Revue de l'Institut d'hygiene des mines最新文献

Modern methods make it possible to measure respiratory parameters as VE, respiratory frequency, VO2 and delta O2% and circulatory parameters as heart rate and oxygen pulse in very difficult conditions. Very recently these parameters were measured continuously on mineworkers at work in a tailgate stable hole for the first time. These measures were completed by physiological evaluations with the same methods on the same subjects during exercise in a lung function laboratory or in a simulation chamber with different conditions of humidity and temperature.

The head of the "Ergonomics" department of the ECSC noted that it is also the silver jubilee of ergonomics in the ECSC programmes. He then goes on to why action rather than research has been stressed since 1975: action corresponds more directly to the needs of the industry. Ergonomics teams were established in the four Community coal industries: they identify and co-ordinate work in the Community programmes which aim at: --centering the investigation on the miner at work, --developing the implementation of the results of the research, --capitalizing on the unique consensus which exists between the social partners with regard to health and safety.

After having congratulated the C.C.R. on the 25th anniversary of its foundation, the secretary of the Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and Other Extractive Industries, which also celebrates its silver jubilee, briefly exposes its history, composition and modus operandi. In essence the duties of the Safety and Health Commission are to propose measures to the governments to increase safety, firstly in mines and subsequently in all the extractive industries. Its working is based on eleven working parties where the best safety experts of the European extractive industries collaborate. The Commission is also empowered to make proposals for research, to promote safety campaigns and to organize information sessions for the industrial circles concerned. The positive appreciation and the active collaboration of these circles help the Safety and Health Commission to fulfill its task.

The founder and first director of the C.C.R. enumerates the principles that led to the conception and the achievement of the C.C.R. He reviews the principal rescue activities during these 25 years and mentions the development of supplementary activities on safety, ergonomics and respiratory protection during the last few years.

The MEMOLOG 500 system is a very simple instrument for the data-recording of various physiological or physical parameters. It is a very light (370 g), two-channel instrument which allows the storing in its memory of 512 values for each of two parameters. The data are then extracted and processed by a preprogrammed microcomputer, the MEMOSCAN 510 system. An example of application is illustrated.

The Zolder Colliery of the N.V. Kempense Steenkolenmijnen is currently developing compact dust collectors for mounting directly on mining machines. In particular, the collectors are to be used with machines working in stable holes, rippings, face ends and in-seam rise headings. The use of these units will provide clean air within the working area and at the same time reduce contamination outbye. In the first section a review of recent dust collector development is presented, followed by a theoretical analysis of particle dynamics and the filtration process. The next section describes trials with prototypes and highlights some of the problems associated with dust deposition within the equipment. The last two sections describe how the Zolder Colliery first realised the benefits dust collection could offer as a means of controlling airborne dust in mechanized in-serum rise headings and why they favour the development of a dust collector for use in stable holes.

Studying the cellular products obtained by broncho-alveolar lavage in 81 patients, 77 coal-miners and 4 other subjects exposed to silicotic risks of various origin, the authors could demonstrate the interest of this new method of exploring the peripheral lung tissues. In 57 cases of usual pneumoconiosis and controls matched for the smoking habits, the repartition of the different cellular types was quite similar. On the contrary, the authors observed an increase of the lymphocytes in three cases of accelerated elution of the pneumoconiosis. Moreover various modifications were noticed in cases with morbid associations as conectivitis, sarcoïdosis, allergic alveolitis, and primitive diffuse interstitial fibrosis as well. At the moment they were collected, the alveolar macrophages of the subjects to dust showed the same properties of vitality and adherence capacity as the controls. After 24 hours of survival their vitality and bacterial activity on staphylococcus aureus was clearly diminished.