Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) Miners and surrounding communities face significant health hazards. Exposure to dust leads to high rates of silicosis, tuberculosis, and other respiratory illnesses. The SOM/NEBOSH ASM literature review by Professor Gavin Hilson, identified that India has 15m people working in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector. The ASM sector focuses on minerals like iron ore, manganese, copper, and material for building.
SOM is starting a new project supporting the occupational health of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM), with a research and training project in Karnataka, India. This is thanks to the continued support from NEBOSH’s social purpose fund.
Due to its informality, there has been a lack of effective governance and data collection. This hinders the development of targeted interventions, policy, and training. The absence of a formal definition for the ASM sector exacerbates these risks, as it prevents the enforcement of safety standards and the provision of social security and healthcare benefits.
This project has a two-fold approach:
- Training Healthcare Professionals: establish a foundational knowledge base by training healthcare professionals in Basic Occupational Health Services, with a specific focus on ASM. Training will enhance the ability of medical officers and health professionals to diagnose and treat health issues prevalent among miners, such as respiratory ailments and toxic substance exposure. This will also serve as a crucial data gathering exercise.
- Data Collection and Research at ASM sites, engaging directly with miners, their families, and communities. This information will fill a significant knowledge gap, providing the evidence needed to develop effective, evidence-based policies and support the formalisation and holistic upliftment of mining communities.
The project will be facilitated through Dr Bobby Joseph and Dr Naveen Ramesh of the St John’s Medical College in Bengaluru. The College’s long and respected reputation, as a leading organisation for medical training and research within India, strengthens the potential impact of the project.
Dr Naveen, said: “St. John’s is excited to continue our relationship with SOM and NEBOSH on this uncharted territory of research in the field of artisanal and small-scale mining. Artisanal and small-scale mining has been an age-old tradition in India which can contribute to sustainable income for the families. But both artisanal and small-scale mining are associated with proven occupational health hazards and the added burden that these mining activities are not lawfully recognised or licensed by government authorities. Most health professionals, including doctors, are not sensitive to the occupational health hazards of mine workers, especially prevention and early detection. We hope that the planned training of health professionals on Basic Occupational Health Services will help bridge the gap between existing knowledge of health professionals and health hazards of mine workers.”
