Workplace Safety Solution for Mining Safety - Mining

Mine safety is designed to prevent death, disease and injury in the mining industry and to promote safe workplaces for the miners. Mine safety covers a number of issues and  safety of personnel and equipment in the mining industry.

Dust inhalation or coal dust is one of the most common concerns for miners. Miner’s lung is a form of the occupational lung disease group pneumoconiosis. The effects of miner’s lung can vary in severity from shortness of breath to scarring of the lung tissue. Mining companies must have a dust control plan, and companies should ensure that the dust control instrumentation is working properly. Mine workers should be trained on the hazards of over-exposure to coal mine dust. Respiratory protection should also be used when dust control protection is being installed, maintained or repaired.

Most, if not all, mines are full of noise with the constant drilling and the use of heavy machinery. This leads to the potential for hearing damage. Most workers won’t notice the damage to their hearing until long after they were first exposed to the noisy environment. Over-exposure to excessive noise can result in tinnitus, sleep disturbances, concentration problems and even permanent hearing loss. To protect workers against noise, mining companies should evaluate working conditions and noise exposure through the use of dosimeters. Companies should ensure proper use of personal hearing protection amongst noise-exposed employees, while providing necessary health and safety training.

A common health risk that miners face is heat stress. Overexposure to heat and humidity can cause the body to become fatigued and distressed. When there is a possibility of heat stress, companies should consider the work rate, working climate, worker clothing and respiratory protective equipment. Possible steps to reduce heat stress is to control the temperature, reduce work rate, and lessen the length of exposure to the hot environment. To aid in reducing heat stress, workers should be using specialised protective clothing that incorporates personal cooling systems or breathable fabrics and using specific instrumentation to monitor the health of workers at risk.

• Here are typical areas of safety when discussing mine safety:
• Occupational Safety & Health
• Process & Production Safety
• Workplace Safety
• Fire & Explosion Safety
• Structural Safety
• Environmental Safety