Health and safety of women in extractive industries

Abstract

For centuries, Extractive Industries in many countries have been a major economic driver which generated jobs, revenue, and opportunities for growth and development. Although Extractive Industries create jobs, there are significant gender inequalities in male and female access to jobs. Historically mining has always been a male dominated industry. Women were underrepresented in the mining industry and such underrepresentation divulges a broader social inequality. This research analyze the health and safety challenges faced by women in the extractive industry. The research deliberated on the improvement made on the health and safety of women in the mining industry. The research evaluated specific South African legislation which play a role in the execution of health and safety of women in mining. Legislations discussed in this research are as follows; the Mine health and Safety Act, 29 of 1996, Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 28 of Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998, Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995, Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 75 of 1997 as well as mining specific, 2002 and the Mining Charter for the South African Mining and Minerals Industry, 2002 (and its successive amendments) among others. The research was conducted through a desk-based literary study of secondary data. The chief research tools included the legislation, journal articles, reported case law, books and other online academic sources for global trends. Based on the findings of the research it is clear that although mining industry has improved their efforts to accommodate women in the core business of mining, limitations and deficiencies are still prevalent. Challenges faced by women in the industry are evidence that women are still exposed to some of health and safety hazards in the industry. From the foregoing, occupational health and safety at work is one of the major issue that require the attention of both the government and the mining industry.