Analysis of fatalities and injuries involving mining equipment

INTRODUCTION: Despite significant reductions, the number of injuries and fatalities in mining remains high. A persistent area of concern continues to be equipment-related incidents. METHOD: Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and Current Population Survey (CPS) data were used to examine equipment-related injuries over the period 1995-2004. Incidents were reviewed to determine which types of mining equipment were most often involved and to identify and characterize trends. RESULTS: Non-powered hand tools was the equipment category most often involved with non-fatal injuries while off-road ore haulage was the most common source of fatalities. SUMMARY: Younger employees had an elevated risk of injury while workers >55 years had an elevated risk for fatality. A large majority of incidents involve workers with <5 years experience. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Results should increase hazard awareness and enable mine management to select and prioritize problem areas and safety system weaknesses in both underground and surface mining.     

试论安全人机工程学在矿业安全中的应用

安全人机工程学是一门新兴边缘学科。本文探讨它在矿业安全工程中的应用实践。根据人机功能特性及人机系统设计原理,分析了矿井通风及灾变防治中人机功能分配。综合应用电子、计算机、专家系统等新技术进行矿井正常通风模拟和调节以及灾变状态摸拟和控制系统的设计。提出了创造一个安全、卫生和舒适的井下环境的有益措施,以利于提高矿工的安全健康水平和工作效率。     

Blasting injuries in surface mining with emphasis on flyrock and blast area security

PROBLEM: Blasting is a hazardous component of surface mining. Serious injuries and fatalities result from improper judgment or practice during rock blasting. This paper describes several fatal injury case studies, analyzes causative factors, and emphasizes preventive measures. METHOD: This study examines publications by MSHA, USGS, and other authors. The primary source of information was MSHA's injury-related publications. RESULTS: During the 21-year period from 1978 to 1998, the mean yearly explosive-related injuries (fatal and nonfatal) for surface coal mines was 8.86 (95% CI: 6.38-11.33), and for surface metal/nonmetal mines 10.76 (95% CI: 8.39-13.14). Flyrock and lack of blast area security accounted for 68.2% of these injuries. This paper reviews several case studies of fatal injuries. Case studies indicate that the causative factors for fatal injuries are primarily personal and task-related and to some extent environmental. A reduction in the annual injuries in surface coal mines was observed during the 10-year period of 1989-1998 [5.80 (95% CI: 2.71-8.89) compared to the previous 10-year period of 1979-1988 [10.90 (95% CI: 7.77-14.14)]. However, such reduction was not noticed in the metal/nonmetal sector (i.e., 9.30 [95% CI: 6.84-11.76] for the period 1989-1998 compared with 11.00 [95% CI: 7.11-14.89] for the period 1979-1988). DISCUSSION: A multifaceted injury prevention approach consisting of behavioral/educational, administrative/regulatory, and engineering interventions merits consideration. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The mining community, especially the blasters, will find useful information on causative factors and preventive measures to mitigate injuries due to flyrock and lack of blast area security in surface blasting. Discussion of case studies during safety meetings will help to mitigate fatal injuries and derive important payoffs in terms of lower risks and costs of injuries.     

金属非金属矿山标准化建设研究

当前我国金属非金属矿山生产安全事故总量呈较大幅度的下降，但生产安全形势依然严峻。为了提高我国金属非金属矿山生产安全水平，根据工作实际需要，国家安全监管总局制定了《金属非金属矿山安全标准化规范》。本文详细论述了《规范》的重要地位和作用，以及在标准化建设过程中应把握的重点环节和具体措施，为《规范》的实行提供了有利的指导。     

Reducing non-contact electric arc injuries: an investigation of behavioral and organizational issues

PROBLEM: It is estimated that 5 to 10 arc flash explosions occur in electric equipment every day in the United States. In the mining industry the largest single injury category of electrical injuries are caused by non-contact electrical arcs. METHOD: This investigation progressed in two phases: (a) 836 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reports of electric arcing incidents that occurred over a period of 11 years were reviewed, and (b) personal interviews were conducted with 32 individuals. A theoretical Safe Job Performance Model guided the study. RESULTS: Behavioral dimensions were identified and included the effect of worker experience, judgment and decision-making ability, behavioral and organizational controls, and safety culture. SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted an investigation of behavioral components associated with arc flash incidents and developed recommendations for interventions based on findings. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: This study fills a vacuum in electrical training with a focus on the organizational and behavioral aspects of arc flash incidents. The research is cross-cutting in its scope, in that the results apply not only to mining and construction, but many other industries employing electricians. Although the majority of mine electrical injuries are the results of burns from electrical arcs, few miners are aware that such a hazard exists. A safety training program, which includes a video and an instructor's discussion guide, was developed for electricians based on this study's findings. "Arc Flash Awareness" was released in 2007 (DHHS NIOSH Publication No.2007-116D) and is available through 1-800 CDC INFO. Phone: 1-800 232-4636 or email cdcinfo@cdc.gov. It is also available from MSHA at MSHADistribution@dol.gov or 304-256-3257 (DVD-576). Private industry is producing Portuguese and Spanish language translations.     

The effectiveness of the revised scaffold safety standard in the construction industry

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the revised scaffold safety standard in the construction industry and to evaluate time trend analyses on scaffold-related fatalities and injuries, as well as inspections conducted and cited violations of the scaffold safety standard set forth in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 1926, Subpart L. Data on scaffold-related fatalities, injuries, and lost workdays, as well as cited violations of scaffold safety, were assembled from sources such as the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Integrated Management Information System, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data for the period prior to the revision of the standard were compared with data from the period after the revision. We used autoregressive analyses to evaluate the percentage of change in the mean scaffold-related fatalities, injuries and lost workdays and in the OSHA inspections and cited violations of scaffold safety. Effectiveness analysis was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the revised scaffold safety standard in preventing fatal or nonfatal injuries in the construction industry. Complying with the revised scaffold safety standard would prevent approximately 4.6 fatalities, 404 nonfatal injuries, and 2896 lost workdays per year. A total cost savings associated with compliance was estimated at $5.8 million (2001 US$) per year. Compliance with the revised scaffold safety standard would provide a safer workplace and generate a significant cost saving in the construction industry.     

A new practical approach to risk management for underground mining project in Quebec

The mining industry worldwide is currently experiencing an economic boom that is contributing to economic recovery and social progress in many countries. For this to continue, the mining industry must meet several challenges associated with the start-up of new projects. In a highly complex and uncertain environment, rigorous management of risks remains indispensable in order to repel threats to the success of mining.In this article, a new practical approach to risk management in mining projects is presented. This approach is based on a novel concept called “hazard concentration” and on the multi-criteria analysis method known as the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The aim of the study is to extend the use of this approach to goldmines throughout Quebec. The work is part of a larger research project of which the aim is to propose a method suitable for managing practically all risks inherent in mining projects.This study shows the importance of taking occupational health and safety (OHS) into account in all operational activities of the mine. All project risks identified by the team can be evaluated. An adaptable database cataloguing about 250 potential hazards in an underground goldmine was constructed. In spite of limitations, the results obtained in this study are potentially applicable throughout the Quebec mining sector.     

近塌陷区矿山公路开采沉降规律及安全性研究

由于受到地下开采扰动的影响,如何保证矿山公路的安全性是研究者们关注的焦点之一。从工程实际出发,基于三维几何建模软件和MIDAS/GTS有限元软件的结合技术,通过建立地表三维模型和矿体三维模型,构建了关于塌陷区沉降模拟的精细三维模型,开展了地下开采过程中临近塌陷区矿山公路沉降特性及其安全性的数值模拟研究。结果表明,随着地下开采强度和范围的增大,地表沉降的规模和程度都在不断增加,临近塌陷区的矿山公路及沿线边坡受到了地下采动的影响也变大;虽然总体仍保持稳定,但是在公路的局部区域存在一定的安全隐患;计算结果和实地调查的情况一致,故得到矿山公路的沉降特性规律为下一步塌陷区的安全有效处治提供了基础数据。     

The role of behavioral factors on safety management in underground mines

Traditional approaches on the prevention of accidents/injuries in mines reached its limit of effectiveness in improving safety performance and a fresh approach is utmost required. Behavioral safety analysis has been identified as an effective alternative in many industries. This paper is therefore sought to examine the role of behavioral factors on the occurrence of mine accidents and injuries through a case study. Data were collected from two neighboring underground coalmines operating under a large public sector organization of India. High–low plots and t-test were done to explore the differences between behavioral characteristics of accident involved (case) and non-involved (control) workers. How these differences could cause accidents/injuries in mines was estimated through structural equation modeling. The case study results show that accident group of workers (cases) are more job dissatisfied, negatively affected, and highly risk taking compared to the non-accident group of workers (controls). The accident model path analysis shows that negative affectivity, job dissatisfaction, and risk taking behaviors predict an increased number of injuries in mines. Apart from direct influences to work injuries, negative affectivity and job dissatisfaction make workers to take more risks and behave unsafely. These findings contribute to the design of safety programs including safety training, which should be behaviorally motivated. Mine safety management of the case study mines should outskirt their age old belief that accidents/injuries are due to hazardous nature of mining and only engineering control and regulatory monitoring are sufficient for improving safety of the mines. The multivariate analysis also shows that experience bears no relationships with work injury indicating that a less experienced worker is equally likely to be injured as an experienced worker. It implies that experience though helps workers in understanding the physical hazards, however, avoiding the imminent danger is much more behavioral. The variables negative affectivity, job dissatisfaction, and risk taking behaviors are therefore crucial in avoiding accident/injuries in mines.     

Factors associated with occupational injury severity in the New South Wales underground coal mining industry

The relationship between a large number of mine and mine worker characteristics and injury severity was examined using multiple regression techniques. The study was based on data extracted from the New South Wales (N.S.W.) Joint Coal Board's computer based accident/incident reporting system describing 21,372 non-fatal, lost-time injurious incidents that occurred in the N.S.W. underground coal mining industry during the 4 year period from 1 July 1986 to 30 June 1990. The number of days lost as a result of an injurious incident was the best available proxy measure of injury severity. Over the study period, the number of days lost per 100,000 tonnes of raw coal production declined by 73%. Over the same period, injurious incidents involving more than 20 days off work, which constituted only 16% of all injurious incidents in underground mines, resulted in 75% of the total days lost for the whole N.S.W. underground coal mining industry. Factors that had practical importance and that were significantly associated with injury severity included mine worker's age, part of the body injured, type of accident, agency of accident, and mine worker activity. Factors not important or not significant in their relationship with injury severity were: time into shift, previous hours worked, mine location of incident, occupation, work experience, frequency of task, shift, and mining region. This study suggests that factors related to the susceptibility of a mine worker's body tissue to damage or repair, and factors related to the concentration of energy on the mine worker by vehicle and environmental characteristics are important determinants of injury severity.     

Probability of death,disability, and restricted work activity in United States underground bituminous coal mines, 1975–1981

This study examined relationships between mine and miner characteristics and severity of 82,945 underground bituminous coal mine injuries using logistic regression techniques. Injuries were classified as severe if they resulted in death, disability, or restricted work activity. Supervisory and maintenance personnel were found to have fewer chances of severe injuries than “all other” job classifications. A shaft or slope had a lower association with severe injuries than the face. The probability of a severe injury increased each succeeding year from 1975 through 1981. Mining method was not related to degree of injury. Older miners had the same probability of severe injuries as younger miners. Weeks of experience in mining, on a particular job, and in a specific mine were not related to severity of injuries. Mobile equipment operators had the same chance of severe injuries as miners in “all other” job classifications. Accidents at intersections and “other” locations were as likely to produce severe injuries as those at the face. Elapsed shift time prior to an injury was not related to injury severity. The implications of these findings are discussed and recommendations made for future research.     

复采残采煤层小煤矿开采技术研究

平顶山市新华区为全国重点产煤县 (区 ) ,区内煤矿以乡镇小煤矿为主 ;小煤矿井田多位于平顶山煤业集团大型矿井浅部报废水平内 ,主要开采残留煤柱和采后剩余底部煤层。笔者根据新华区小煤矿生产的特点 ,总结、规范了复采残采煤层小煤矿井田开拓、采煤方法 ,重点研究了房柱式采煤法采准巷道布置和采煤工艺 ,特别是保持煤房稳定、提高采煤工作面安全生产的特殊支护问题 ;同时结合小煤矿生产中存在的主要问题 ,依据煤炭行业的法律、法规 ,提出了小煤矿采煤方法改进的技术措施。上述研究成果 ,对规范我国小煤矿的采煤方法、提高小煤矿的安全生产能力、推动小煤矿由数量型向质量效益型转化、发展地方经济都具有重要的现实意义。     

Values-in-action that support safe production

Introduction: Safe production is a sustainable approach to managing an organization’s operations that considers the interests of both management and workers as salient stakeholders in a productive and safe workplace. A supportive culture enacts values versus only espousing them. These values-in-action are beliefs shared by both management and workers that align what should happen in performing organizational routines to be safe and be productive with what actually is done. However, the operations and safety management literature provides little guidance on which values-in-action are most important to safe production and how they work together to create a supportive culture. Method: The researchers conducted exploratory case studies in 10 manufacturing plants of 9 firms. The researchers compared plant managers’ top-down perspectives on safety in the performance of work and workers’ bottom-up experiences of the safety climate and their rates of injury on the job. Each case study used data collected from interviewing multiple managers, the administration of a climate survey to workers and the examination of the plant’s injury rates over time as reported to its third party health and safety insurer. Results: The researchers found that plants with four values-in-action —a commitment to safety, discipline, prevention and participation—were capable of safe production, while plants without those values were neither safe nor productive. Where culture and climate aligned lower rates of injury were experienced. Discussion and conclusion: The four value-in-actions must all be present and work together in a self-reinforcing manner to engage workers and managers in achieving safe production. Practical application: Managers of both operations and safety functions do impact safety outcomes such as reducing injuries by creating a participatory environment that encourage learning that improves both safety and production routines.     

煤矿井下安全系统脆弱性的系统动力学仿真研究

为了深入探讨煤矿井下安全系统脆弱性的影响机理,针对煤矿井下安全环境的复杂性和特殊性,建立了煤矿井下安全系统脆弱性的系统动力学仿真模型,采用变异系数法确定各影响因素的权重系数,通过文献调研和问卷调查,完成了煤矿井下安全系统脆弱性仿真。结果表明:设备系统对安全系统暴露度效果最显著;环境系统对安全系统敏感度效果最显著;员工系统和管理系统对安全系统适应度效果最显著。为了有效提升煤矿井下安全系统水平,煤矿企业需要通过改进设备系统（尤其是员工安全保障品）来降低安全系统暴露度,通过完善环境管理（尤其是尘毒治理情况）来降低安全系统敏感度,通过加强员工系统和管理系统（尤其是员工违规操作和安全监督检查）来提升安全系统适应度。     

Applying Hierarchical Loglinear Models to Nonfatal Underground Coal Mine Accidents for Safety Management

Underground mining is considered to be one of the most dangerous industries and mining remains the most hazardous occupation. Categorical analysis of accident records may present valuable information for preventing accidents. In this study, hierarchical loglinear analysis was applied to occupational injuries that occurred in an underground coal mine. The main factors affecting the accidents were defined as occupation, area, reason, accident time and part of body affected. By considering subfactors of the main factors, multiway contingency tables were prepared and, thus, the probabilities that might affect nonfatal injuries were investigated. At the end of the study, important accident risk factors and job groups with a high probability of being exposed to those risk factors were determined. This article presents important information on decreasing the number accidents in underground coal mines.     

地下采矿安全信息管理系统开发与应用

地下矿床开采潜在着众多的事故隐患，因此，为了进行事故隐患预防和预测，进行矿山安全信息管理和事故分析就显得十分重要。针对金川矿区的地质、采矿条件，研究开发了集“安全信息管理与事故分析”于一体的计算机辅助系统。简要地介绍了该系统的功能、作用以及应用情况。     

煤矿安全生产协同监控系统分析与设计

针对煤矿安全生产多套监控系统并存的现状,通过将煤矿系统模块化,形成了基于安全信息管理数据库的安全生产协同监控系统.该系统能够以工作场所为单位综合分析各类安全信息,协调各部门的安全生产工作,为其提供参考,同时节约资源,减少操作人员,提高危险源辨识准确性,预测事故并将其消灭在萌芽状态,形成闭环安全管理.     

The role of risk avoidance and locus of control in workers’ near miss experiences: Implications for improving safety management systems

The process industry has made major advancements and is a leader in near-miss safety management, with several validated models and databases to track close call reports. However, organizational efforts to develop safe work procedures and rules do not guarantee that employees will behaviorally comply with them. Assuming that at some point, every safety management system will need to be examined and realigned to help prevent incidents on the job, it is important to understand how personality traits can impact workers' risk-based decisions. Such work has been done in the mining industry due to its characteristically high risks and the results can be gleaned to help the process industry realign goals and values with their workforce. In the current study, researchers cross-sectionally surveyed 1,334 miners from 20 mine sites across the United States, varying in size and commodity. The survey sought to understand how mineworkers' risk avoidance could impact their near miss incidents on the job – a common precursor to lost-time incidents. Multiple regressions showed that as a miner's level of risk avoidance increased by 1 unit in the 6-point response scale, the probability of experiencing a near miss significantly decreased by 30% when adjusting for relevant control variables. Additionally, a significant interaction between risk avoidance and locus of control suggested that the effect of risk avoidance on near misses is enhanced as a miner's locus of control increases. A one-unit increase in locus of control appends the base effect of risk avoidance on near misses with an additional 8% decrease in the probability. Findings are discussed from a near-miss safety management system perspective in terms of methods to foster both risk avoidance and locus of control in an effort to reduce the probability of near misses and lost time at the organizational level within the process industry and other high-hazard industries.     

矿山安全法规标准与监管体系的国内外对比分析及其启示

分析国外代表性国家的非煤矿山安全生产法规标准及管理体系,并与我国的情况进行对比,提出有关我国非煤矿山安全生产法规标准及管理体系的建议。通过国内外文献采集、网上检索和现场考察,分析美国、南非和澳大利亚的矿山安全与健康方面的管理机构16个、法律法规20部、标准1000余项以及矿山企业安全健康标准3个,并归纳其主要特征。可以得出以下结论:国外矿山安全法规标准的主要特征包括技术为主、多元开发、自愿实施、市场驱动、强调合规等5个方面;而矿山安全监管体系的主要特征则包括:以法律法规、实施监察、检测认证为主的监督监察体制,以教育培训、技术开发、应急救援为主的技术支撑体系,以伤病预防、人身康复、工伤补偿为主的工伤补偿制度等3个方面;笔者提出关于发展和完善我国的矿山安全标准和监管体系的建议。     

金属非金属矿山安全标准化核心思想和理论基础探讨

通过实施安全标准化能够提高企业安全管理和本质安全水平.金属非金属矿山安全管理现状和生产特点千差万别,要建设与实际水平相适应的标准化系统并得以正确实施,就需要充分理解标准化内涵,准确把握其核心思想和理论基础.金属非金属矿山安全标准化由14个核心要素组成,本文在分析金属非金属矿山安全标准化主要内容基础上,研究探讨了其基于风险管理的核心思想,分析提出了基于事故预防原理、系统性原理、人本原理和戴明原理等理论基础,以及全员参与、安全行为与态度等相关原则.