CAMARINES NORTE, MAY TO AUGUST– Individuals and organizations tackled safety and health in small-scale mining in a series of a province-wide Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) training held May to August 2018.
At most 350 small-scale miners joined BAN Toxics, Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) and Department of Labor and Employment- Occupational Safety and Health Center (DOLE-OSHC) in an effort to address prevailing working conditions in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector in the Camarines Norte province.
BAN Toxics, an environmental organization advocating against mercury use, organized the trainings. The organization has been working with the ASGM communities to aid them towards a toxics-free working environment. Currently, it is implementing the U.S Department of Labour-funded CARING Gold Mining Project in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO). The project supports platforms for legalization of the largely informal ASGM sector in Camarines Norte and T’boli, South Cotabato.
“One of the major concerns of the ASGM communities is the process for the Minahang Bayan application,” Ms. Sarah Marie Aviado, BAN Toxics Development Programme Manager said. “We in BAN Toxics deemed it essential to provide them OSH training as it is a major requirement for licensing of miners. We hope that the approval of the existing Minahang Bayan applications of our participants will be expedited after the training, “ she elaborated.
The participants are miners from major mining municipalities Labo, Paracale, and Jose Panganiban in the province. Partners from Region V DENR-MGB and DOLE-OSH Central Office served as resource speakers for the event. They equipped the participants with OSH basics such as chemicals handling and safety and health hazards in the context of small-scale mining.
“Mining is a naturally hazardous occupation. Small-scale miners should be familiar with all aspects of safety and health not just because of licensing requirements but because OSH is a way of life.” Ms. Aviado further explained. “Aspects such as good housekeeping and safety inspection if integrated into small-scale mining operations will significantly lessen, if not prevent, work-related accidents and injuries.”
Aside from supporting ASGM formalization, the CARING Gold Mining Project also aims to end child labor and mercury use in the sector. “By formalizing small-scale mining, operations will be certified compliant to safety and health standards. Monitoring mechanisms will also ensure that operations do not involve child labor and mercury use,” Ms. Aviado stated.