Annual Medical Reporting

ANNUAL MEDICAL REPORTING

The South African mining industry has a legislative obligation to submit an annual medical report to the Medical Inspector before the end of February of each year as per the Chief Inspector of Mines’ instruction. 

Administration fines will be imposed on the South African mines which do not submit their respective annual medical reports as per the requirements of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29 of 1996), as amended.

In terms of Section 16 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29 of 1996), as amended - every Occupational Medical Practitioner at a South African mine must compile an annual medical report covering the health of employees based on records of medical surveillance.

This information assists the Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate to analyse disease trends in the different commodities mined in South Africa as well as in the assessment of the achievements of the South African mining industry in relation to the milestones set in terms of eradicating diseases such as silicosis and noise induced hearing loss.

 

The following details must be included when compiling the annual medical report: 

  • The name of the mine.
  • The name, address and telephone number of the Occupational Medical Practitioner responsible for compiling the annual medical report.
  • The type of mine.
  • The commodity / commodities being mined.
  • The total number of employees (including contract workers) who were subjected to medical surveillance in terms of section 13 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act 29 of 1996), as amended, during the reporting period and the total number of hours worked by those employees.
  • The number of initial, periodical and exit examinations conducted as part of the medical surveillance system.
  • An analysis of the employees’ health based on the employees’ records of medical surveillance, without disclosing the names of the employees.
  • Comments on the future direction of the medical surveillance system.
  • The number of employees certified for compensation for occupational diseases.

 

For more information, contact us at mhsi@dmr.gov.za.

The Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act 29 of 1996), as amended, defines an occupational disease as any condition listed in either the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act, 1993 (ODMWA, Act 208 of 1993), as amended, or the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, 1993 (COIDA, Act 130 of 1993). 

For the annual medical report, the list of important diseases that are commonly found in the mining industry include:

  • Pneumoconiosis 
  • Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis
  • Silicosis 
  • Silico-tuberculosis
  • Pulmonary tuberculosis
  • Asbestosis
  • Noise induced hearing loss

 

For more information, contact us at mhsi@dmr.gov.za.