TB in the Mining Sector in Southern Africa (TIMS)

Health Focus South Africa was appointed as a sub recipient by Wits Health Consortium, within the context of the Global Fund TB in the Mining Sector in Southern Africa (TIMS) project to undertake a review on mine occupational health and safety legislation, policies and systems in place in the 10 Southern African countries Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Key informant interviews with representatives of the ministries, government institutions, employer organisations and civil society actors in the field of occupational health and safety in mining were conducted with emphasis on dust control in mining.

Health Focus South Africa developed an 'Elimination of Dust Hazards in the Mining Workplace Toolkit' that would support countries to reduce mineworker’s exposure to hazardous dust. The toolkit provides information on; occupational safety and health legal frameworks targeting the prevention of occupational lung diseases in mining, occupational lung diseases and prevention and good practice tools that help eliminate dust hazards. Representatives from relevant ministries, mining inspectorate, private sector and civil society organisations were trained on the use of this toolkit.