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Industry, Government Review Mine Safety Procedures

Posted on: Saturday, 1 April 2006, 03:02 CST

By Anonymous

Accidents that resulted in 16 deaths in three West Virginia coal mines, two in Kentucky and one in Utah have government and industry re-evaluating current safety regulations. Even though U.S. mines continue to improve on their safety records, the deaths reminded the industry and state and federal agencies that mining remains a dangerous business.

U.S. Coal Mine Safety and Production Trends

Even so, data from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) show that new technologies and a highly trained workforce has allowed the nation's coal mines to increase production while providing safer workplaces. Since 1970. coal production at U.S. mines has increased by about 83 percent. During the same period, fatal injuries have fallen by 92 percent. And more than half of the U.S. coal mines operate each year without a lost-time injury. In 2005, there were 22 deaths in U.S. mines, a record low.

New legislation

In West Virginia. Gov. Joe Manchin signed a new law designed to expedite mine rescue operations and provide other safeguards for workers. Twelve miners died at the Sago Mine Jan. 2. On Jan. 19, two miners died in a conveyor belt fire at the Aracoma Alma Mine No. 1. And on Feb. 1, single fatalities resulted from accidents in two other West Virginia mines.

The West Virginia legislation would create a 24-hour hotline to report mine accidents to mobilized rescue teams. The law would also require locater devices for miners in addition to more oxygen supplies located at strategic places underground.

Mines would also install lifelines with reflective markings showing miners the way to oxygen and out of the mine. And companies could be fined $100.000 for not reporting an accident within 15 minutes.

On Feb. 1. Manchin asked all West Virginia mines to stop operations, bring their crews out of the mines and perform safety checks. He also asked for each mine in the state to be inspected as quickly as possible. Along that same line. MSHA. on Feb. 6. asked coal mine operators throughout the country to perform similar safety checks and review safety procedures with their crews.

Meanwhile. Congress has begun hearings into the Sago accident and legislation has been introduced aimed at improving safety in the nation's coal mines. West Virginia's congressional delegation in February introduced the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006. It would require mine operators to equip miners with electronic tracking devices and the ability to communicate with the surface, said Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV). The bill would also require mine operators to maintain emergency oxygen supplies and self-contained breathing devices at strategic locations throughout mines.

MSHA action

MSHA, meanwhile, sent an additional 100 mine inspectors to West Virginia in February. They joined the existing 113 inspectors in the state. They will go through each mine in the state and make sure federal laws and regulations are being followed, the agency said. They will also conduct safety lectures with miners, supervisors and operators. And they will review state records for each mine inspected and check documents detailing past violations, citations and inspector notes.

The agency said it is also evaluating a personal emergency device (PED) and a locator system for underground mines. The PED is an Australian innovation. It is used in some U.S. mines. It radiates a radio frequency enabling one-way communication to underground personnel. The system dims and flashes a miner's cap lamp for about 10 seconds and then sends a text message.

The Tracker IV locater system is also an Australian innovation. A transmitter is worn by the miner that provides his or her location underground. It sends out a pulsed signal to beacons placed underground. MSHA said that the PED and the Tracker IV have their limitations. So the agency's technical experts will survey U.S. mines that use these systems and go to Australian operations to evaluate the effectiveness of both.

Industry action

The U.S. mining industry has also formed an independent commission to study how new technologies, procedures and training can enhance underground mine safety. Kraig R. Naasz, president and chief executive officer of the National Mining Association, said that R. Larry Grayson (member SME) will chair the newly formed Mine Safety Technology and Training Commission. Grayson is chairman and professor of mining engineering at the University of Missouri- Rolla. The commission will be comprised of nine experts from academia. public agencies, consultancies and the mining industry. It will examine current and potential safety procedures, communication technologies, safety training regimes, and mine rescue technology and techniques. The commission will announce its preliminary recommendations by July 1 and issue its final report by the end of the year.

Copyright Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. Mar 2006

Source: Mining Engineering

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