Question 1 (25 marks)
Ergonomics in the South African mining industry
Even though local and international statistics indicate that ergonomic factors underlie many occupational accidents and work-related diseases, ergonomics is not an integral part of management procedures to ensure health, safety and productivity in the South African mining industry, although basic ergonomics is applied to a limited extent. Due to the uniqueness of the work in mines, generic solutions do not fully address ergonomics-related risks at all mines. The application of sound ergonomic principles in the South African mining industry can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency with which human tasks are carried out and eliminate significant occupational health and safety risks. Although understanding of the contribution of ergonomics to mining in the South African mining industry still appears to be poor, ergonomics as a practice is evolving and will in future be more integrated into overall work management systems. The costs of implementing an ergonomics strategy should be regarded as an investment with long-term benefits. There are also benefits that cannot be expressed in monetary terms, such as improved human health, safety, comfort and wellbeing, which are the main aims of implementing ergonomics in the local mining
industry.
Source: https://www.saimm.co.za/Journal/v105n06p369.pdf
Write an essay using in-text citing covering the points in the table below. You must use your own words.
| Heading | Description | Marks |
| 1. Title | 1 | |
| 2.Introduction | Define ergonomics and its importance in the mining sector.
IMPORTANT: Use the definition obtained from generative AI (ChatGPT). You must acknowledge the AI system used – refer to your STADIO referencing guide. |
4 |
| 3.Main discussion with headings and subheadings | Choose any one of the points applicable to a successful ergonomics programme and explain why it is important. Give a practical work example.
Discuss any five upper extremity risk factors for cumulative trauma disease (CTD).
Explain the benefits of ergonomics in the mining sector in South Africa.
Give relevant workplace examples to substantiate your arguments for each discussion point. |
5
10
2 |
| 4.Recommendation | Provide one recommendation obtained from your
discussion. Do not include any new information. |
1 |
| 5.Conclusion | Summarise what you have discussed. | 2 |
Question 2 (25 marks)
“Occupational health and safety needs a comprehensive and uniform law to help reduce the incidence of work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths” (Goetsch, 2015).
What is the aim of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 as amended?
(5)
Critically examine the role of contributory negligence in fostering unsafe work conditions. Provide a detailed analysis of the correlation between contributory negligence and workplace safety and formulate a comprehensive prevention strategy to mitigate the risks of contributory negligence in the work environment. Use real- world examples to support your arguments. (4)
Draft an Emergency Action Plan and write brief notes on one criterion for each component. (16)
NOTE: Use AI in coordination with your learning material. Do not copy and paste from any AI source. You must acknowledge the AI and other source/s used in the text and in a List of References at the end of your assignment.
Question 3 (25 marks)
Read the case study below and answer the questions that follow.
How mine dams collapsed
Early on Sunday morning 12 September 2022, a slimes dam in Jagersfontein in the Free State burst its walls, leaving one person dead and four missing. According to the presidency, 23 other residents were being treated for hypothermia and another four for broken legs. Tailing storage facilities (TSFs) are structures designed to contain tailings and manage associated water. The storage facilities are among the largest dams in the world and are permanent. The tailings are pumped as a slurry to the storage facility and settle to form the TSF. A catastrophic release of a large amount of tailings could lead to long-term environmental damage with huge cleanup costs. To manage mining facilities responsibly, the TSF owner must understand the physical and chemical risks involved and implement controls to reduce risks relating to potential health, safety, environmental, societal, business and economic impacts in line with regulations. If poorly designed, constructed or managed, TSFs are a significant risk to local communities and ecosystems, especially in downstream environments.
Adapted from https://mg.co.za/the-green-guardian/2022-09-12-free-state-dam-collapse-premier-awaiting-
preliminary-report/
In a detailed paragraph, discuss the functions of the environmental management plan.
(10)
Write a comprehensive checklist of criteria based on ISO 14001 standards for conducting an internal environmental audit. Provide brief notes for each one, outlining its significance and how it contributes to a successful audit. (15)
ASSIGNMENT TOTAL: 75 MARKS
Answers to Above Questions on Ergonomics
Answer 1:
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