Risk assessment: an approach to control hazards in mines

Accidents and injuries related to work are major occupational health problems in most of the industrialized countries.Traditional approaches to manage workplace safety in mines have mainly focused on job redesign and technical aspects of engineering systems.It is being realized that compliance to rules and regulations of mines is a prerequisite;however,it is not sufficient to achieve further reduction in accident and injury rates in mines.Proactive approaches are necessary to further improve the safety standards in mines.Unsafe conditions and practices in mines lead to a number of accidents,which in turn may cause loss and injury to human lives,damages to property,and loss of production.Hazard identification and risk assessment is an important task for the mining industry which needs to consider all the risk factors at workplaces.Applications of risk management approaches in mines are necessary to identify and quantify potential hazards and to suggest effective solutions.In this paper,the following risk estimation techniques were discussed:(i)DGMS(Directorate General of Mines Safety,India)risk rating criterion,and(ii)a matrix based approach.The proposed tools were demonstrated through an application in an opencast coal mine in India.It was inferred that the risk assessment approach can be used as an effective tool to indentify and control hazards in mines.     

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。     

Have government regulations improved workplace safety? : A test of the asynchronous regulatory effects in China's coal industry, 1995-2006

Problem

Empirical studies on the effectiveness of workplace safety regulations are inconclusive. This study hypothesizes that the asynchronous effects of safety regulations occur because regulations need time to become effective. Safety regulations will work initially by reducing the most serious accidents, and later by improving overall safety performance.

Method

The hypothesis is tested by studying a provincial level aggregate panel dataset for China's coal industry using two different models with different sets of dependent variables: a fixed-effects model on mortality rate, which is defined as fatalities per 1,000 employees; and a negative binominal model on the annual number (frequency) of disastrous accidents.

Results

Safety regulations can reduce the frequency of disastrous accidents, but have not reduced mortality rate, which represents overall safety performance.

Discussion and summary

Policy recommendations are made, including shifting production from small to large mines through industrial consolidation, improving the safety performance of large mines, addressing consequences of decentralization, and facilitating the implementation of regulations through carrying on institutional actions and supporting legislation.

Impact on industry

Until recently, about 4,000 coal miners perished annually in China, demonstrating that workplace safety in China's coal industry is an urgent and important issue. This research provides evidence that safety regulations have asynchronous effects and identifies the priorities in improving safety in China's current coal mining. This may assist the Chinese government to design more effective safety improvement policies and improve the effectiveness of safety regulations and safety performance.     

Safety in the mining industry and the unfinished legacy of mining accidents: Safety levers and defense-in-depth for addressing mining hazards

Mining remains one of the most hazardous occupations worldwide and underground coal mines are especially notorious for their high accident rates. In this work, we provide an overview of the broad and multi-faceted topic of safety in the mining industry. After reviewing some statistics of mining accidents in the United States, we focus on one pervasive and deadly failure mode in mines, namely explosions. The repeated occurrence of mine explosions, often in similar manner, is the loud unfinished legacy of mining accidents and their occurrence in the 21st century is inexcusable and should constitute a strong call for action for all stakeholders in this industry to settle this problem. We analyze one such recent mine disaster in which deficiencies in various safety barriers failed to prevent the accident initiating event from occurring, then subsequent lines of defense failed to block this accident scenario from unfolding and to mitigate its consequences. We identify the technical, organizational, and regulatory deficiencies that failed to prevent the escalation of the mine hazards into an accident, and the accident into a “disaster”. This case study provides an opportunity to illustrate several concepts that help describe the phenomenology of accidents, such as initiating events, precursor or lead indicator, and accident pathogen. Next, we introduce the safety principle of defense-in-depth, which is the basis for regulations and risk-informed decisions by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and we examine its relevance and applicability to the mining system in support of accident prevention and coordinating actions on all the safety levers, technical, organizational, and regulatory to improve mining safety. The mining system includes the physical confines and characteristics of the mine, the equipment in the mine, the individuals and the organization that operate the mine, as well as the processes and regulatory constraints under which the mine operates. We conclude this article with the proposition for the establishment of defense-in-depth as the guiding safety principle for the mining industry and we indicate possible benefits for adopting this structured hazard-centric system approach to mining safety.     

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。     

Application of association rules in Iranian Railways (RAI) accident data analysis

The demand to travel by rail is ever increasing because it benefits both passengers and freight; therefore it is of utmost importance for railway administrators to carry passengers and freight safely to their destinations. Undergoing safety procedures and developing safety systems require awareness of what is causing unsafe conditions. This can be accomplished by learning from the past. This research has been performed to analyze the data from past accidents of the Iranian Railway (RAI) by applying association rules data mining techniques in order to discover and reveal unknown relationships and patterns among the data. By the application of CRISP-DM as the data mining methodology and utilizing Clementine 12.0 as the software tool, the mentioned objectives of this paper were fulfilled. For this research some 6500 accident records were selected from the accidents database from 1996 to 2005. The ultimate relationships and patterns extracted can been utilized to develop regulations and rules. This research considers accident conditions and relationships discovered among the most common accident factors (human error, wagon and track) with other fields of the database in order to prevent them from occurring in the future.     

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.     

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.     

矿山机械安全技术的现状与对策

从机械故障诊断、机械安全设计、机械安全法规及标准、煤矿安全认证和人员培训等方面,简述机械安全技术的现状及发展趋势;指出目前我国矿山机械安全技术领域存在的主要问题。提出加强高级技术人才培养,强化操作人员培训;建立矿山机械安全设计体系,加强矿山机械高防爆性能的本质安全设计;制定和完善矿山机械安全法规及标准,落实煤矿安全认证和监察;加大技改资金的投入力度等重要对策和措施。逐步提高矿山机械安全技术水平,从而保障煤炭生产设备的安全高效运行。     

大型露天煤矿绿色开采评价体系研究

为解决露天煤矿开采给环境带来的诸多不利影响,以露天煤矿绿色开采为理念,从固体环境、水体环境、气体环境和生态环境4个方面构建了露天煤矿绿色开采评价体系。通过数学方法和数学模型对影响露天煤矿的基本指标进行量化处理和权重分配,得出露天煤矿开采"绿色度"指标值。建立了露天煤矿绿色开采评价标准,并利用所建立的评价指标体系和评价模型对黑岱沟露天煤矿进行了应用研究。     

National culture and safe work behaviour of construction workers in Pakistan

It is widely accepted that unsafe behaviour is intrinsically linked to workplace accidents. A positive correlation exists between workers’ safe behaviour and safety climate on construction sites. Construction workers’ attitude towards safety is influenced by their perception of risk, management, safety rules and procedures. Pakistan, a developing country, is currently experiencing a strong growth in its construction activities. Unfortunately, the enforcement of safety regulations in Pakistan is not widespread. Indeed, some relevant regulations are both outdated and irrelevant to daily construction operations. This paper investigates local construction workers’ behaviour, perception and attitude toward safety, and attempts to link the research findings to the influence of national culture. A three-part interview-based questionnaire survey has identified that the majority of workers have a good degree of risk awareness and self-rated competence. Additionally, workers’ intentional behaviour was empirically explained by their attitudes towards their own and management’s safety responsibilities, as well as their perception of the risk they are generally exposed to in their workplace. The paper also reveals that workers operating in a more collective and higher uncertainty avoidance environment, are more likely to have safety awareness and beliefs, which can exhibit safer on-site behaviour.     

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.     

小煤矿安全监控系统管理探讨

调查了四川省各地区小煤矿安全监控系统普遍存在的问题及严峻形势。对于煤矿企业专业技术人才匮乏,业主安全意识淡薄,县级安全测控仪器检修中心服务不到位等现象,分析存在问题的具体原因。同时,提出日常监督管理的建议及措施,保证煤矿安全监控系统和煤矿安全生产"六大系统"建设工作的正常运作,确保煤矿安全实时监控充分发挥煤矿数字化瓦斯远程监控的重要作用。     

Mechanical Equipment Injuries in Small Manufacturing Businesses. Knowledge,Behavioral, and Management Issues

This paper presents findings from an extensive study intofactors that impact upon the high rate of injuries due to mechanical equipment, especially in small manufacturing firms. Issues relating to knowledge of health and safety issues and to management practices have been shown to be extremely important with regards to safety in smaii businesses. Knowledge and awareness of hazards were found to be relatively low and few respondents, especially managers, had received adequate safety training. Managers did not regard the identification and control of risks as a priority. Workplaces generally lacked effective safety management procedures such as safety rules and regulations, procedures for recording and learning from accidents, and clearly defined responsibilities for safety. Some issues requiring further investigation, and some recommendations for improving safety in small businesses, are presented.     

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.     

基于应急避难空间的矿山安全防护体系研究

提出以应急避难空间为基础的煤矿新型安全防护体系,通过在井下布置救生舱、避难所与矿井各系统结合形成救援网络,可在煤矿事故中为被困作业人员提供应急避难空间避难,降低煤矿事故死亡率。提出了救生舱、避难所在矿井中的基本布置原则,并以山西某煤矿为实例进行安全体系建设研究,指出避难室、救生舱在矿井实际条件中的设置原则和方法,以及新型安全防护体系的发展方向,为我国煤矿新型安全防护体系构建提出指导性依据。     

The internet of things (IOT) and cloud computing (CC) based tailings dam monitoring and pre-alarm system in mines

Tailings disposal is a significant consideration for the mining industry, with the majority of the ore processed in most mining operations ending up as tailings. Several tailings dam failure accidents have occurred during the past few years and mine tailings dam failures, which are disastrous with the serious damage and the loss of lives, are occurring at relatively high rates. To improve the tailings dam safety, a tailings dam monitoring and pre-alarm system (TDMPAS) based on the internet of things (IOT) and cloud computing (CC) is accomplished with the abilities of real-time monitoring of the saturated line, impounded water level and the dam deformation. TDMPAS has helped the mine engineers monitor the dam safety 24/7 and acquire pre-alarm information automatically and remotely in any kind of weather conditions. TDMPAS has been applied in several mines and has demonstrated the feasibility of monitoring the tailings dam physical condition.     

世界主要产煤国家煤矿安全生产现状及发展趋势

通过对近20年世界煤炭产量进行统计,分析世界煤炭产量变化趋势,表明世界煤炭产量近年来呈明显增长态势,其中十大产煤国家的产量占到了世界总产量的88.7%。选择美国、印度、俄罗斯、南非、波兰和乌克兰等6个世界主要产煤国家进行煤矿安全生产状况的统计、分析和研究,总结世界主要产煤国家煤矿安全发展趋势。研究表明:20世纪70年代以来,世界各主要产煤国家的煤矿安全状况都有不同程度的改善,事故死亡人数不断降低。总体来看,世界主要产煤国家的煤矿安全生产状况发展并不均衡,发达国家好于发展中国家。发达国家通过建立和完善煤矿安全法律法规、监管监察、科技支撑和教育培训四大体系实现了煤矿安全状况的显著改善。     

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。     

我国非煤矿山安全生产科技进展与科技需求分析

在我国所称非煤矿山是指除去煤矿之外的所有矿山,包括露天矿山、地下矿山和联合开采矿山。近年来,我国针对非煤矿山安全重大科技问题开展了一些研究工作,科技投入有较大幅度增加,开展的国家“十一五”重点支撑项目“非煤矿山典型灾害防治关键技术研究与示范工程”等取得了一些成果。但是,非煤矿山的重大和特别重大生产安全事故发生频率仍处于较高水平,安全生产形势依然严峻,很多非煤矿山重大技术难题仍没有得到解决,急需研究适应我国非煤矿山特点的尾矿库安全技术、采空区治理技术、深井开采安全技术、高风险气田开发安全技术、自然灾害次生衍生生产安全事故预防技术等。