Communications and Tracking Research Supports MINER Act

Details

• Personal Author:
  Reyes M
• Description:
  Driven by a series of tragic mining accidents, the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act was passed in June 2006. One of the clauses of the MINER Act mandated mine operators to adopt two-way wireless underground communications and electronic tracking systems that would allow personnel on the surface to communicate with and know the location of workers underground. The act prescribed action items and special focus areas related to mine safety and health, requiring mines to include detailed plans for two-way communications and tracking in their Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) and to have the systems installed by June 2009. When the act was passed, limitations existed relative to the commercially available products and the technologies that could potentially be applied to underground mining environments. As a result, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) formed an interagency working group to investigate technology and research developments that could be applied to mining. The group assessed the status of CT technologies and transferability potential to mining. The discussions ultimately revealed that viable new technologies were not yet available for mining or would not be fully developed by the 2009 deadline. Accordingly, NIOSH took a multifaceted approach to resolve this challenge.This approach supported the development of communications and tracking systems through both extramural collaborations and intramural research. The effort was funded by two Emergency Supplemental Appropriations acts designed to award contracts and grants to develop new and enhance existing CT technologies. NIOSH also formed a CT research group within the mining program to provide intramural research support to expedite the development through modeling and measurement of existing and emerging technologies. This approach led to significant impacts and aided in the advancement of systems that exist in mines today, such as those based on ultra-high frequency (UHF), medium frequency (MF), through-the-earth (TTE) and tracking technologies. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Communication Disaster Planning Electrical Equipment And Supplies Emergencies Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Coal Mining Communication Research Communications Equipment Communication Systems Disaster Planning Disaster Response Electronic Devices Emergency Equipment Emergency Preparedness Environmental Technology Legislation Mine Rescue Mine Safety Mining Engineering Mining Industry Technology Transfer Underground Mines Underground Mining

  More +
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  1091-0646
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PMRD - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  42-44
• Volume:
  121
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049154
• Citation:
  Coal Age 2016 Nov-Dec; 121(11):42-44
• Email:
  mareyes@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Coal Age
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d463b5aeef9d07cea8f1e3cf5b40b5c80a63b3bcea0f8bc9d889e67aae68738453cdb9061d91ddc92a0b77e9bca672405f72c1c6ca4dad0f6bcd2a9f0800c2da
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/228329/cdc_228329_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.48 MB ]