Occupational health and safety in mining: Predictive probabilities of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use among artisanal goldminers in Ghana

Artificial Intelligence and Occupational Health and Safety, Benefits and Drawbacks

This paper discusses the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on occupational health and safety. Although the integration of AI into the field of occupational health and safety is still in its early stages, it has numerous applications in the workplace. Some of these applications offer numerous benefits for the health and safety of workers, such as continuous monitoring of workers' health and safety and the workplace environment through wearable devices and sensors. However, AI might have negative impacts in the workplace, such as ethical worries and data privacy concerns. To maximize the benefits and minimize the drawbacks of AI in the workplace, certain measures should be applied, such as training for both employers and employees and setting policies and guidelines regulating the integration of AI in the workplace.

Prevalence and associations between occupational diseases, emotional exhaustion, and dust mask anxiety among coal miners in Northern China

This study examined the prevalence and associations between occupational-related diseases, emotional exhaustion, and dust mask anxiety among coal miners in Northern China. The study sampled 506 miners from two coal mines in Northern China. Descriptive (frequency, percentages, and chi-square tests) and inferential (complementary log-log logistic regression) analyses were carried out to assess prevalence and associations. The prevalence of coal mining-related pulmonary diseases was 94%, with 40% and 37% reporting pneumoconiosis and bronchitis respectively. Emphysema and tuberculosis were less prevalent with a total prevalence of 5% while 12% of the miners reported two, three, or four of these diseases. For cardiovascular diseases, 66% of the miners reported 3H (hypertension, hyperlipemia, and hyperglycemia) while heart disease and cerebral infarction were reported by 6% and 2% of the miners respectively. Also, 5% and 2% of the miners reported two or all three of 3H, heart condition, and cerebral infarction. The overall prevalence of cardiovascular diseases was 81% while 82% and 63% of the miners reported experiencing some frequency of emotional exhaustion and dust mask anxiety respectively. The study also identified associations between mining-related diseases, emotional exhaustion, dust mask anxiety, and other demographic, personal habits and work-related factors. Miners with pulmonary diseases were more likely to experience emotional exhaustion and dust mask anxiety. Contrariwise, miners with cardiovascular diseases were less likely to experience dust mask anxiety. Factors such as age, engaging in physical exercises, rhinitis, source of pressure and shift system were also associated with emotional exhaustion and dust mask anxiety. These findings highlight the prevalence of occupational diseases, emotional exhaustion, and dust mask anxiety among coal miners in China. The study emphasizes the need for interventions to address health risks, improve work conditions, and support miners' well-being in the coal mining industry.