Mining Accidents: What Can Be Done To Prevent Them?
Submitted by Andy_B on Wednesday, 29 December 2021 Page Views: 259
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Earlier this year, a man was fatally injured in an accident at a copper mine in Australia. Another accident in Southwest China claimed 22 lives – an event that left China the country with the most dangerous mines in the world. All these tragedies could have been prevented, and here is how:
Professional Training
All mining professionals should undergo regular training. This should not just apply to beginners. Even long-standing members should undergo regular professional training. Health and safety orientation training for miners includes awareness of the safety hazards on the site and control for these hazards and how they can affect the health and safety of their co-workers.Because mining of any sort takes place underground, there are general equipment requirements associated with this occupation. Therefore, mining companies are required to provide employees with cap lamps, head protection, eye and face protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, foot protection, skin protection, clothing, belts and harnesses, protection from cold and heat, and additional protective equipment according to the mining site.
If it is all possible, hazards should be removed. Otherwise, employees may be at risk of entrapment, trips, slips, and falls that may or not lead to personal injury claims and other legal issues.
Risk Assessment
Mining companies must have procedures to ensure that risks such as explosion and fire, falling from heights, mobile equipment accidents, and entrapment due to in-rushes are evaluated at each site. This involves assuming risk evaluation to identify the right practices needed to ensure the safety of miners and adhere to the latest health and safety requirements and legislation. Evaluating risks is vital in order to identify their relative importance, as well as to obtain data on their extent and nature.Assessing risk will help companies better prioritize safety procedures and determine where to put the most effort in terms of prevention and control and to make more informed decisions. Whatever risk-assessment mining chooses to adopt, it’s always advisable to engage with their workforce when completing a risk assessment, as they may know of the feasible solution necessary to complete task safety.
Explosives In Mining
Explosives are often used in mining sites to create an opening in underground times. Their presence, however, poses an obvious risk to miners. One tiny mistake can cause an accident with potentially catastrophic consequences for any miners in the area. It makes perfect sense that only experienced miners who received professional training must handle the explosives.Another concern in mining sites with explosives is the storage. Keeping these explosives secure and out of the hands of less experienced employees. What should companies do to ensure explosives don’t fall into the wrong hands?
• Inspect and verify that every storage facility is properly secured and attended.
• Report missing materials immediately
• Ensure that all vehicles used to transport explosive material are properly attended to and secured.
• Ensured that a copy after explosive inventories is maintained at the mine office
• Verify all employees' identities before allowing them to access the explosive store or review inventory records.
• Hold safety audits with all employees to alert them to these activities.
Noise Exposure
Miners are noisy places to work in, and heavy machinery doesn’t make it easier. More often than not, it is not a particular loud thing that does the damage. Rather it’s the long-term exposure to noise that causes miners harm.As always, the first step to eliminate risk exposure is to eliminate it. However, as mining is often dependent on heavy machinery, this is not possible. Routine maintenance can help equipment run more smoothly and reduce noise levels. All miners, no matter their location on site, should have access to PPE (custom-molded earplugs) to protect their hearing and must be instructed to wear it at all times.
Emergency Response Plan in Mining
Even if mining companies implement in-depth safety training programs and eliminate and reduce the hazard, there’s still a good chance of accidents and injuries.Planning for the likelihood of an accident can help reduce the risk of injury. Each mining site is different, but the purpose of an emergency response is the same: to get all miners out safely.
Risk assessments are imperative requirements that allow companies to formulate an emergency response. Evaluation makes any disastrous scenario less likely to happen and is key to success in any mining emergency.
In the mining industry, the goal is to reach the surface as soon as possible. For that to happen, companies must drill teams on what to do in the event of an emergency.
The best way to improve safety in this industry is to eliminate as many workplace hazards as you can. Truth be told, mines come with hazards you can’t eliminate but only attempt to control or mitigate. The key to this is providing miners with the right PPE and education to prepare them for on-site hazards.
Younger miners are more likely to be injured than older team members; therefore focus should be on providing in-depth orientations before they step foot on-site.
