Study of the Health Effects of Coal Mining on Coal Mine Workers of Baluchistan

Salahuddin Din Azad, Maqsood Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Ishaque Ghaznavi and Shereen Khan

International Journal of Asian Social Science, 2013, vol. 3, issue 7, 1572-1590

Abstract: The average emission and prevalence of Methane (CH4), Carbon monoxide (CO), and Oxygen (O2)measured as 11.8m3/ton, 36ppm and 14% respectively which exceeds the permissible limits of 1-10m3/ton, 30ppm and 18 %( Standardized by National institute of occupational safety and health (NIOSH U.S.A)and are the sources of higher death ratio. The higher concentration of coal dust (Carbon and Quartz) have been measured as 4-5mg/m3 and 0.35mg/m3 against the threshold limits (Recommended by NIOSH) of 2mg/m3 and 0.05-0.1 mg/m3 for 8hours daily and 40hours/week. Due to high concentration of coal dust the coal workers of Baluchistan are experiencing the diseases like Routine headache, irritation in throat ,nose, and eyes drowsiness, shortness of breath, Nausea,pneumoconiosis, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive bronchitis, heart problems, Impacts on genetic integrity of workers i.e. reproductive and fertility problems, respiratory irritation, asthmatic and even lung impairment and lung cancer problem. The coal water and slurry being the residual of coal mining are disposed off in an unconfined area which becomes the source of water contamination which is used by coal workers and has several health impactslike Ulcer, Diarrhea, cholera, Hepatitis B and C etcon coal workers of Baluchistan.

Keywords: Environmental protection agency (Department of labor); Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Threshold limit values (TLVS); Coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP); Pulmonary function test (PFT); Permissible exposure limit(PEL); Car boxy hemoglobin(COHB); Tuberculosis(T.B); National institute of occupational safety and health(NIOSH); Occupational safety and health administration(OSHA); Mine safety and health Administrative(MSHA) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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