Abstract
Highlights Public health relevance—How does this work relate to a public health issue? • Occupational hazardous exposure remains a significant threat to public health. • Poor occupational health safety culture leads to the prevalence of respiratory illnesses. Public health significance—Why is this work of significance to public health? • Identification of key exposure profiles is essential in developing occupational health programs. • Exposure profiles and exposure quantification assist in the implementation of targeted controls to reduce exposure. Public health implications—What are the key implications or messages for practitioners, policymakers, and/or researchers? • Development of chronic lung diseases leads to households income loss and reduced life expectancy. • Workers in underground mines are significantly exposed to elevated dust levels compared to surface mine workers. Abstract Occupational lung diseases remain a significant public health concern in mining populations , particularly in high-exposure environments. This study examined occupational exposure profiles and respiratory health outcomes among surface and underground miners in Mpumalanga Province. A cross-sectional analytical design was employed among 239 mine workers. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, occupational exposures, behavioural factors, and respiratory outcomes were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression models. Underground miners were significantly more likely to report high dust exposure (44.9% vs. 24.1%), poor ventilation (60.6% vs. 39.3%), and longer working hours (>8 h: 68.5% vs. 50.0%) compared to surface miners. They also reported a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms, including chronic cough (45.7% vs. 25.9%), shortness of breath (41.7% vs. 23.2%), wheezing (34.6% vs. 18.8%), and diagnosed lung disease (23.6% vs. 9.8%). Multivariable analysis showed that underground mining (AOR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.08–3.41), smoking (AOR = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.02–3.11), and high dust exposure Int.