Regulatory requirements
Key regulatory expectations and industry milestones for managing dust exposure
Managing exposure to respirable dust and airborne pollutants is both a legal requirement and a critical health and safety priority for the mining industry. South Africa’s mine health and safety framework requires employers to identify hazards, assess and manage occupational health risks, and implement effective controls to reduce employee exposure to dust.
In addition to statutory duties, the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC), through its tripartite stakeholders, sets occupational health milestones that guide industry-wide improvements in exposure reduction and the elimination of occupational lung diseases.
Legislative framework
The South African mining industry operates within a regulatory framework that places a duty on employers to protect employees from occupational health risks, including airborne dust exposure. This includes obligations to:
- Identify dust-related hazards and assess occupational exposure risks
- Implement engineering and administrative controls to reduce exposure at source
- Measure and monitor employee exposure using appropriate sampling and measurement techniques
- Maintain records of exposure measurements and risk management actions
- Provide training, supervision and information to employees
- Conduct medical surveillance and support early detection of occupational lung diseases
Effective compliance requires an integrated approach that includes risk assessment, exposure monitoring, control implementation, and ongoing review to ensure controls remain effective.
MHSC milestones and targets
The MHSC has historically set milestones aimed at reducing occupational diseases such as silicosis and tuberculosis. These time-bound industry targets support the Zero Harm strategy and provide clear focus areas for continuous improvement.
- Reduce employee exposure to respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica through effective control at source.
- Strengthen monitoring, reporting and verification of exposure measurement results to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Support elimination of occupational lung diseases through improved prevention measures and health surveillance.
Compliance in practice
Practical compliance requires a programme that goes beyond reporting and focuses on reducing exposure risk in daily operations. Best practice implementation typically includes:
These requirements align closely with the intent of MOSH: identifying and scaling leading practices that reduce exposure and accelerate progress toward eliminating occupational lung disease.