Author: renewcomer

PSU 15th Mine Safety Seminar for Supervisors

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On January 19th and 20th, 2011 the Penn State Miner Training Program will host the 15th Professional Development Mine Safety Seminar for Supervisors at the Holiday Inn Conference Center — Lehigh Valley. The seminar, co-sponsored by industry and government stakeholders, is the premier opportunity of the year to enhance the safety management skills of front-line supervisory personnel.

Check it out with others by clicking on the Events tab above, or…

Click here for: Seminar Web Site with Program and Registration (html), Brochure (pdf).

Commenting is Rewarding

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I know you’re reading this. You’re checking SafeMiners.com out. Perhaps you’ve been here several times, but you haven’t commented yet. Well, at least you haven’t left a comment after one of the posts. It’s simple. You just click on the comment link under whichever post you’d like to comment on.

Now it’s rewarding too! I’m going to randomly choose a comment from those posted by the end of the year and send the winner a multi-tool like the one pictured. That’s it. Comments must be relevant and kind, but may be supportive or critical of the post. Otherwise, they are removed anyway. Try it out. You’ve got nothing to lose and a neat little tool to win!

If you need help check out the new User’s Guide under the ABOUT tab.

MSHA Proposes Changes to Rule for Coal Dust Exposure

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MSHA proposed a rule that would lower underground and surface miners’ exposure to respirable coal mine dust by revising the Agency’s existing standards. The major provisions of the proposal would lower the existing respirable dust exposure limit from 2.0 mg/m3 to 1.0 mg/m3 over a 24-month phase-in period; require full-shift sampling; and redefine the term “normal production shift.”  In addition, the proposed rule would provide for the use of a single full-shift compliance sampling under the mine operator and MSHA’s inspector sampling programs, establish requirements for use of the Continuous Personal Dust Monitor (CPDM) to monitor exposure, and expand medical surveillance of coal miners. Read the full proposed rule below.

Click here for: Proposed Rule in Federal Register (pdf)

TRAM is Underway!

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LEFT: Registration is busy and will get busier with hundreds more yet to arrive. RIGHT: Computer and coffee in hand, these participants are ready to roll!

Well, the presentations haven’t begun, but the networking and sharing information began with Mine Safety folks from all over the country arriving yesterday. Breakfast this morning was a gathering of old friends and the meeting of new with hundreds more yet to arrive. Be sure to stay tuned because there are sure to be some great resources I find and post here to share along with my own presentation.

Also stay tuned. In another day or two I’m kicking off a competition to encourage folks make comments on these pages. I know you visit. Now it’s your turn to add to the site by leaving a comment. Don’t wait. Comments made starting today will be entered into a drawing for a prize. Details will follow.

MSHA Announces Tougher POV Provisions

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ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced the second phase in major reforms to its pattern of violations process, which includes tougher provisions for mines with chronic and persistent violations of significant health and safety regulations. This announcement coincides with the release of an independent analysis prepared by the Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General: “In 32 years MSHA Has Never Successfully Exercised its Pattern of Violation Authority.” Earlier this week, MSHA publicized new screening criteria for the POV enforcement program.

Click here for: MSHA Press Release (pdf), POV Screening Criteria 2010 (pdf), POV Procedures Summary 2010 (pdf), POV Regulations (web)

CAT Forklift Safety Brochure

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CAT has some really nice safety materials free for the asking or as it goes on the internet, free for the taking. The one this illustration comes from nicely covers the general hazards of operating just about any kind of forklift.

It includes Safety Information for Operators, a sample Pre-operation checklist, and Information for Employers which applies specifically to OSHA regulations, but certainly addresses best practices concerning task training on MSHA sites with such equipment.

Download the PDF, print it out, and use it for a toolbox talk for operators or anyone who works were forklifts are used.

To supplement it you may want to use the fatalgram and investigation for a Coal fatality that involved such a piece of equipment. It happened on the surface of an underground mine, but the hazards apply to just about any mining or construction site.

Click here for: CAT Forklift Trifold (pdf)

Fatality #44 for Coal Mining 2010

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On Friday, September 3, 2010, a 37-year old Truck Driver with approximately two years experience was killed when the haul truck he was operating struck another truck from behind. The lead truck had stopped short of the pit, while a bulldozer pushed up material for the track-hoe to load. The victim, returning from dumping, ran into the bed of the lead truck.

Best Practices
  • Conduct adequate pre-operational examinations before placing equipment into operation and ensure all lights are operational.
  • Use cab and vehicle marker lights at all times when vehicles are in use during low light conditions, even when stationary/parking.
  • Provide adequate illumination for all work areas where visibility is critical.
  • Maintain control of equipment at all times, making allowances for the prevailing conditions (low visibility, inclement weather, etc).
  • Consider providing proximity detection devices to mobile equipment when the possibility of collision with other mobile equipment is present.
  • Routinely monitor work habits and examine work areas to insure that safe work procedures are followed.
  • Communicate actions and intent to co-workers, especially if non-routine or out of the ordinary.
  • When waiting to be loaded, take the vehicle out of gear and set the parking brake.
  • Stay alert, stay awake, and pay attention to the task.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf)

Fatality #43 for Coal Mining 2010

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Coal Fatality 2010 number 43On August 31, 2010, a 25-year old truck driver, with 16 weeks and 3 days of mining experience, was killed when the truck he was driving left the haulage road. The truck traveled approximately 11 feet up an embankment on the left side of the haulage road, and then abruptly traveled back across the haulage road. Afterwards, the truck impacted a 5 foot high berm, travelled over the berm, and dropped 72 feet to the mine pit below.

Best Practices
  • Conduct pre-operational examinations on all mobile equipment.
  • Do not exceed the truck’s capabilities, operating ranges, load-limits and safety features.
  • Always wear a seatbelt when operating a haul truck or mobile equipment.
  • Adequately task train miners on the equipment they will operate.
  • Post the speed limit, appropriate gear, grade, curve or other warning signage along haulage roads as appropriate.

Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf)

Notice of MSHA Public Meetings

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MSHA will be holding public meetings to “gather information about effective, comprehensive safety and health management programs at mines”.  There will be three of them. It amazes yours truly that two of the three are during TRAM, an event in MSHA’s own Mine Safety Academy in West Virginia that attracts the best mine safety professionals from around the country.  While it’s possible there will be the gathering of such information there for MSHA as well it is strange and untimely that MSHA officially seems to have ignored it’s own event as a wonderful opportunity to acquire this information. Certainly there are those who don’t attend the event who have important things to add to the discussion it seems strange to remove the hundreds who will attend TRAM from participating.

Below is a link to the notice in the Federal Register. Yes, I read those boring things daily. Information is provided there about the events, their intent to use the information to “develop a proposed rule for Safety and Health Management Programs for mines which will allow miners and operators to be proactive in their approach to health and safety”,  and instructions on how to comment.

Click here for: Federal Register Notice

MSHA Safety Alert

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MSHA has issued an alert to call attention to the fatalities that have occurred other than those at Upper Big Branch which of course has received much attention.  A variety of posters are available on the MSHA site.

“Eight miners are dead because they were struck-by moving or falling objects. Roof falls and rib rolls crushed 7 miners. Six miners were killed working in close proximity to mining or haulage equipment. Three more miners lost their lives in explosions and fires; another miner was killed when he was caught inside rotating machinery; a contract miner fell to his death, a contract truck driver was killed when his truck went through a berm and over a highwall, and a miner drowned. Eight of the dead miners were contractors. Each life lost is a tragedy for a family, a mining operation, and a community.” – from the statement by Joe Main.

Click here for: MSHA Page with Links to Posters