Abstract

In 2009 the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) developed the Good Practice Guidance on Occupational Health Risk Assessment to help site practitioners assess and address the risks posed by health hazards in the mining and metals sector. It provided those practitioners with the information they needed to assess the health and well-being of employees and contractors. In 2016 a review was undertaken to bring the text and advice up to date with changes in the field of occupational health risk assessment and align this document with the terminology and approaches proposed in ICMM documentation published since the first edition, principally the concept of material unwanted events (MUEs) and the management of those through the use of critical controls. The guide identifies the occupational health impacts of mining and metals processing, outlines good practices in the identification of hazards and exposed workers, assists practitioners in estimating exposure levels and assessing the effectiveness of controls and explains the importance of quality analysis and reporting. Healthy workers are essential to the success of mining and metals companies, and ICMM company members are driven in their protection of the health and well-being of both workers and local communities by the ICMM’s Sustainable Development Principle 5: ‘Pursue continual improvement in health and Safety performance with the ultimate goal of zero harm’. Occupational health risk assessment is the foundation of any occupational health programme and will determine the effectiveness of the programme. It is the intention of the ICMM that this publication provides a practical tool to assist companies in protecting the health and well-being of their workforce.