Mining is considered a physically demanding and hazardous activity for its workers. More than a hundred years ago, it had high mortality and occupational injuries due to insufficient development of technologies and methods for ensuring operations security. However, numerous innovations and regulations have been introduced over the past 100 years to provide a safer mining paradigm. It should be an ongoing process, as the activity is still harmful, and workers need the protection offered by trade unions and the health sector.
Advances in mining safety are fundamental, as the number of fatal incidents has dropped significantly. More than half of the top ten improvements in work safety are measures to reduce injury and death in mines (“Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999”, 1999). Besides, significant achievements are creating the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) and other specialized organizations that analyze the working environment of miners and identify potential risks and threats. On the other hand, workers report the need to enhance their qualifications to identify operational problems in time (Eiter et al., 2016). Thus, the mining industry’s public health achievements determine a significant reduction in mortality and the installation of new technologies to minimize the risks of explosions or industrial injuries.
Future health directives should focus on detailing knowledge of the profession and implementing appropriate risk reduction strategies. Besides, my place of work must conform to the Christian vision of caring. It was noted that it covers meeting the needs of representatives of any religion and opening up opportunities for development and personal growth (Levin, 2016). Thus, future organizational paradigms for public health should, in any case, address the specific needs of employees to ensure their moral and physical well-being.
The mining industry is associated with a risk to life, as a historical retrospective demonstrates the mortal danger to workers. However, it has been minimized over the past hundred years by the efforts of professional organizations that have integrated innovative equipment and safety practices. Future directives in this direction are detailing knowledge about the profession and adapting preventive measures to specialists’ needs. Moreover, a similar approach should be adopted in my place of work, taking into account the team’s religious preferences.
References
Achievements in public health: Improvements in workplace safety — United States, 1900-1999. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.
Eiter, B., Kosmoski, C., & Connor, B. (2016). Defining hazard from the mine worker’s perspective. Mining Engineering, 68(11), 50-54. Web.
Levin, J. (2016). Partnerships between the faith-based and medical sectors: Implications for preventive medicine and public health. Preventive Medicine Reports, 4, 344-350. Web.