-related injury and illness (resulting from chronic exposure to harmful substances, infectious and lifestyle illnesses), to the health and well-being of workersÆ families and extended associated communities. By mapping the available but rather scarce literature on LOC areas to recognised LOM stages, this review found shortcomings and imbalances regarding research reporting on mining and its health-related impacts in the worker-to-community continuum.CITATION:Kirsch, P, Viswanathan, D, LaBouchardiere, R, Shandro, J and Jagals, P, 2012. Health impacts extend from the life of a mine to the life of a community - Knowledge gaps, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2012 , pp 161-168 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 10, 2012

By D. S. Lachtman

Government and labor sources have speculated that exposure to diesel exhaust may have adverse health consequences. The purpose of this discussion is to analyze the merits of these statements and place them in perspective to underground mining. It would be ideal to eliminate exposure to all substances until they are proven safe. This is impossible, since nothing can be proven safe. Rather, one must extrapolate by using the best available scientific information to make reasonable judgements and decisions. It makes little sense to ensure that a mine atmosphere maintains a lower concentration of a substance than that allowed for ambient environments. Such regulations are set at more stringent levels than those tolerated in the occupational work place. However, levels of pollutants that are in excess of concentrations tolerated in the work place would not be appropriate in any environment.

Jan 1, 1983

By Steinbrucker G

Improvements in mining by the application of electronics necessitates analy-sis of the objectives and problems. A detailed analysis has shown that increased tunel-ling performance is one of the most important objectives. In mining, the environmental conditions for machines, their handling and servicing are very hard. Therefore a health monitoring system for tunnelling machines in hazardous areas has been developed. This system measures operational parameters, such as-flow, pressure, temperature, etc., de-rives forecasts of possible failures from these values, and assists maintenance person-nel. Important data are transmitted to a surface computer via telephone cables. Health monitoring is based on the cognition that slow deterioration of characteristic parame-ters, e.g. fluid loss, are symptoms of wear. Sudden changes of machine parameters indi-cate sudden destruction. Computer technology is very advanced, but transducer technolo-gy has not,been able to keep pace. Filling the yawning gap in the mining industry is a challenge to technology and requires special techniques. Machine monitoring and automa-tion in underground mining is still in its infancy. A lqt of development and research work is still necessary. The risks are great-The expected benefit due to increased min-ing performance (up to 5 %) justifies the risks in development.

Jan 1, 1985

In spite of a global economy that continues to seesaw and a U.S. Congress that is at odds with the president and themselves, cities around the world are still spending billions on their infrastructure. And that bodes well for the underground construction and tunneling industry and the professionals who work in it. In June, 1,405 of those professionals gathered in San Francisco, CA for the Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conference (RETC). In addition to the first rate technical programming, attendees were able to see first-hand the latest in tunneling technology from 127 exhibitors who occupied 152 booths. Two short courses preceded the conference and two field trips were offered following the conference.

Jan 1, 2011

By Alice Turcot

Knowledge of risks from exposure to hand-arm vibrations is usually presented by clinicians and researchers from a medical and engineering point of view. There is a strong need to develop innovative health promotion programs for exposed workers. Risk perceptions by vibration exposed workers and HAVS (hand-arm vibration syndrome) affected workers are less well known. In 1983, Brubaker demonstrated that 75% of studied fellers thought that whitening of the fingers was part of the job and/or an unrelated nuisance, while only 25% believed it was a disease. 1Grounds also showed that even though there were a very high number of forestry workers with white fingers, none considered quitting because of their condition. 2 It seems that many workers hesitate to declare the illness or believe they are less affected than they really are, perhaps from fear of losing their jobs and livelihood. 3 Risk awareness, on the part of exposed workers and their employers, as well as knowledge and acceptance of available preventive solutions are necessary steps before installing adequate preventive measures, whether organizational, behavioral or environmental. Workers need to understand fully the hazards and risks in order to be able to make informed decisions under uncertain conditions.4 Prerequisites include the following: workers knowledge about the risk, their attitude towards it, which in turn, can be influenced by values, needs and interests. Also, knowledge and attitudes towards safety behaviour, organizational or environmental barriers must be taken into account. Our research focuses on these key elements, which help bridge the gap between health promotion research and practice. Methods A descriptive exploratory study is in progress with workers exposed to hand-arm vibrations. It uses qualitative methods that include focus group discussions with workers exposed to hand-arm vibrations, as well as individual interviews with other key informants (employers, health care professionals). An open-ended questionnaire was developed to collect qualitative data on perceived risks and solutions to prevent or reduce HAVS. Based on an integrated theoretical framework related to known determinants of behavior change, the analysis will focus on the following5: 1) knowledge of health effects, safety, well-being and/or quality of life 2) related beliefs about individual susceptibility and severity of consequences 3) attitude and values related to hand-arm vibration exposure 4) knowledge and attitudes towards exposure reduction, as well as perceptions of barriers and facilitating factors for these measures, in the workplace environment or otherwise.

Jan 6, 2006

By Joe O. Ledbetter

INTRODUCTION Health physics as a profession really got a significant start during the Manhattan Project of World War 11. The Health Physics Society has recently published its 25th anniversary issue of the journal (June 1980). There was concern over radiation exposures during and after uranium production, especially about radium and its daughter products [Jackson 19401 and, as evidenced by the frequency of articles in the literature, there still is. The reason for this concern was expressed by Harley as "Workers engaged in the mining and pro- cessing of radium-bearing materials are exposed to dusts of the parent, to radon, and to the radon daughter products. In- haled radioactive particulates may be retained in the lung or redistributed to other organs of the body. Relatively minute de- posits of radioactive substances, particularly alpha emitters, have been clearly shown to be the etiological factor in a variety of injuries to industrial and re- search workers. " [Harley 1953] Emphasis in measurements has been placed on radium in water and radon in air, since these are the principal mobilized phases; however, it should be kept in mind that radium-containing particles do become suspended in air as aerosols and radon absorbs in liquids. Much of the uranium mining and production is being carried out aboveground. The principal difference between underground and surface (pit or leach) mining of uranium is the reversal in the relative importance of roles for the types of radiation dose. For aboveground the major radiation exposure is external gamma ray, whereas for underground it is internal alpha; for aboveground, the whole body penetrating is of greater importance than the lung alpha dose. AS a result of the politics involved and the law- suits for any and all diseases as being occupationally- caused, today , more than ever before, the successful performance of the activities connected with uranium production--before-, during-, and after-the-fact-- must include the provision of first class radiation protection. Such protection can be achieved by good measurements, thorough risk evaluations, and adequate controls. Meeting the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) philosophy necessarily entails the determination of what is reasonable exposure. The necessary and sufficient elements of radiation safety under the ALARA dictum require a hard look at the dose versus effects data. There are times when the health physicist needs to make decisions of judgement rather than compliance with a well-defined regulation value. In order to facilitate such decisions, the real world must be separated from opinions that are merely artifacts of statistical variation and from the unprovable "what ifs" that are slanted to question the morality of any non-Luddite. UNITS VOCABULARY FOR DOSIMETRY There have been many radiation quantifying and dosimetric units introduced in the past. Fortunately, most of them did not catch on enough to become required knowledge for reading the health physics literature. The unit definitions necessary for our purposes here are the following: -curie (Ci)--unit of radioactivity equal to 3.7 x 10 10 disintegrations per second Webster&apos;s 19711 or the quantity of radionuclide that undergoes 3.7 x 10 nuclear transformations per second. Environmental levels of radioactivity are usually measured in picocuries (10-l2 Ci) per cubic meter for air and in picocuries per liter (pCi/~) for water and sometimes for air. .roentgen (R)--exposure dose of x or gamma rays that gives 1 esu of charge (either sign) to 1 cc of dry air @ STP. The roentgen is equivalent to an energy absorption of 86.7 ergs/g of air [Gloyna and Ledbetter 19691. .rad--radiation absorbed dose of 100 ergs per gram of absorber. The SI unit for absorbed radiation dose is the Gray; 1 Gy = 100 rads. orem--radiation absorbed dose of 1 rad times the quality factor (QF) for that radiation. The QF is 1 for x rays, gamma rays, beta rays, and posi- trons. For heavy ionizing particulate radiation, QF is a function of the amount of energy trans- ferred per unit length of travel, i.e. , the linear energy transfer (LET); the values of QF:LET in keV/um are as follows: 1:<3.5; 1-2:3.5-7; 2-5:7-23; 5-10:23-53; and 10-20:53-175 [Morgan and Turner 19 671 . For radiobiology, relative biological effectiveness (RBE) is recommended for use instead of the quality factor above that is for radiation protection: the RBE is the ratio of the dose of 200 kVp x rays to the dose of radia- tion in question (both in rads) to cause the same

Jan 1, 1980