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We are committed to the prevention of occupational disease in all its forms at our operations. Our focus is on reducing exposure at source and, where possible, re-engineering processes or equipment to eliminate exposure to risk. Occupational health is part of overall employee wellness and we will be intensifying our efforts in the areas of general health and wellbeing.
Dust is a key risk factor for many workers, including those unloading phosphate ore in Brazil.
In 2002, we issued the Anglo American Occupational Health Guidelines, which are aimed at promoting best practice in occupational health throughout the Group. In 2007, the occupational health programme will be strengthened through
the publication and implementation of the Anglo Health Way, a framework similar to that developed for safety. This framework will further define our policy, clearly define roles and responsibilities and will include a process of regular peer-review audits throughout the Group.
The key risk areas are exposure to noise, dust and vibration and these continue to receive attention.
The numbers of cases of occupational disease reported during the year are shown in the table and rates are calculated on the same basis as the LTIFR for ease of comparison. This is in contrast to previous years, where rates were reported per 1,000 workers exposed. Cases are reported on the award of compensation. Efforts to reduce exposure to noise in the workplace have continued through a variety of programmes involving the use of new technology, mufflers and personal protective equipment for the residual risk from noise. Monitoring and medical surveillance of potentially exposed employees assist in ensuring vigilance over behavioural aspects. In a similar vein, Tarmac has continued its programme to replace hand-held impact breakers with machinery that separates the operator from the vibration.
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| Condition |
Cases reported and (rate*) |
| |
2006 |
2005 |
| Noise-induced hearing loss |
695 (1.06) |
629 (1.42) |
| Pneumoconiosis |
67 (1.01) |
247 (5.25) |
| Occupational tuberculosis |
28 (0.49) |
23 (0.91) |
| COAD |
5† |
28† |
| Occupational asthma |
12 (0.25) |
20 (0.81) |
| Musculoskeletal disorders |
32 (1.80) |
41 (0.7) |
| Hand-arm vibration syndrome |
0 |
15 (1.29) |
| Other |
17 |
0 |
| Total |
856 |
1,003 |
Total occupational illness
incidence rate |
0.66 § |
0.78 § |
* per 200,000 hours (100 man-years of exposure)
† rates are not calculated for chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD) as there is no specific risk group
§ total new cases over total employees |
| Click here for a more detailed look at the data tables |
Drug-resistant tuberculosis has emerged as a potential risk in the South African mining operations and, while this is not specifically an occupational disease, it does have a potentially severe impact in a situation where tuberculosis is common for other reasons. Best-practice precautions have been implemented at all mine hospitals and surveillance is in place for the condition.
The threat of pandemic influenza has become a concern over the past 12 months, largely brought about by the increased number of human cases of H5N1 avian influenza reported internationally. The H5N1 strain does not readily infect humans but the possibility of it mutating to a form which can be transmitted between humans is of real concern.
Anglo American recognised this risk and has developed a policy and strategy to deal with an epidemic should it occur. It addresses business continuity issues, the threat to all employees and the means to help prevent the spread of infection.
No fines were paid for
health-related claims during 2006. Compensation of $4,8 million was paid to 714 individuals. Compensation is paid according to the legal requirements of the countries in which we operate. Legal proceedings were initiated with regard to silicosis. See Governance and transparency.
With the production of cast locomotive frames being increased at Scaw Metals in South Africa, the decision was made to erect a separate automated paint booth facility. The extraction facilities installed will significantly reduce exposure to paint fumes.
At Proacer in Santiago, Chile, part of the Scaw Metals group, large amounts of scrap metal, high in manganese content, are cut into smaller, manageable pieces to facilitate scrap charging in the furnace. Some of the original pieces are large and require gas cutting.
The manganese steel scrap is placed on a bogie which is then moved to the fixed extraction unit which removes the fumes. This has considerably reduced fume exposure for scrap cutters.
Anglo Coal’s Kriel colliery
has implemented a project to reduce noise levels in a production section by silencing machinery and equipment. Work on the dust scrubber has been completed and a 10 dB(A)
reduction was achieved. Further work is continuing on vehicles, fans, conveyor belts and continuous miners (underground machines which cut into the coal seam). A baseline survey is conducted and changes are implemented on a single component at a time to determine the effects of
the changes.
Anglo Coal has set a target to have no person exposed to dust levels above 2.0 mg/m3, the international norm, by the year end. Positive progress has been recorded, with no employees in opencast operations exposed above the target in 2006. In underground operations, the figure is still too high at 14%. Risk mitigation includes the use of personal protective equipment and the withdrawal of personnel from risk areas.
Anglo Coal has commissioned the development of ventilation fans which achieve energy efficiencies of between 47% and 70%, operate at lower revolutions per minute and reduce maintenance requirements. In addition, the new fans reduce the underground noise from ventilation fans which frequently exceed the critical threshold of 85 dB(A).
A high prevalence of diabetes has been identified among otherwise healthy employees at Tarmac’s operations in the United Arab Emirates and
Oman after an occupational health screening – understood to be the first of its kind in the Middle East outside the petrochemicals industry.
Tarmac is developing an educational programme to advise employees on diet and how they can minimise their risk of contracting diabetes.
In the United Arab Emirates and Oman, Tarmac operates eight asphalt plants, two quarries and 14 contracting gangs, employing more than 800 employees. The operations are spread over a wide geographic area where traditionally there has been a lack of knowledge and insufficient medical infrastructure to provide effective occupational
health screening.
This proved a challenge when Tarmac was implementing its comprehensive Occupational Health Strategy (OHS) in 2006. The company put a lot of effort into finding the right service providers who could meet our long-term needs.
It has established a partnership approach with them, providing guidance and examples on how to implement and administer occupational health schemes.
Not all the providers had
the relevant equipment to implement the scheme, so Tarmac has assisted in the purchase of audiometers (used to assess hearing) and spirometers (used to measure lung function) at two of the service provider sites. These facilities are now benefiting local people as well as Tarmac employees.
Baseline data for occupational health were completed across our operations in Oman and the United Arab Emirates in 2006.
See HIV and AIDS
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