Noise from Opencast Mining Can Damage your Health
Research shows that noise from opencast mining has potential negative effects on the physical and psychological health of people living in the local area.
Noise is an important consideration in the context of opencast mining, and a factor which can potentially have a wide range of serious health impacts. Noise is generated on site from heavy plant, blasting and vibration, as well as maintenance work (which would usually be carried out outside of regular working hours). This noise usually occurs in three phases: access to the coal reserve, extraction of coal and site reclamation and also through the construction of access roads to the site. Also a consideration is the distance between the site and residential dwellings.
The WHO published a set of guidelines relating to community noise, including potential sources, quantification and potential effects (WHO 1999). Potential health effects identified include hearing loss or loss of hearing sensitivity, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular and physiological effects, mental health effects and behavioural effects, including poor performance by school children.
Research shows that environmental noise was associated with hypertension. It was reported that the negative psychological effects of noise are greater when the subject has no control over their own exposure.
Noise also impacts on wider determinants of health and lifestyle factors including having to keep windows closed, sleep disturbance, annoyance when trying to enjoy gardens and other outdoor spaces, traffic noise (and vibration).
Noise related to opencast mining is produced not only through blasting and other onsite activities but also by traffic, including rail traffic on and off site and at certain times, such as during construction and removal of baffle mounds and during blasting these noise levels may increase.
The Welsh Mineral Technical Advice Note 2 (Coal) (2009) states that that the outdoor sound level from continuous noise should not exceed 55 dB LAeq 1 hour in outdoor living areas. Distance from site workings impacts on the levels of noise experienced and associated health impacts*.
Banks Mining has reported the following noise emissions from its opencast mining plant equipment, before and after the company’s efforts to reduce noise emissions through acoustic insulation:
Sound level measurements taken on all plant at 10m before and after insulation**:
|
Plant Equipment |
Before Insulation (dBA) |
After Insulation (dBA) |
Reduction |
|
CAT 777 |
94 |
78 |
16 |
|
RH 120 |
90 |
80 |
10 |
|
RH200 |
97 |
82 |
15 |
*WHIASU: A guide to assessing the health and wellbeing impacts of opencast mining
