In the stope
What do workers and
supervisors/managers have
to do to ensure that they
stay healthy and productive
underground, at all times?
Wellness is about preventing
disease. Practically, this means
eating a balanced diet, exercising
regularly, and achieving work-life
balance. The next step is to have
regular health screening for
common diseases such as HIV, as
well as diseases of lifestyle such
as hypertension, diabetes, and
cancers. Any stress needs to be
managed through counselling.
Fatigue is the state of physical and
mental impairment that results in
lower alertness and performance.
Fatigue (either physical, mental
or both) is a symptom of
overexertion. Employees often
describe a state of fatigue as
feeling lethargic, exhausted, and
tired. Fatigue is multidimensional
but is often associated with an
individual’s circadian rhythm. A person
will find him/herself in a fatigue zone
when the cycle is at the lower end of
the spectrum.
These are some of the interventions
for fatigue management from the
University of Western Australia:
• Hours of work: There should be
sufficient cover for staff on annual or
sick leave. If overtime is necessary, plan
for it so employees can schedule their
activities around it. Limit overtime to
ensure staff are getting sufficient breaks
in-between shifts. Limit overtime for
staff working long shifts in accordance
How does fatigue manifest
and what is the best way to
manage fatigue?
Dr Thuthula Balfour, head: Health
Department at the Chamber of Mines.
with your own organisational policy
(which should be based on a risk
assessment of your workplace).
• Shift work: Ensure the roster
provides for a continuous seven to
eight hours of sleep in each 24 hours,
and at least 50 hours of sleep for every
seven days. If on a rotating three-shift
roster system, use forward rotation
(day/afternoon/night), which is
tolerated better by most workers.
• Sleep debt: Limit the number of
consecutive night shifts to four. End
night shifts by 8:00. There should
be a minimum of 12 hours between
consecutive shifts. The roster should
allow for at least two full nights of
sleep after the last night’s shift. Allow
short naps of up to 15–20 minutes
during the shift if it fits in with the
type of work that is being done.
Which warning signs are
identifiable by fellow workers
and managers that workers are
either overworked or that their
mental health is deteriorating?
Often, fatigue in employees can be
identified when absenteeism increases
and when employees demonstrate a lack
of attention in performing their daily
tasks, which can lead to mistakes. b
JUNE 2018 MINING MIRROR
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