Miners may be exposed to hazardous substances as part of their job, and they are at increased risk from different long-term health effects, including lung cancer. Established causes of lung cancer in mining include diesel engine exhaust, radon gas, crystalline silica, asbestos, and various metals. Research conducted by the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC), and funded by the Canadian Cancer Society, estimates that over 400 new cancers from mining exposures are diagnosed each year in Canada. These cancers are caused by exposures that occurred in the past. However, exposure to hazards that could cause cancer, generally at lower levels, continues to occur in mining.
Lung Cancer and Prevention in Mining Conference: July 11, 2017, Sudbury, Ontario
A conference on the impact of exposure to cancer-causing substances in Ontario mining was held in Sudbury, Ontario on July 11, 2017. The day focused on cancers caused by past exposures to diesel engine exhaust and radon gas, and the steps that can be taken to prevent future cancers among miners. Speakers included local and international experts on mining, cancer, and exposure controls; health and safety system professionals; and a widow whose husband died from occupational disease. The event was co-hosted by the Occupational Cancer Research Centre, MIRARCO Mining Innovation, and Laurentian University.
Conference Materials
Diesel Engine Exhaust and Mining fact sheet
Presentations
Valerie Wolfe – Introduction to Ontario’s Occupational Disease Action Plan: Aspirational and Achievable!
Paul Demers – Impact of Exposure to Carcinogens in Mining
Kyle Steenland – Diesel Engine Exhaust: IARC Carcinogen Classification
Mary Schubauer-Berigan – Cancer Risk from Radon Exposures in Mines: New Research on an Old Problem
Curtis Caldwell – Radon Exposure in Ontario non-Uranium Mines: Preliminary Report from a Pilot Study
Michel Grenier – Diesel Particulate Matter: Limits of Exposure and Exposure Data
Emily Haas – Using Assessment Technology to Direct Worksite Interventions: Practical Solutions to Dust Control
Jozef Stachulak – Diesel Emissions in Hard Rock Mines: Challenges and Solutions (Draft Version)
Victoria Arrandale – Historical Mining Exposures in Ontario
Terry Gordon – ACGIH’s TLV Committee: How We Handle Exposure Mixtures
About the OCRC and MIRARCO
The Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) investigates cancers caused by work through an applied research program. It is the first research centre in Canada to focus exclusively on occupational cancer. MIRARCO is a not-for-profit corporation that develops innovative solutions for the mining industry and its challenges.
