Tag: #minersafety

White House reviewing MSHA rule on surface mobile equipment safety

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Photo property of MSHA

Washington — A Mine Safety and Health Administration final rule that would require mine operators to have a written safety program for mobile and powered haulage equipment is a step closer to publication.

Received by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review on Sept. 8, the potential regulation would apply to operators with six or more miners and would cover equipment – except belt conveyors – at surface mines and surface areas of underground mines. The review is one of the final steps in the regulatory process. When the review is completed, MSHA will publish the final rule in the Federal Register.

“Mine operators would be required to assess hazards and risks and identify actions to reduce accidents related to surface mobile equipment,” MSHA says in the Spring 2023 regulatory agenda. “The operators would have flexibility to develop and implement a safety program that would work best for their mining conditions and operations.”

MSHA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in September 2021 and conducted a public hearing on the regulation in January 2022.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

MSHA: ‘We just need to put an end’ to the rise in mining deaths

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Arlington, VA — Mine Safety and Health Administration officials acknowledge that the industry is “not on a good track” for deaths this year.

Brian Goepfert, of MSHA’s metal/nonmetal mining safety division, made that declaration during a July 26 conference call for agency stakeholders. He also highlighted best practices to “curtail” the “alarming trend” of increasing deaths among miners.

As of Aug. 14, MSHA had recorded 27 industry fatalities this year, approaching the 30 the agency documented in 2022. MSHA reported 37 miner fatalities in 2021, ending a run of six straight years in which fewer than 30 miners died on the job.

Among the fatalities recorded to date in 2023, 11 were related to machinery incidents.

Goepfert offered guidance to help prevent fatal incidents related to machinery:

  • Follow the manufacturer manual and instructions. Pay special attention to the elimination of potential stored energy and avoid unintended movement of machinery when performing repairs or maintenance.
  • Stay out of swing areas, pinch points or other hazardous areas when working on or around machinery.
  • Perform adequate workplace examinations and preoperational inspections of mobile equipment.
  • Always wear a seat belt.

“When we see these accidents, and we post the fatality notices and the reports online, there’s not a lot of mystery behind them,” Goepfert said. “A lot of them are repeats, and we just need to put an end to those.”

MSHA administrator Chris Williamson emphasized the importance of the agency and stakeholders working together to mitigate deaths on the job.

“If we’re seeing trends, if we’re identifying things, if there are best practices, all of those things that we can share and collaborate on with everyone in the mining community – things that we know could make a difference and better protect miners and reduce serious and fatal accidents – our agency’s going to do that,” he said.

McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.

Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

MSHA issues alert on heat stress

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration is reminding mine operators of best practices for preventing heat stress and treating workers who become overheated.

heat stress

Photo: MSHA

In a recently published safety alert, MSHA says signs of heat stress include hot – and often dry, red or spotted – skin. The victim may be confused, have a pale or flushed face, and experience muscle cramps from a loss of sodium.

To help prevent heat stress:

  • Provide cool drinking water near miners, and encourage them to drink a cup of water every 15-20 minutes.
  • Avoid drinks with caffeine and large amounts of sugar.
  • Use sunblockers and proper protective clothing.
  • Set up shaded areas for workers to take a break.
  • Rotate miners on hot jobs and schedule physically demanding tasks during cooler times

When treating symptoms, remove the miner from the hot area and apply cool, wet cloths to aid in recovery. Don’t apply ice directly to the skin or allow the miner to become cold enough for shivering.

Give the miner water if they’re awake. If no improvement occurs, seek medical attention.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Original article published by Safety+Health

NIOSH details basics of self-escape plans for underground coal miners

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Washington — A new NIOSH document is intended to help underground coal miners be prepared for emergency escape.

Original article published by Safety+Health
self-escape plans for underground coal miners

Photo: NIOSH

Intended for mine operators, managers, safety professionals, mine workers and government agencies, the document offers guidance on nine core competency areas and related training topics:

  • Everyday preparedness
  • Situational awareness of mine layout
  • Emergency diagnosis and response
  • Wayfinding
  • Locating, donning and maintaining self-contained self-rescuers
  • Using self-contained self-rescuers
  • Communication
  • Refuge alternatives
  • Firefighting

The agency cites research showing that more than 80% of the 20-plus miners who died in three separate mine emergencies in 2006 survived the initial incident but died while attempting to escape. Ensuing investigations attributed “deficiencies in miners’ mastery of numerous critical self-escape” knowledge, skills and abilities to the fatalities while linking the deficiencies to “inadequate self-escape training.”

The miners’ deaths led to the Mine Improvement and New Emergency (MINER) Act of 2006. Although the act “strengthened existing self-escape training regulations” and requires an assessment of miners’ self-escape competencies, it doesn’t include guidance “on how to teach or evaluate” this knowledge, NIOSH says in the document.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Longwall Accidents – Safety Alert

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by MSHA

From January 2013 to March 2023, there have been 545 accidents on longwalls in underground coal mines, causing seven deaths and 333 serious injuries. These accidents occurred when miners were performing routine work such as shoveling coal, working on shields, moving equipment, installing bits on shear drums and installing supplemental ground support at the face and roof during recovery of longwall equipment.

Chart indicating number of longwall accidents over 10-years.
Photo property of MSHA
Best Practices
  • Follow the approved Roof Control Plan and train miners on the plan’s requirements.
  • Never travel or work under unsupported roof.
  • Examine the roof, face, and ribs, from a safe position.
  • Correct hazardous roof, face, or rib conditions before any work or travel is permitted in the affected area and during longwall recovery.
  • Be alert to changing roof/rib conditions especially during longwall recovery.
  • Install temporary roof support (posts, jacks, cribs) as required.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

May 17: Stand Down to Save Lives

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by MSHA

Stand Down save lives header logo

Photo: Mine Safety and Health Administration

Many accidents can be prevented with just a few minutes – or seconds – of precaution. The Stand Down to Save Lives is an opportunity for mine owners and operators to share safety measures that can prevent injuries and deaths. Host a toolbox talk, a discussion on common hazards, conduct workplace and equipment examinations, or provide longer training sessions.

Keep these best practices in mind as you Take Time, Save Lives:

OWNERS/OPERATORS: How can you improve safety and health programs, equipment, and hazard reporting to make them more effective?

SUPERVISORS: How can you improve training and examinations? Have you addressed any concerns raised prior to your shift?

MINERS: Do you have properly fitting protective equipment and are you fully trained on any you are operating?

Tell us about your Stand Down to Save Lives trainings and other events!

downloadable poster

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

NIOSH black lung screening program takes to the road

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

Photo by NIOSH

Washington — In an effort to detect cases of black lung disease, NIOSH will offer free, confidential health screenings for current and former coal miners in Indiana and Texas.

Black lung is another name for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, a deadly condition caused by exposure to respirable coal mine dust. Multiple studies show that cases are on the rise.

As part of the agency’s Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program, the NIOSH mobile testing unit is scheduled to conduct screenings April 17-20 in Carlisle, IN. After that, the unit will visit Longview, TX, on April 24-25, followed by a stop in Kosse, TX, on April 26-28. The series of screenings concludes with stops in the Texas towns of Jourdanton (May 1) and Christine (May 2-4).

Screenings last about 30 minutes and include:

  • Work history and respiratory questionnaires
  • Chest X-rays
  • Blood pressure screening
  • Lung function testing (spirometry)

“If black lung is caught early, steps can be taken to help prevent it from progressing to the most serious forms of the disease,” NIOSH Director John Howard said in a press release. “The NIOSH mobile unit provides underground, surface and contract miners with confidential screenings that can support next steps in reducing their exposure to coal dust.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA – Electrical Safety Alert

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by MSHA

Always Stay Out of the Line of (Electrical) Fire

Three Miners Electrocuted in Ten Days

Electrical-Safety-Alert.pdf

Alerta de seguridad eléctrica.pdf

On January 27, 2023, two truck drivers were electrocuted after an overhead power line came in contact with their trucks.  They exited the cabs of their trucks and came in contact with electrical energy.

On February 6, 2023, a haul truck driver raised the truck bed into an overhead power line.  The driver exited the truck to extinguish a fire on the truck’s tire and was electrocuted when he tried to reenter the truck.

Always Stay Out of the Line of (Electrical) Fire, three Miners Electrocuted in Ten Days, the power line voltage is 14,400.
Photo property of MSHA
Best Practices
  • Do not stage, park or position trucks, cranes, or other equipment under overhead power lines.
  • Post warning signs at all approaches to overhead power lines; install barricades where necessary.
  • Establish safe approaches and create safe zones for raising and lowering truck beds, booms, and masts.
  • If your truck, boom, or mast contacts an overhead power line:
    • Remain inside the vehicle
    • Call emergency response personnel
    • Inform others to stay away
    • Exit the truck only if it is on fire.  To exit, jump from the truck landing with both feet together.  Do not touch the truck and ground at the same time.  Then, shuffle both feet as close as possible for at least 30 feet as you move away from the truck.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA offers safety info app in Spanish

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety+Health

mining-logo.jpg

Photo: Mine Safety and Health Administration

Arlington, VA — Now available in Spanish: a Mine Safety and Health Administration mobile app designed to promptly deliver safety and health information to miners and other members of the mining industry.

Users must switch their phone settings to Spanish to use the free resource in that language, the agency says.

The app features five main sections: Safety Topics, Health Topics, Miners’ Rights, About MSHA and Contact Us.

“Spanish-speaking miners throughout the United States now have access to important mine safety and health information and their rights as miners in the palm of their hands,” MSHA administrator Chris Williamson said in a press release, adding that the app is “a resource that empowers miners and helps them play active roles in mine safety and health.”

The app is available for iPhone and Android devices.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

OSHA and MSHA partner on poster and infographic on preventing heat illness

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety+Health
mining-workers.jpg

Photo: OSHA

Washington — A new poster and infographic from OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration offer best practices to help mine operators and workers prevent heat illness and heat-related hazards.

To start, the agencies recommend easing into work to build tolerance to heat. Almost 3 out of 4 fatalities related to heat illness occur during the first week of work, the poster states.

Other guidance:

  • Provide workers with heat stress training.
  • Implement mine planning, ventilation and air conditioning to reduce heat, when possible.
  • Promote reasonably short work periods and provide frequent rest breaks in cool areas.
  • Wear a hat and light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable clothing, when possible.
  • Drink at least 1 cup of cool water every 20 minutes, even if you aren’t thirsty.

Signs of heat illness include headache, nausea, dizziness, heavy sweating and elevated body temperature. Workers experiencing these symptoms shouldn’t be left alone and should be provided with water in a cool rest area.

If a worker exhibits abnormal thinking or behavior, slurred speech, seizures, or loss of consciousness, call 911 right away and use water or ice to cool the worker immediately. Remain with the worker until help arrives.

The agencies encourage mine operators and workers to use and distribute the poster and infographic.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.