International Union for Circumpolar Health Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of RF Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Medical Polar Fund “Science” The Northern Forum

Abstracts

Occupational health

Background: Mining is an historically very dangerous occupation. From 1911 through 1915, 16,646 deaths (3,330/year) occurred in US mining operations. Since then, tremendous efforts, including legislation, technological developments, and systematic approaches by government, industry, labor and other organizations have been made.

Problem: How safe is mining now in the US, in absolute and relative terms?

Objectives: review US surveillance trends and interpret.

Method: mortality number and rate data gathered by US MS&HA were analyzed for trend. Mining was compared to other industries using publicly-available data from the US Census for Fatal Injuries.

Results: A robust downward trend in US mining fatalities was observed, with the steepest decrement in fatalities observed prior to 1960, and the steepest inflection of mortality rates following the introduction of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act of 1969 and the Federal Mine Safety Act of 1977. By 2000-2004, the mean annual number of fatalities had fallen to below 65, a 50-fold decrease from early in the prior century. However, for 2004, the mining sector is still among the most hazardous of US industries, at 28 .3 deaths/100,000 workers/yr., ~7-fold the US all-industry rate of 4.1/100K/yr. Time permitting, special attention will be given in this presentation to the uniquely northern hazards faced in Alaskan mining operations.

Conclusions: the US mining industry has made tremendous safety progress, but continues to need attention to further normalize miner's risk, at least toward that to suffered by the general workforce. Recent sharp increases in mineral and energy prices may exacerbate remaining hazards.

This paper invites comparison to other circumpolar nations.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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Last update: 06-Jul-2012 (11:52:05)