Assessing health risks in a mining project requires a broad range of specialist skills, applied with the aim of ensuring plans are in place to protect the health of workers, the community and the environment. Achieving outcomes that are cost-effective and meet regulatory requirements involves drawing upon a multi-disciplinary team, ranging from community engagement specialists to environmental impact assessment professionals.
Social health and community engagement is a precursor to the environmental and social impact assessment process. Understanding the baseline or pre-existing social health conditions at the initial stages of a mining project is critical to understanding the potential for community impacts. It is also important for assessing the effectiveness of subsequent management processes implemented.
An effective social health and community engagement strategy can assist a project’s development by:
- Effectively engaging with stakeholders to collect and clarify their questions and concerns.
- Providing accurate and easy to understand information, adapting the scope of studies to assess and address significant concerns.
- Providing input into project design which mitigates social impacts and enhances potential community benefits.
- Reporting to stakeholders on the results of technical studies and demonstrating how concerns relating to potential impacts will be addressed.
Early and effective engagement with external stakeholders is essential to gather community feedback. By addressing issues early in the project design process cost overruns, delays to schedules and negative media attention may be avoided and greater clarity can be provided in discussions with government agencies.
During all stages of the mining life cycle, mine operators need to be aware of factors which could potentially cause health issues to people and the ecological system located in the surrounding region. Contaminants identified during feasibility studies or during preliminary environmental impact assessment may incur a liability or a requirement for additional controls or design considerations.
Early consideration of potential environmental contamination can avoid critical impacts upon mine development plans, including operational phases and post-mine closure.
Health Management Program
Potential risks to the health of employees, the wider community and environment are not always addressed by available standards and guidance, as the substance mixtures and potential exposure scenario and receptors will often be site and location-specific. Understanding the nature of the contaminants, the receiving environment and sensitive receptors, and appropriate sampling and assessment strategies, is key to the development of defensible and practical monitoring and mitigation methods.
Having an effective occupational health management program (HMP) is an important and essential part of any mining operation. Development and implementation of a HMP will assist mine operators and risk managers to apply interventions to prevent occupational health hazards, protect employees and promote an environment supporting the health of employees.
A key feature in the development of a HMP is an understanding of employee behaviours and processes, potential exposures, and assessment and mitigation of such exposures. Experienced and qualified occupational hygienists understand the complexity of exposure assessment and that comprehensive exposure assessment will provide guidance to clinical surveillance programs undertaken by visiting occupational physicians.
“In some instances, alterations to closure requirements for mining activities may require financial commitments embedded within legislation to ensure land contamination is suitably addressed.”
Changes over time in guidelines, new toxicological knowledge and increased stringency of chemical regulation practices are challenges facing any risk manager within the mining community. Demonstrating the quantum of risk (an intangible concept) and mitigation of risk when influencing variables are under a state of change should be left to those qualified in this area.
While the scientific process for risk assessment has only emerged over the past two decades, the complex nature of such assessments requires toxicology and health risk assessment consultants able to facilitate community consultation through appropriate risk communication methods.
Policy Changes
A final element in the risk assessment process is sovereign risk, or continuing change in government policy and regulation. Such changes may be influenced by communities exerting political pressures at the local level or via national or international government harmonisation agreements, including those associated with international financing agencies. The latter are designed to standardise approaches to impact assessments and ensure uniformity in standards to provide the confidence in human health and environmental protection.
In some instances, alterations to closure requirements for mining activities may require financial commitments embedded within legislation to ensure land contamination is suitably addressed. Such environmental bonds have been recently introduced in Western Australia under the Mining Rehabilitation Fund Bill 2012. Mining companies need to be aware of legislative changes and have the ability to ensure obligations are addressed through cost-effective strategies.
By seeking appropriate advice to properly understand and manage human and environmental health impacts, mine operators can achieve the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders.
Len Turczynowicz
GOLDER ASSOCIATES RISK ASSESSMENT AND TOXICOLOGY GROUP
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