SASUF Research and Innovation Week 2023: Satellite Events

Silica exposure remains is a health hazard globally. The purpose of the workshop is to discuss primary and secondary prevention strategies to reduce the risk for silicosis. The workshop will provide an overview of silica exposure health-related outcomes and their social consequences, and current strategies to prevent silicosis. The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) implemented a Global Programme for the Elimination of Silicosis.

In 2004, the South African Department of Labour committed to “significantly reduce the prevalence of silicosis by 2015 and to totally eliminate silicosis in workplaces by 2030”. Since 2003, the Mine Health and Safety Council in South Africa has set targets to lower silica dust exposure in mines. Despite these efforts, mine and other workers in many countries, including South Africa and Sweden, continue to be exposed to crystalline silica dust levels above current exposure limits. The workshop links to a planned joint project between the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Gothenburg, “Lipid and protein profiles for the detection of pathophysiologic responses to respirable crystalline silica in South African gold miners, using the particles in exhaled air (PExA). method”. In this project, a novel method to diagnose early silicosis will be evaluated. The aim of the project is to identify biomarkers that could be used in the surveillance of exposed workers, and will help to identify activities and work locations that are particularly harmful.

The program of the day will be possible to follow on-line, registration link https://wits-za.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PsSTOODPTZWfiw6dkcmxNg

Program

09h00  WelcomeTobias Chirwa, Head: School of Public Health, Wits University

Session 1: What are the silica-related diseases and why are they important? Chair: Dr Spo Kgalamono
09h10  Overview of silica-related health effects and magnitude of theproblem Gill Nelson, Wits University
09h25  Silica dust exposure and tuberculosis Rodney Ehrlich, University of Cape Town (online)
09h40  Silica dust exposure and lung cancer Jill Murray, Wits University09h55 
10h15  Silica dust exposure in the artificial stone industry Lizy Fireman, Tel Aviv University (online)
10h15  Questions and comments

10h25  Tea/coffee

Session 2: Silicosis elimination programmes Chair: Dr Vanessa Govender
10h45  Silicosis elimination programmes in the non-mining industry - A Response to Fight TB and HIV/AIDS inTanzania,  Meckie Pius Achayo, MKUTA Tanzania;Wits University (online)
11h00  Silica exposure in Sweden Anna-Carin Olin, University of Gothenburg
11h15  South Africa’s National Programme for the Elimination of Silicosis –where are we? Jabu Mhlophe, Department of Employment and Labour
11h30  Silicosis elimination in the mining industry Thuthula Balfour, Minerals Council South Africa
11h45  Questions and comments

Session 3: Occupational exposure limits Chair: Prof Cas Badenhorst
12h00  Will reducing the statutory OEL for silica to 0.05 mg/m3 prevent newsilicosis cases? Derk Brouwer, Wits University
12h15  Challenges in reducing the statutory respirable crystalline silica (RCS) OELin the SA mining industry Cas Badenhorst, Anglo American and North West University
12h30  Current practices to reduce silica dust exposure in the SA mining industry Vijay Nundlall, Sibanye-Stillwater
12h45  Have the silicosis milestones for SA mining been achieved? Dipalesa Mokoboto, Department of Minerals and Energy
13h00  Questions and comments

13h10 – 14h00 Lunch

Session 4: Detection and monitoring of silica-related diseases Chair: Dr Thuthula Balfour
14h00  National surveillance of silica-exposed workers – challenges andopportunities Zodwa Ndlovu, Wits University
14h15  Biomarkers for the detection of pathophysiological responses to silica David Rees, Wits University
14h30  Can we detect early adverse effects of inhaled respirable silica? Anna-Carin Olin, University of Gothenburg
14h45  Questions and comments
14h55  Closing remarks Gill Nelson, Wits University

Keywords: Silicosis, crystalline silica, biomarkers, mining, occupational exposure limit