Mining in focus
In underground mining, where
employees are involved in
high-risk activities daily, fatigue
can be a pressing issue, writes
Robyn Grimsley.
It is important that managers and supervisors (and
the staff themselves) are able to identify symptoms
of fatigue – and know what to do about it.
F
atigue can stem from a variety of factors,
including medical and psychological
conditions, as well as causes relating
to a person’s workplace or lifestyle. Fatigue
is a critical safety issue affecting many South
African mines, with a number of high-profile
accidents pointing to fatigue as either a causal
or a contributory factor (Theron, 2015). Studies
have shown that being awake for 17 hours can
have the same effect on a person in terms of
cognitive impairment as having a blood alcohol
level of 0.05 BAC, and being awake for 20
hours is the equivalent of 0.1 BAC. And the
article ‘Fatigue knowledge — a new lever in
safety management’, lists “impaired hand-to-eye
coordination or blurry vision; appetite loss or
reduced immune system function; short-term
memory problems, poor concentration or
hallucinations; reduced ability to pay attention
to the situation at hand; low motivation” as
possible symptoms of fatigue.
The South African mining industry has been
paying increasing attention to the importance
of fatigue management to prevent accidents and
injuries, and on 19 December 2014, the chief
inspector of mines gazetted a guideline for the
compilation of a mandatory code of practice
(COP) for risk-based fatigue management at
mines.
The guideline defines fatigue as more than a
simple feeling of tiredness or drowsiness, saying
“it is caused by prolonged periods of physical
and/or mental exertion without enough time to
rest and recover”, and goes on to list potential
side effects, including “decreased performance
and productivity, and increased potential for
injuries to occur”. According to the guideline,
the responsibility of fatigue management must
be shared between employer and employee,
because “it involves factors that occur both in
and outside of the workplace”.
While those factors that occur outside might be
outside the employer’s control, it is still possible for
the employer to provide information, education,
and support to assist the employees in addressing
medical and lifestyle-related issues that may affect
levels of fatigue and thus fitness to work.
JUNE 2018 MINING MIRROR
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