Mining webinar focuses on occupational disease in mining industry

September 19, 2022

Ontario inspectors conducting inspection blitz Oct. 30 to Dec. 30

On Thursday, Oct. 13, Workplace Safety North (WSN) hosts a joint webinar with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), titled “Healthy workers in health workplaces initiative – occupational disease.”

“While working in a closed underground environment, miners can be exposed to airborne hazards such as diesel emissions and silica, putting them at higher risk of developing occupational illness,” says Keith Birnie, WSN Industrial Hygiene and Ventilation Specialist, and one of the speakers at the online seminar.

“During 2019 consultations, the mining industry indicated a need to raise awareness of procedures current with workplace hazardous materials information system requirements, and the Mine Safety Review ranked respiratory exposure hazards as one of the top five hazards,” he notes.


	Keith Birnie, WSN Industrial Hygiene and Ventilation Specialist is a co-presenter at a joint webinar with the Ministry to discuss how to prepare for the Ontario mining inspection initiative on occupational disease.

Between 2008 and 2017, long-latency illnesses – illnesses in which there is a long delay between exposure to a disease-causing agent and the appearance of disease symptoms – accounted for the largest proportion of allowed Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefit costs.

Seventy percent (70%) of allowed long-latency illness claims over the past 10 years come from: lung cancer, pleural plaques, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which are all associated with respiratory exposures. Working in a closed underground environment, miners can be exposed to airborne hazards such as diesel emissions and silica, putting them at higher risk of developing occupational illness.

From Oct. 31 to Dec. 30, 2022, Ministry inspectors will be conducting a provincial inspection blitz on hazards associated with air quality and workplace hazardous materials in underground mines.

Presenters Keith Birnie, WSN Industrial Hygiene and Ventilation Specialist will speak about prevention, and Scott Secord, MLITSD Provincial Mining Specialist, will discuss what to expect for the inspection blitz.

In the webinar, participants will learn about issues related to occupational diseases in the mining sector, including requirements for air quality in mines and mining plants, pits, and quarries with regards to exposures to dust, silica, diesel particulate matter (DPM), radon, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) for chemicals and re-agents at mining workplaces.

Inspectors focus on hazards that can cause occupational disease

Between October 31 and December 30, 2022, inspectors will check mining workplaces to ensure employers:

Follow requirements for air quality in mines and mining plants, pits, quarries for exposures to dust, silica, diesel emissions in underground mines, chemicals, and re-agents at workplaces
Dilute or remove contaminants to prevent worker exposure that is above legal limits
Test for diesel emissions and diesel particulate matter (see the guidelines on testing undiluted exhaust in underground mines and sampling for diesel particulate matter in mines)
Complete occupational exposure monitoring in areas of known or expected exposures
Have assessments and control programs in place for designated substances (for example, silica) and dust
Follow WHMIS including proper labelling and worker education is completed
Communicate Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals components

Participants are encouraged to ask questions in the webinar using the Q&A box or to pre-submit a question upon registering. Questions and answers will be reviewed at the end of the presentation.

To learn more, visit workplacesafetynorth.ca/events.

Training course on Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)– in-person

Ontario mining industry risk assessments and root cause analyses

Ministry resources and compliance assistance