Assessing the safety and health practices in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of Ghana: A case of Ntotroso
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), which is quickly surging and largely practised across Sub-Saharan Africa, is a substantial source of income for many people in the areas where it is undertaken. However, despite this recognized potential, ASGM offers several problems to those who indulge...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Challenges |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010022000038 |
| _version_ | 1818743457263386624 |
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| author | Samuel Kofi Mensah Ebenezer Kwadwo Siabi Peter Donkor Napoleon Kurantin |
| author_facet | Samuel Kofi Mensah Ebenezer Kwadwo Siabi Peter Donkor Napoleon Kurantin |
| author_sort | Samuel Kofi Mensah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), which is quickly surging and largely practised across Sub-Saharan Africa, is a substantial source of income for many people in the areas where it is undertaken. However, despite this recognized potential, ASGM offers several problems to those who indulge in it, particularly, the health and safety of miners, given that ASGM is extremely unsafe. The purpose of the research was to look into the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practices in Ghana's ASGM sector, with a focus on ‘Ntotroso’, and uncover the flaws so that important players and regulators are aware. The findings give a comprehensive picture of human health concerns in Ghanaian ASGM communities when taken collectively. The study used a quantitative research technique, with all 110 survey participants being sampled. The study discovered the non-existence of OSH system management, while the predominant cause of accidents emanates from physical, mechanical, chemical, biological, noise, ergonomic, and psychological hazards. This leads to injuries, fatalities, and absence from work. Also, the study detected a poor level of adherence and strategies for enhancing OSH policies in ASGM since there was none to refer to. These findings suggest that there are OSH violations in the ASGM sector in the study area. The study, therefore, suggests increased safety training, increased use of personal protective equipment, and frequent inclusion of drone technology into regulatory compliance monitoring of ASGM are all possible goals for attaining OSH standards. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T02:28:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e5957e71232549ddac52e66742e94662 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2667-0100 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T02:28:43Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Challenges |
| spelling | doaj.art-e5957e71232549ddac52e66742e946622022-12-21T21:23:57ZengElsevierEnvironmental Challenges2667-01002022-01-016100443Assessing the safety and health practices in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of Ghana: A case of NtotrosoSamuel Kofi Mensah0Ebenezer Kwadwo Siabi1Peter Donkor2Napoleon Kurantin3School of Public Service and Governance, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, P. O. Box AH50, Achimota, Accra, Ghana; Corresponding author.Earth Observation Research and Innovation Center (EORIC), University of Energy and Natural Resources, P. O. Box 214, Sunyani, GhanaSchool of Public Service and Governance, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, P. O. Box AH50, Achimota, Accra, GhanaSchool of Public Service and Governance, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, P. O. Box AH50, Achimota, Accra, GhanaArtisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), which is quickly surging and largely practised across Sub-Saharan Africa, is a substantial source of income for many people in the areas where it is undertaken. However, despite this recognized potential, ASGM offers several problems to those who indulge in it, particularly, the health and safety of miners, given that ASGM is extremely unsafe. The purpose of the research was to look into the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practices in Ghana's ASGM sector, with a focus on ‘Ntotroso’, and uncover the flaws so that important players and regulators are aware. The findings give a comprehensive picture of human health concerns in Ghanaian ASGM communities when taken collectively. The study used a quantitative research technique, with all 110 survey participants being sampled. The study discovered the non-existence of OSH system management, while the predominant cause of accidents emanates from physical, mechanical, chemical, biological, noise, ergonomic, and psychological hazards. This leads to injuries, fatalities, and absence from work. Also, the study detected a poor level of adherence and strategies for enhancing OSH policies in ASGM since there was none to refer to. These findings suggest that there are OSH violations in the ASGM sector in the study area. The study, therefore, suggests increased safety training, increased use of personal protective equipment, and frequent inclusion of drone technology into regulatory compliance monitoring of ASGM are all possible goals for attaining OSH standards.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010022000038Health hazardsHealth effectsOccupational injuriesPersonal protective equipmentSafety |
| spellingShingle | Samuel Kofi Mensah Ebenezer Kwadwo Siabi Peter Donkor Napoleon Kurantin Assessing the safety and health practices in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of Ghana: A case of Ntotroso Environmental Challenges Health hazards Health effects Occupational injuries Personal protective equipment Safety |
| title | Assessing the safety and health practices in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of Ghana: A case of Ntotroso |
| title_full | Assessing the safety and health practices in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of Ghana: A case of Ntotroso |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the safety and health practices in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of Ghana: A case of Ntotroso |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the safety and health practices in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of Ghana: A case of Ntotroso |
| title_short | Assessing the safety and health practices in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of Ghana: A case of Ntotroso |
| title_sort | assessing the safety and health practices in the artisanal and small scale gold mining sector of ghana a case of ntotroso |
| topic | Health hazards Health effects Occupational injuries Personal protective equipment Safety |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010022000038 |
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