Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29 of 1996)

Guideline for a Mandatory Code of Practice

Occupational Health Programme on Thermal Stress

Part A. The Guideline

4. Definitions and Acronyms
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4.1Abnormally hot environment means any environment where DB ≥ 37.0°C, GT  ≥ 37.0°C and/or WB ≥ 32.5°C, and WBGT index ≥ 34.

 

4.2Abnormally cold environment means any environment where WCET ≤ -30.0°C.

 

4.3ACGIH means American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.

 

4.4BEi means Biological Exposure Index.

 

4.5BMI means body mass index.

 

4.6CIOM means Chief Inspector of Mines.

 

4.7Cold environment means any environment where WCET ≤ 5.0°C but > -30.0°C.

 

4.8COP means Code of Practice.

 

4.9CSIR means Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

 

4.10CSM means cold stress management.

 

4.11DMRE means the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

 

4.12DB means dry-bulb temperature.

 

4.134DI means discomfort index.

 

4.14ECT means equivalent chill temperature.

 

4.15EHSI means Emergency Heat Stress Index.

 

4.16GT means globe temperature (radiant heat).

 

4.17Hot environment means any environment where DB ≥ 32.5°C - < 37.0°C, GT ≥ 32.5°C - < 37.0°C and WB range of ≥ 27.5°C - < 32.5°C and/or the time weighted average WBGT index, determined over a period of one hour, ≥ 30 - < 34 in the environment in which an employee works.

 

4.18HSM means heat stress management.

 

4.19HTS means heat tolerance screening.

 

4.20HTT means heat tolerance test.

 

4.21MHSA means the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act 29 of 1996) as amended.

 

4.22MHSC means Mine Health and Safety Council.

 

4.23MOHAC means Mining Occupational Health Advisory Committee.

 

4.24OEL means occupational exposure limit.

 

4.25OEL for thermal stress means WB (°C) 32.5°C, DB (°C) 37°C, mean radiant temperature (°C) 37°C, and WCET (°C) 4°C.

 

4.26OMP means Occupational Medical Practitioner.

 

4.27Percentile means the value  of  a variable  below which  a  certain  percent  of observations falls.

 

4.28PPE means personal protective equipment.

 

4.29Radiant heat means the electromagnetic transfer of heat energy without direct contact.

 

4.30SIMRAC means Safety in Mines Research Advisory Committee.

 

4.31Thermal environment means occupational exposure to hot and cold environments.

 

4.32TLV means Threshold limit value.

 

4.33WB means wet-bulb temperature.

 

4.34WBGT means wet-bulb globe temperature.

 

4.35WBGT index means a standard that offers a useful, first-order index of the environmental contribution to heat stress influenced by air temperature, radiant heat and humidity.

 

4.36WCET means wind chill equivalent temperature.