Reducing Actue Injury from Mine Roof Failures During Remote-Control Mining of Extended Cuts

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bauer, Eric R. ; Steiner, Lisa J.
• Description:
  Underground coal mine workers are subject to many injury causing hazards, including injuries resulting from falling roof rock. One particular work task that seems to be especially susceptible to accidents from falling roof is the remote-control operation of the continuous mining machine. Remotely-operated continuous mining machines are widely used in the U.S. coal industry and are an essential part of mining extended (deep) cuts. Prior to development of remote control, continuous mining machine operators were located in the deck of the machine and protected by an overhead canopy. The use of remote control has removed the operator from the machine and out from under the protective canopy. The operator is now free to move about and position himself where he can best see the mining operation. While remote control has taken the operator further from immediate face area hazards, it has increased work crew exposure to known hazards and introduced them to new hazards. Fall of roof and rib as well as interaction with other running equipment are now major concerns for remote-control continuous mining machine operators and others working in the face area. Reducing exposure to these hazards requires a systematic evaluation method to address aspects of work procedures and work environment. This presentation will address the mine worker population at risk, review the associated accidents and fatalities, and describe the major worker safety issues specific to remote-control mining. In addition, NIOSH roof fall accident prevention research efforts will be described, and the injury/accident prevention techniques being implemented by the mining industry to reduce acute injuries from falls of roof will be presented. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Mining Mortality Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Occupational Injuries Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Coal-miners Coal-mining Injuries Injury-prevention Mine-disasters Miners Mining-equipment Mining-industry Mortality-data Occupational-accidents Occupational-exposure Occupational-hazards Risk-analysis Risk-factors Rock-bursts Rock-falls Traumatic-injuries Underground-mining Underwater-workers Work-environment Workers

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings ; Abstract
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PRC - Pittsburgh Research Center
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  61
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20027772
• Citation:
  NOIRS 1997 Abstracts of the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium 1997. Washington, DC: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1997 Oct; :61
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1998
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  NOIRS 1997 Abstracts of the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:78c337e7e6e1690fd0b98b249c211c4b9ac7a5f9f16d574a4f21bae718f37fb6a914729d3c7aee85afa089a9be7597676da2a47d72ad03ff50925133901eae7a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/221071/cdc_221071_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 13.35 KB ]