Canada's first attempt to address scourge of lung disease in mining
Published by MAC on 2017-07-13Source: Miningwatch Canada, Northern Ontario Business
The human toll caused by asbestos mining and use, with consequences for hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of victims through asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other upper respiratory tract diseases, is slowly being recognised across the world.
As indeed is Canada's critical contribution to the scourge (See: Quebec votes to ban asbestos).
But, left in the background, have been the equally devastating potential impacts of diesel fumes, silica dust, and radon gas to causing lung cancer at global mining sites. Not to mention silicosis.
In an attempt to rectify this unhappy situation, the first "Lung Cancer and Prevention in Mining Symposim" was held earlier this week in Sudbury, Ontario.
Now, we may wonder - will this set a precedent for other counries, such as India, South Africa, and many others?
Each New Lung Cancer Case Costs Governments $790,000 A Year – Not To Mention Lives
Miingwatch Canada
12 July 2017
Diesel fumes, silica dust and radon gas—to name three examples of well-known air pollutants in mines— continue to affect thousands of miners across Canada and the world. Too little attention is paid to the health costs and impacts of this reality.
Thanks to the work of organizations such as the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) in Ontario, Canada, we get to know a bit more about this ongoing reality.
Yesterday, at the first “Lung Cancer and Prevention in Mining Symposium” held in Sudbury, Paul Demers from OCRC made a powerful plea for more government and industry action to prevent future cancer cases and save more lives.
While Mr. Demers acknowledged that carcinogenic air pollutants have reduced in mines overtime, he also insisted that more needs to be done. He argued that “each new lung cancer case costs the provincial government around $790,000 a year,” not to mention the loss of lives and the destruction of families.
Although there is not a single solution to this problem, OCRC argues that electrification of mine equipment and more investments in better ventilation and air filtration systems could go a long way to help achieve this goal.
Lung cancer still haunts mining industry
Unique symposium looks specifically at prevalence of disease due to diesel fume and radon exposure and how to curb it
Northern Ontario Business
12 July 2017
Long-term exposure to diesel fumes are a leading cause of lung cancer in miners, that is not a surprise to many working in the industry, multiple studies have proven it.
The challenge now is how to protect miners from further exposure and ultimately replace the decades-old fuel with something safer? Those questions were being presented and discussed at the Lung Cancer and Prevention in Mining Symposium at the Willet Green Miller Centre auditorium on July 11. Hosted by the Occupational Cancer Research Centre and Mirarco Mining Innovation, more than 100 people, representing everyone from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, to mining companies, to researchers and workers' unions and individual miners were on hand to discuss the hazards of exposure to diesel fumes and other hazards like radon and discuss progress, the latest research and possible prevention and elimination.
Hosting this symposium in Sudbury was a natural fit, according to host Vic Pakalnis, president and CEO or Mirarco Mining Innovation and associate vice-president of Laurentian Mining, Innovation and Technology.
“Actually they (Occupational Cancer Research Centre) came to us (Mirarco) and asked if we could host this very unique symposium,” he said in an interview. “It seemed perfect, considering Sudbury is the heart of mining in the province. This is a serious issue and a costly one for the industry. We are framing it in ways that show the impact it has on everything from costs to the government, to human lives being lost.”
The day was a busy one with guest speakers presenting on everything from the costs to past struggles to have research papers published due to corporate and legal pushback. But the main topic was how diesel exposure has caused thousands of lung cancer cases among those working in the mines and the measures companies and the government have taken to lessen exposure. Among the guest speakers was Paul Demers, director of the Occupational Cancer Research Centre, who spoke about impact of exposure to cancer-causing agents in diesel exhaust and radon gas. While exposure has been lessened, lung cancer due to exposure is still a major hazard to miners.
Demers talked about a five-part hierarchy of controls: personal protection, administrative controls, engineering controls,substitution and complete removal of the hazard. Removing the hazard altogether is the ultimate goal, but Demers said that will mean a complete change in how mines are powered and air is filtered. “There was a time when mines were powered by electricity from non-diesel sources, but at the time diesel was considered more economical,” he said. “Now mines are looking at going back to electricity, it's a matter of how will they make it economical. Diesel engines are portable, electrical engines are not as portable or powerful right now.”
To make it more appealing, symposiums like this one show the long-term human costs of diesel exposure. Demers said each new lung cancer case caused by diesel exhaust exposure costs the provincial government around $790,000 a year. Most of those cases, he said, are preventable with the right application of safety measures.
“We've lowered the risks, but they can be lowered more,” he said. “These are human lives that are at stake, but we are framing this in terms of costs to show how it is an economic burden as well to get the attention of the government and companies. If we show how this is a financial burden it gets their attention faster. Many of these cases are not compensated. If we show how much it would cost if they were there will be more prevention.”