Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

Mercury-dependent gold mining operations expose workers to occupational health and safety hazards due to mercury's toxicity. This study assessed occupational health and safety (OHS) services provided in mercury-based gold mines in Mumbwa District, Zambia, aiming to evaluate compliance with OHS standards and identify prevalent health hazards faced by miners. A sequential mixed-methods approach was used. Data was collected through questionnaires from 108 conveniently sampled miners, while qualitative data was gathered through in-depth interviews with safety supervisors. Observational checklists were also used in the mines. Workers were exposed to dust and particulate matter (98%), and mercury exposure (62.7%), among other hazards. Compliance with OHS standards was lacking: only 23.8% of mines complied with training standards, and 33.3% with health checks. No mines had onsite medical services. Higher compliance rates were observed for reporting systems (66.7%), first aid services (62%), and fire safety measures (66.7%). Miners in gold amalgamation processes faced mercury exposure, respiratory risks from dust, and environmental contamination. Among workers in mercury-based gold mines, satisfaction was significantly higher among those who received training (OR = 4.82, p = 0.002), had access to First Aid services (OR = 5.88, p = 0.006), and possessed greater experience (OR = 2.75, p = 0.036), while education showed a non-significant trend (OR = 1.92, p = 0.097), and neither gender (OR = 2.25, p = 0.240) nor fire safety measures (OR = 0.96, p = 0.944) were statistically associated with satisfaction. Facilitators to compliance included a safe work environment, regulations and enforcement, and management support, while barriers included financial constraints, lack of training and awareness, and resistance to change. There is an urgent need for enhanced training programs, onsite medical services, and improved worker participation through OHS committees. Comprehensive strategies are needed to improve OHS compliance and protect miners' health in Mumbwa, District.

ABSTRACTWe analyse the policy feedback on the minimum wage introduction in Germany, which was the core promise of the Social Democrats in the 2013 elections. Overall, there is no positive policy effect on the electorate's preference for the Social Democrats. We find even the contrary: workers earning below the minimum wage tend to give a negative policy feedback in Eastern Germany. Our main estimation strategy exploits the variation of median wages across regions using the Kaitz index. The Difference‐in‐Differences estimations use data from a large household panel. We conclude that the Social Democrats were unsuccessful in regaining the confidence of the electorate through the introduction of the minimum wage.