The Mine Ventilation Society of Zimbabwe (MVSZ) has called for the active involvement of ventilation practitioners in mine decision-making and the modernisation of occupational hygiene and ventilation regulations — actions seen as critical to addressing the real risks miners face today, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
This call was made by MVSZ President Dr. Tonderai Chikande at the highly subscribed Annual General Meeting and Symposium, where industry experts gathered not only to learn but also to propose and lobby for solutions to the sector’s pressing challenges.
A central issue highlighted at the event is the limited role ventilation practitioners currently play in mine planning and policy decisions.
Unlike in countries such as South Africa, where these experts routinely sit on decision-making boards, Zimbabwe often consults them only after mine designs are finalised — a reactive approach that can leave miners exposed to hazards such as high dust levels, heat stress, poor airflow, and diesel particulate matter (DPM).
Faced with this challenge, Dr. Chikande said it is time to change the narrative and ensure ventilation practitioners are represented at board level.
“Ventilation practitioners are often seen as problem-solvers at the tail end of a crisis. But we must change that narrative. We need to be in the boardroom, not just in the shaft bottom. We must be heard before projects are designed, not after. Our science must influence mine planning, not just audits,” he said.
Legislative reform was also a critical focus of the symposium, which emphasised the need to modernise Zimbabwe’s occupational hygiene and ventilation regulations — many of which were drafted decades ago, long before diesel-powered fleets, digital monitoring technologies, and the rapid growth of artisanal and small-scale mining.
As a result, key occupational stressors, including DPM, silica and respirable crystalline quartz, thermal stress, noise and vibration, and radon in underground mines, remain under-recognised and under-reported.
In a plea to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Dr. Chikande said there is an urgent need to modernise legislation so that it addresses those challenges and the “real risks” mine ventilation faces today.
“The message is clear: regulatory reform is not merely a bureaucratic exercise — it is central to protecting miners’ health while supporting sustainable and efficient mining,” Dr. Chikande said. “Our plea today is simple: let us modernise our legal framework so it reflects the real risks miners face in Zimbabwe today. Let us move from minimum compliance to proactive enforcement. Good regulation does not stifle industry — it strengthens it. It creates consistency, predictability, and a level playing field where safety is never compromised for profit.”
Proposed reforms to address these gaps include:
Reviewing exposure thresholds for DPM, silica, and respirable dust to reflect modern mining realities.
Integrating advanced monitoring technologies into the regulatory framework for proactive detection and prevention.
Strengthening ventilation design codes for both small-scale and underground operations.
Making the involvement of ventilation practitioners mandatory in mine planning and compliance audits.
The MVSZ reiterated its commitment to partnering with government regulators, mining companies, and other stakeholders to ensure ventilation expertise is integrated into early-stage planning and boardroom decisions. Doing so, the society argued, will better safeguard miners, improve operational efficiency, and align Zimbabwe with international best practices in mine safety.
