Exploratory analysis of Spanish energetic mining accidents

Using data on work accidents and annual mining statistics, the paper studies work-related accidents in the Spanish energetic mining sector in 1999-2008. The following 3 parameters are considered: age, experience and size of the mine (in number of workers) where the accident took place. The main objective of this paper is to show the relationship between different accident indicators: risk index (as an expression of the incidence), average duration index for the age and size of the mine variables (as a measure of the seriousness of an accident), and the gravity index for the various sizes of mines (which measures the seriousness of an accident, too). The conclusions of this study could be useful to develop suitable prevention policies that would contribute towards a decrease in work-related accidents in the Spanish energetic mining industry.     

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.     

近年来山西省煤矿事故特点及对策措施

为掌握近年来山西省煤矿事故的发生特点,基于2015年—2018年山西省煤矿事故数据并结合全国煤矿事故数据进行对比,对事故等级、类型、地点、企业性质、煤矿辖区5个维度进行统计分析。结果表明:煤炭价格与煤矿安全形势有正负影响;近年来山西省煤矿安全总体形势好于全国,但机电、运输事故频发,水害事故时有发生,需要对该类事故加强防范措施;回采工作面为事故多发地点,这与全国煤矿事故特点不尽相同;国有重点煤矿的事故起数、死亡人数均高于地方煤矿企业,这主要是由于国有重点煤矿数量多、产量大的原因。应同时努力提高员工素质,坚决落实安全责任制,实现煤矿企业的安全生产。     

Blood on the coal: The effect of organizational size and differentiation on coal mine accidents

Introduction

Each year, there are at least 100,000,000 occupational accidents and 100,000 occupational deaths in the world. In the United States, one of the safest countries in the world in which to work, there were more than 5,400 workplace fatalities and 5.9 million workplace injuries in 2007. The cost to American industry and taxpayers is estimated to be at least $170 billion per year. Further, as illustrated by accidents such as Three Mile Island and Bhopal, industrial accidents potentially impact a much wider sphere than that of the injured worker and his or her employer. As the repercussions of organizational accidents reverberate through organizations and are felt from human resources to accounting, firms are beginning to incorporate messages of safety in their missions and strategies. As firms organize to achieve safer work environments, they are faced with decisions on how to structure their activities in terms of, among other things, size and differentiation.

Method

This paper explores the impact on accident rates of size and differentiation at the corporate and mine levels of mining companies in an effort to create a framework for thinking about organizational accidents from a structural perspective.

Results

The results suggest that larger mines are safer than smaller mines, and that mines with less task diversity are safer than mines with greater task diversity. The results also suggest that at the corporate level, task diversity decreases mine accidents. These results may help mining executives and engineers structure their corporate activities and individual mines more effectively to help reduce accidents.     

Analysis of work related accidents in the Spanish mining sector from 1982-2006

Introduction

The rate for work related accidents in the Spanish mining sector is notably higher than in other countries such as the United States. It produces a very negative impact on the mining industry. This paper is the report of a study on serious and fatal accidents in Spanish mining from 1982-2006. It is based on the reports of 212 accidents (serious or fatal) carried out by the General Management of Energy and Mining of Catalonia (Spain). Method: The high work-related accident rate in the Spanish mining sector makes it necessary to carry out an analysis and research that can shed light on the causes of this high rate; this is the only way that a solution can be found. The study is based on Feyer and Williamson's analysis of accident causes, as they apply to 212 accidents. The types and causes of the accidents are coded according to the coding system used by the Spanish National Institute for Safety and Hygiene in the Workplace, which allows us to identify a series of direct causes and contributing factors in different accidents. Results If all the causes and factors that are present in the accidents are known, we are able to look for appropriate solutions to reduce them as much as possible. In short, we are able to come up with a series of conclusions that expose the weak links in the management of accident prevention in companies. This is helpful in the struggle to reduce work injuries in the Spanish mining sector.     

基于层次话题模型的煤矿安全事故致因要素研究

为促进安全发展,强化煤矿安全管理的科技支撑,在事故致因理论基础上,利用文本挖掘中的话题模型和创新性构建的层次致因要素话题模型,对我国2000—2015年发生的386起重特大煤矿事故调查报告进行了深入地挖掘、分析和研究。发现事故致因隐含的规律及各类事故之间的关联与共性,并进一步研究发现不同致因要素随时间的演化规律及致灾倾向,为煤矿安全管理找出重点,指导煤矿安全生产管理实践。     

倾斜井巷轨道运输事故的系统安全分析

在诸多煤矿发生的事故中 ,除一些恶性事故外 ,大部分伤亡事故属于运输事故。运输事故是煤矿三大事故之一 ,其对矿井的安全生产构成了严重威胁。笔者以倾斜井巷轨道运输事故为研究对象 ,利用系统安全分析方法中的 FTA(事故树分析法 )进行了定性分析和定量计算 ,寻找事故发生的原因 ,从而有的放矢地采取安全对策 ,以减少事故的发生。     

Methods to determine the mine gas explosibility – An overview

Mine gas explosions present a serious safety threat in the worldwide mining industry. Since the beginning of mining, many coal miners have been killed due to the explosions. Accordingly, on a regular basis, mine operators should get air samples from the underground atmosphere. At the same time, monitoring and tracking the explosibility of the air sample should be done as a timely matter to avoid any potential explosions. All these works can provide very important information to assist the mine operators to well understand the mine atmospheric status and its trends. In additional, when facing the coal spontaneous combustion, mine fire events, or other chemical reactions related mine accidents, determination of explosibility is a definitely significant work for the safety of miners and mine rescue personnel especially when planning and implementing any mine rescue strategies. For many years, mining engineers and researchers have developed a number of methods for assessing the explosibility of the air–gas-mixture. Their research results provide a baseline for judgments of the mine gas explosibility and in determining the extent of change. In this paper, main popular and typical methods used in mining industry to determine the mine gas explosibility are introduced and reviewed. Case demonstrations for each method are also shown and can be used to instruct readers to understand how to apply them. Finally, a brief discussion about the current methods is presented and some preliminary suggestions are also listed for the further improvements in the future research.     

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.     

Status and future tasks of coal mining safety in China

In general, contexts of coal mining safety involve technology, administration and socioeconomic environment as well. This paper presents statistical analysis of China coal mine accidents in recent years and analyzes the reasons causing coal mining high risk from technical and socioeconomic viewpoints. Social and economic reform has been unleashing social, economical factors that are driving a fundamental transformation of new workplace safety problems and making China coal mining safety take on Chinese features. Compared with major state-owned and local state-owned coalmines, township and village coalmines are most dangerous coal mines with highest occupational risks. The incidence and death toll of ceiling accidents are higher than those of accidents such as gas, machinery, electricity, transportation, flood, and fire. New organizational risks appeared with rapid development of state-owned coal mines’ reorganization. Low skilled labors restrict both technical renovation and safety management. The Government has adopted a systematic arrangement to improve coal mining safety such as closing the township and village coalmines that cannot meet the standard of safety, reinforcing the supervision over coal mining safety, strengthening technological renovation and enhancing work safety input.     

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。     

煤矿安全投入和安全成本的界定

安全投入不足是煤矿安全事故频发的主要原因之一。目前,安全投入与安全成本的概念存在着严重的模糊性。为此,笔者重新给出了安全成本的定义:在基准的安全标准下,发生的与安全有关的费用总和,包括安全投入和事故损失两部分。为了进一步明确安全成本与生产成本间的界限,还提出了从采矿方法、地质采矿技术条件、生产工艺环节等3个方面对安全成本与生产成本间的界限进行界定,以及对事故损失按照可列的直接经济损失、隐含的直接经济损失、可列的间接经济损失和隐含的间接经济损失等4个层次分别进行计量的建议。最后提出了发展煤炭科技、严格煤矿设计审查制度、制定煤矿安全成本统计标准、变革煤矿税费体系等应对措施。     

The potential impact of light emitting diode lighting on reducing mining injuries during operation and maintenance of lighting systems

Research by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicates that light emitting diodes (LEDs) can be used to enhance safety by improving a miner’s ability to see mining hazards and reducing glare. This paper investigates if LEDs provide another benefit by reducing miner exposure to hazards during maintenance and operation of LED lighting. LEDs could provide useful lives up to 50 times longer than incandescent lighting commonly used in mining and could enable design changes to reduce certain hazards. The mining accident records compiled by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) were examined to determine the extent and nature of accidents involving the maintenance and operation of mine luminaries. A total of 140 relevant accident records were found for the years 2002–2006. These incidents resulted in 3668 days lost from work with an additional 925 days of restricted activity. The injury narratives were studied to determine if the implementation of LED-based luminaries could reduce injury severity and frequency. The greatest near-term potential impacts appear to be related to reducing maintenance and cap lamp redesign. Longer term (5 years), low-power and lightweight auxiliary LED lighting for surface mines could also have potential impact for improving safety.     

Pilot sample risk analysis for underground coal mine fires and explosions using MSHA citation data

After three decades of sustained continuous improvement of mine safety performances in the US, mine disasters in 2006 and 2007 compromised an excellent record and presented new challenges and vulnerabilities for the underground coal mining industry. In the aftermath of the incidents, formal investigations and new scrutiny of mine safety by the US Congress and expert study groups followed. The US Congress passed the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act), which mandated new laws to address the issues, including those related to mine fires and explosions from which miners must be protected. The National Mining Association-sponsored Mine Safety Technology and Training Commission report highlighted the role of risk analysis and management in identifying and controlling major hazards, such as fires and explosions. In this paper an approach is given for analyzing the risks for fires and explosions based on the Mine Safety and Health Administration citation database. Using 2006 citation data and focusing on subsystem failures, the methodology is applied to a database for a pilot sample of underground coal mines stratified by mine size and state.     

Safety Management in Coal Mines—Risk Assessment

The present state of accident hazard at work in the Polish mining industry is presented. A comparison is made of the accident indices in relation to other countries. A reference is made to the work safety management system implemented in the mines. Safety management is discussed in terms of risk management. On the basis of the natural death index and that of accidents at work, numerical scales are presented defining the limits of the inadmissable, tolerable, and acceptable risk. The course of variation of risk indices for fatal, serious, and minor accidents is evaluated. The results of the assessment for all kinds of accidents at work in the mining industry are presented.     

"无事故管理”在梅山矿业公司的应用探讨

“无事故管理”是以安全事故为“零”的安全管理的新模式与新理念 ,是安全管理的一项创新。梅山矿业公司采矿场在安全管理上推行“无事故管理” ,保持采矿安全生产平稳态势     

煤矿瓦斯突出事故不安全动作原因统计分析

为了从行为控制角度预防煤与瓦斯突出事故,在对88起重特大瓦斯突出事故资料统计的基础上,分析了煤矿瓦斯突出事故的基本特征、事故直接原因不安全动作及其相关法规特征,结果表明,非瓦斯突出矿井也可能发生瓦斯突出,突出事故在小型、乡镇矿井仍占主要地位;不安全动作原因可归为突出危险工作面作业、未及时支护、突出后未强化实施综合防突措施等3类;突出危险工作面作业严重程度最高的3种动作为采煤机割煤、放炮、风镐落煤;不安全动作原因共违反了3种法律法规的14个条款。     

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.