Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and Guyana Gold Board (GGB) Chairman GHK Lall have assured that every recommendation received to ensure the safety of workers during the burning of gold will be considered seriously with a view towards implementation as there will be no relaxation of standards going forward.
A preliminary report from a technical assessment of the interim facility being used by the GGB to burn gold found measurements in two areas of mercury vapour well above the ceiling limit, prompting a recommendation that a respiratory protection programme be implemented for workers.
Based on a request by the Government of Guyana for assistance from PAHO/WHO, after the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) workers refused to continue to attend work at its Brickdam offices while the GGB was still burning gold at its laboratory in the compound, a team from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) visited and conducted assessments.
