Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is often associated with no or compromised attention to health and safety. Although headlines of fatal accidents in Zimbabwe characterise ASGM, little attention is paid to prevention strategies. This study, therefore, explores health and safety risk mi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | research article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI
2022
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5295 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1779905235228033024 |
|---|---|
| author | Josephine Singo Dingani Moyo John Bosco Isunju Stephan Bose-O’Reilly Nadine Steckling-Muschack Jana Becker Antony Mamuse |
| author2 | Centre for International Health, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336 Munich, Germany; Devsol Consulting, Clock Tower, Kampala P.O. Box 73201, Uganda; Exceed Institute of Safety Management and Technology, Kampala P.O. Box 72212, Uganda |
| author_facet | Centre for International Health, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336 Munich, Germany; Devsol Consulting, Clock Tower, Kampala P.O. Box 73201, Uganda; Exceed Institute of Safety Management and Technology, Kampala P.O. Box 72212, Uganda Josephine Singo Dingani Moyo John Bosco Isunju Stephan Bose-O’Reilly Nadine Steckling-Muschack Jana Becker Antony Mamuse |
| author_sort | Josephine Singo |
| collection | DSpace |
| description | Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is often associated with no or compromised
attention to health and safety. Although headlines of fatal accidents in Zimbabwe characterise ASGM,
little attention is paid to prevention strategies. This study, therefore, explores health and safety
risk mitigation in ASGM in Zimbabwe to inform prevention strategies. A qualitative design was
used with focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Data were analysed using thematic
analysis, coding, and descriptive statistics. Reported factors contributing to compromised health and
safety included immediate causes, workplace factors, ASM related factors, and contextual factors,
with interconnectedness between the causal factors. In addition, factors related to ASGM were
significant. For risk mitigation, formalisation, organisation of risk reduction, behaviour change,
and enforcement of prevention strategies is proposed. A multi-causal analysis is recommended for
risk assessment and accident investigation. A multi-stakeholder approach could be considered for
risk mitigation including community and public health interventions. However, risk mitigation
has been characterised by gaps and weaknesses such as lacking ASM policy, lack of capital, poor
enforcement, negative perceptions, and non-compliance. Therefore, we recommend addressing the
threats associated with health and safety mitigation to ensure health and safety protection in ASGM. |
| format | research article |
| id | ir-11408-5295 |
| institution | My University |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | MDPI |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ir-11408-52952022-12-16T09:55:39Z Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe Josephine Singo Dingani Moyo John Bosco Isunju Stephan Bose-O’Reilly Nadine Steckling-Muschack Jana Becker Antony Mamuse Centre for International Health, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336 Munich, Germany; Devsol Consulting, Clock Tower, Kampala P.O. Box 73201, Uganda; Exceed Institute of Safety Management and Technology, Kampala P.O. Box 72212, Uganda School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa; Faculty of Medicine, National University of Science and Technology, Ascot, Bulawayo P.O. Box AC 939, Zimbabwe; Faculty of Medicine, Midlands State University, Disease Control and Environmental Health Department, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7072, Uganda Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336 Munich, Germany; Department of Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment, UMIT-University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Eduard-Wallnoefer-Zentrum 1, 6060 Hall in Tirol, Austria Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336 Munich, Germany; Department of Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment, UMIT-University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Eduard-Wallnoefer-Zentrum 1, 6060 Hall in Tirol, Austria; Klinikum Osnabrueck GmbH, Am Finkenhuegel 1, 49076 Osnabrueck, Germany Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336 Munich, Germany; German Professional Association of Private Practitioners in Hematology and Medical Oncology, Sachsenring 57, 50677 Cologne, Germany Department of Geosciences, Midlands State University, Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) Zimbabwe Multi-causal analysis; Health Safety Multi-stakeholder risk mitigation Large-scale and small-scale mining collaboration Community and public health interventions Mitigation measures Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is often associated with no or compromised attention to health and safety. Although headlines of fatal accidents in Zimbabwe characterise ASGM, little attention is paid to prevention strategies. This study, therefore, explores health and safety risk mitigation in ASGM in Zimbabwe to inform prevention strategies. A qualitative design was used with focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, coding, and descriptive statistics. Reported factors contributing to compromised health and safety included immediate causes, workplace factors, ASM related factors, and contextual factors, with interconnectedness between the causal factors. In addition, factors related to ASGM were significant. For risk mitigation, formalisation, organisation of risk reduction, behaviour change, and enforcement of prevention strategies is proposed. A multi-causal analysis is recommended for risk assessment and accident investigation. A multi-stakeholder approach could be considered for risk mitigation including community and public health interventions. However, risk mitigation has been characterised by gaps and weaknesses such as lacking ASM policy, lack of capital, poor enforcement, negative perceptions, and non-compliance. Therefore, we recommend addressing the threats associated with health and safety mitigation to ensure health and safety protection in ASGM. 19 21 1 24 2022-12-16T09:55:38Z 2022-12-16T09:55:38Z 2022-11-02 research article https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5295 . https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114352 en International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 1660-4601 open MDPI |
| spellingShingle | Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) Zimbabwe Multi-causal analysis; Health Safety Multi-stakeholder risk mitigation Large-scale and small-scale mining collaboration Community and public health interventions Mitigation measures Josephine Singo Dingani Moyo John Bosco Isunju Stephan Bose-O’Reilly Nadine Steckling-Muschack Jana Becker Antony Mamuse Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe |
| title | Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe |
| title_full | Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe |
| title_short | Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | health and safety risk mitigation among artisanal and small-scale gold miners in zimbabwe |
| topic | Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) Zimbabwe Multi-causal analysis; Health Safety Multi-stakeholder risk mitigation Large-scale and small-scale mining collaboration Community and public health interventions Mitigation measures |
| url | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5295 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT josephinesingo healthandsafetyriskmitigationamongartisanalandsmallscalegoldminersinzimbabwe AT dinganimoyo healthandsafetyriskmitigationamongartisanalandsmallscalegoldminersinzimbabwe AT johnboscoisunju healthandsafetyriskmitigationamongartisanalandsmallscalegoldminersinzimbabwe AT stephanboseoreilly healthandsafetyriskmitigationamongartisanalandsmallscalegoldminersinzimbabwe AT nadinestecklingmuschack healthandsafetyriskmitigationamongartisanalandsmallscalegoldminersinzimbabwe AT janabecker healthandsafetyriskmitigationamongartisanalandsmallscalegoldminersinzimbabwe AT antonymamuse healthandsafetyriskmitigationamongartisanalandsmallscalegoldminersinzimbabwe |