Manganese Poisoning Enquiry Takes Off

The Cato Ridge manganese poisoning inquiry kicked off this morning amid tensions between workers and manganese company Assmang over the company’s alleged threats to dismiss seven employees who are suffering from manganism – a disease caused by exposure to manganese dust.

Despite the tensions between the two parties, the Labour Department remains focused at the inquiry to determine whether workers were actually exposed to dust concentrations whose levels are being assessed by approved inspection authorities. The Department’s inquiry was prompted by reported incidents of workers falling sick. The hearing will also determine who will be held accountable for such exposure.

Approved inspection authorities are scheduled to be cross examined about the dust assessments they conducted at the plant in order to determine the exact concentration levels for manganese dust in the workers’ breathing zones.

The Department is targeting June 2008 to wrap up the inquiry as it has already gathered most of the information needed.