Occupational health risks in mining dump truck drivers

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Abstract

Introduction. In recent years, the mining dump truck drivers have consistently reported high rates of occupational morbidity.

The aim of the study was a retrospective study of occupational pathology development in the mining dump truck drivers at the apatite open pits in the Kola Peninsula.

Material and methods. A retrospective analysis of occupational pathology was carried out in six hundred forty three truck drivers. Its starting point was the results of a medical examination in 2008, and in 2009–2020, newly detected occupational diseases were studied.

Results. During 12 years, 172 occupational diseases including vibration disease (n=63), radiculopathy (n=54), reflex syndromes (n=36), and sensorineural hearing loss (n=19) were diagnosed for the first time in 105 (16.3%) drivers. The development of occupational pathology in 85 (49.4%) cases was due to the increased severity of work (class 3.1–3.2). In 66 (38.4%) cases, the cause was whole-body vibration (class 3.1–3.2), in 19 (11.0%) cases — noise and in 2 (1.2%) cases — hand-arm vibration (class 3.1). The risk of developing vibration disease and occupational musculoskeletal pathology was increased by vertebral osteochondrosis (RR=1.78; CI 1.21–2.60; p=0.004), deforming osteoarthritis (RR=2.35; CI 1.41–3, 91; p=0.001), arthralgia (RR = 3.12; CI 1.66–5.86; p<0.0001), cervicalgia (RR=3.29; CI 1.48–7.32 ; p = 0.002). Occupational noise exposure (Z57.0) increased the risk of occupational sensorineural hearing loss (RR=2.61; CI 1.31–5.19; p=0.005).

Limitations. The impossibility of completely eliminating the diagnosis of an occupational disease in drivers who left the observation group for permanent residence in other regions of the country.

Conclusion. The occupational health risk for dump truck drivers is determined by the length of service, severity of work, impact of whole-body vibration and noise, concomitant musculoskeletal and ear diseases, which must be taken into account in the prevention of occupational diseases.

Compliance with ethical standards. This work was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The protocol and design of the study were discussed and approved by the local committee of the North-Western Scientific Center for Hygiene and Public Health of Rospotrebnadzor dated 12.05.2021, Protocol No. 35.4. Patient consent. Each participant of the study gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study and publish personal medical information in an impersonal form in the journal "Gigiena i Sanitariya (Hygiene and Sanitation, Russian journal)".

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. 

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship. 

Received: May 17, 2022 / Accepted: August 04, 2022 / Published: September 14, 2022

About the authors

Sergei A. Syurin

Northwest Public Health Research Center

Author for correspondence.
Email: fake@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0275-0553

MD, PhD, DSCi., chief researcher, Department of Arctic public health and life environment, Northwest Public Health Research Center, Saint Petersburg, 191036, Russian Federation.

e-mail: kola.reslab@mail.ru 

Russian Federation

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