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

Guideline for a Mandatory Code of Practice

Occupational Health Programme (Occupational Hygiene and Medical Surveillance) for Noise

Part A. The Guideline

1. Foreword
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1.1The commission of inquiry into safety and health in the mining industry chaired by Honourable Justice R. N. Leon identified occupational health as one of the four major issues affecting occupational health and safety in the South African mining industry.

 

1.2In an attempt to address this issue a tripartite sub-committee was established under the auspices of the MOHAC. The MOHAC found it necessary that in order to address this issue a guideline for a mandatory COP for an occupational health programme for noise be drafted.

 

1.3Significant risks to health exist in mining. In order to protect, monitor and promote employees' health status, an occupational health programme is required where exposure to such significant risks occur. The MOHAC considered it appropriate to prepare guidelines covering both occupational hygiene and medical surveillance to ensure compliance and uniform standards.

 

1.4Where the employer's risk assessment indicates a need to establish and maintain a system of occupational hygiene measurements, or where such system is required by regulation, the employer must prepare and implement a COP based on this guideline.

 

1.5This DMRE guideline will assist employers with the establishment of an occupational hearing conservation programme, but does not stipulate specific requirements for specific circumstances. It sets out a basic system for managing risk to health. The first component of any management system is finding out what the situation is, the second is deciding what to do about it, and the third is to implement appropriate controls.

 

1.6This guideline replaces the earlier guideline for the compilation of a mandatory COP for an occupational health programme for noise with reference number DMR 16/3/2/4- A3 published by the DMRE in 2003.

 

1.7This guideline should be read in conjunction with SANS 10083, instruction 171 and the guideline for the compilation of a mandatory COP on minimum standards of fitness to perform work at a mine (reference number DMR 16/3/2/3-A3) and the guidance note for the implementation of STS in medical surveillance of NIHL (reference number DMR 16/3/2/3-88).