ABSTRACT
The subject of health and safety in mining is a well-researched topic and has been, in some surveys, identified as the most important challenge for mining companies. The strategy is commonly known as the hierarchy of control and exists in several different conceptions. The European Commission found that in 2007 the mining industry was the economic sector with most work-related health problems in the European Union. The most common health problems in mining are respiratory diseases, noise-induced hearing loss, and musculoskeletal disorders. Ergonomic hazards are more dependent on the design of, for example, machines and work tasks. Workplaces of the Swedish mining industry are healthier now. In mining, air quality largely regards dust and its resultant respiratory diseases. Respiratory diseases are, regardless of disease, effect, or type of dust, best controlled by controlling the materials that cause these diseases.
