Which health and safety risk is associated with tailings dams?
1. Tailing dams are a common site of rock bursts.
2. Tailings dams are a common site of drowning accidents.
3. If the dam fails, it can cause a flood of toxic materials.
4. If the dam fails, it can cause a methane explosion.
The health and safety risk associated with tailings dams is: If the dam fails, it can cause a flood of toxic materials. Answer is option 3.
The correct answer is option 3: If the dam fails, it can cause a flood of toxic materials.
Explanation:
Tailings dams are structures used to store the waste materials, also known as tailings, produced during mining operations. These tailings often contain harmful substances such as heavy metals and other chemicals that can pose significant health and safety risks if they are released into the environment.
If a tailings dam fails, it can result in the sudden release of a large volume of toxic materials into the surrounding areas, which can contaminate water bodies, soil, and air. This can have severe consequences for human health, as exposure to these toxic substances can lead to various health problems.
To identify the health and safety risks associated with tailings dams, it is essential to conduct thorough risk assessments. This process involves evaluating the potential hazards, estimating the likelihood of their occurrence, and assessing the potential consequences. Risk assessments can help in identifying measures to mitigate and manage the risks effectively. In the case of tailings dams, these measures may include implementing proper engineering and design standards, regular monitoring and inspection, and emergency response plans in case of dam failure.