UDC

[613.6+622.8](98)

DOI

10.17238/issn2542-1298.2019.7.4.444

Authors

Aleksandr N. Nikanov* ORCID: 0000-0003-3335-4721
Andrey B. Gudkov** ORCID: 0000-0001-5923-0941
Ol’ga N. Popova** ORCID: 0000-0002-0135-4594
Valeriy P. Chashchin* ORCID: 0000-0002-2600-0522
Aleksandrа P. Peshkova***,
Anastasiya V. Mironovskaya**** ORCID: 0000-0001-9849-2848 
*The Northwest Public Health Research Center (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation)
**Northern State Medical University (Arkhangelsk, Russian Federation)
***Branch in Monchegorsk, Olenegorsk and the Lovozero District of the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Murmansk Region (Monchegorsk, Murmansk Region, Russian Federation)
****Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing in the Arkhangelsk Region (Arkhangelsk, Russian Federation)
Corresponding author: Andrey Gudkov, address: prosp. Troitskiy 51, Arkhangelsk, 163001, Russian Federation; e-mail: gudkovab@nsmu.ru

Abstract

Being used in high-tech industries, rare metals are included in the strategic group of metals, which ensure Russia’s economic security and defence capability. The research aimed to conduct a hygienic assessment of working conditions at the main process equipment during underground mining operations at the Lovozero loparite deposit containing rare-earth metals. We focused on the assessment of the microclimate and the noise-vibration factor at underground working. The following devices for controlling the intensity of production factors were used: Meteoskop-M microclimate tester, Testo-416 compact vane anemometer, Algoritm-01 sound level meter and spectrum analyser, and Algoritm-02 vibration meter and spectrum analyser, as well as informative hygienic criteria for evaluating the degree of their harmfulness and danger. It was established that during mining operations, the content of predominantly fibrogenic aerosols in the air of the working area is 1.9 mg/m³ (TLV = 4.0 mg/m³). All main and auxiliary underground works are performed at air temperatures ranging between +4 and +8 °C (regardless of the season) and at relative humidity of 76–87 %. Air speed at underground workings is determined in the range 0.2–0.4 m/s and depends on the work of the ventilation system. Working conditions in an underground mine are characterized by exceeding the permissible exposure limits of local vibration by 6–10 dBA and of noise by 13–38 dBA; the class of working conditions ranges between 2 (permissible) and 3.3 (harmful, 3rd degree). Such working conditions lead to the risk of occupational diseases, which justifies the need for new sanitary-technological and sanitary-technical preventive measures in this industry.

Keywords

Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, underground mine, working conditions of miners, mining of rare-earth metals

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