Presentation Topic

Summary of Work-related Exposures and Health Impacts on Ex-Mineworkers from Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).

Presentation Brief Description

Summary of a three-year study that attempted to ascertain the prevalence of occupational lung diseases, namely silicosis and silica-induced diseases among Eswatini oscillatory migrant mineworkers.

Biography

OHS Professional since the 1980s when first trained as a Safety & Public Protection Inspector before being further trained by the UN as a Factories Inspector. Registered UN Expert in Occupational Safety.

35 years spanning 60 nations including many in the global south as well as the UK and Canada being home.

Undergraduate training in Occupational Hygiene and postgraduate degrees in Industrial Health, OHS, Environmental Sciences and Occupational Medicine. Awarded honorary doctorate for services to Malawi. Currently working towards Executive LLM in Regulation and Compliance and Doctor of Health in silicosis among oscillatory migrant mineworkers in sub-Saharan Africa.

ISO, SSC and CSA Technical Committee on OHS Management Systems Member.

Research & Ethics Committee Member – OHS Lead for Pacific Coast University of Workplace Health Sciences

International Commission on Occupational Health Scientific Committees Member on Respiratory Diseases, Development and Mining Health. Member of the Society of Occupational Medicine Sub-Committee on Mining Health.

In my current role in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) responsible for health direction, medical support and global partnerships for ten nations and a 2 million cohort. Coinvestigator with UBC for research using CAD Ai technology for the early detection of tuberculosis and silicosis in mineworkers.

Smaller projects across Africa such as updating the national cancer registry in Eswatini to include occupational, work-related and environmentally acquired cancers. 

Recently awarded SOM Special Mention Award for Outstanding Contribution to Occupational Health Research and Leading Silica Dust Management Expert 2024, 2025.