Safety In Surface Coal Mining (1978)

surface mining is as old as the coal industry itself in the beginning early miners used pick and shovel to dig and dispose of the overburden the Earth that covered the coal when the overburden became too thick or heavy for hand removal horses with plows and scrapers were adopted as the uses for coal increased as coal became more important to our country's industrial progress surface mining took on an added impetus from the outgrowth of the invention of the steam shovel mechanization began to fully Encompass stripping operation Earth moving machines run by electric power gas and diesel engines and Equipment using Hydraulics and compressed air were developed to advance the technique of service Mining and eliminate most of the hand labor in the production of coal as surface mines grew in size and number the equipment required to operate them was built larger more flexible and maneuverable [Music] um today coal increasingly plays a vital role in helping meet existing energy needs and surface mines continue to grow in number and size in some states as many as 50 different seams of coal occur seam thicknesses vary from a few inches up to 100 feet as do the partings between them and many of the seams are steeply pitched due to displacement because of these geographic features multiple seam mining is on the increase [Music] and the equipment continues to increase in size sophistication and speed in an effort to make surface mining as highly productive as possible [Music] but because of this greater increase in activity of men and Machinery mining accidents are also on the rise [Music] foreign [Music] show that the kind of accidents that cause the greatest number of fatalities involve machinery and haulage equipment operators of all mobile equipment must learn to keep their vehicle under control at all times to be alert and use good judgment in their driving practices [Music] many fatalities occur during the operation of bulldozers or crawler type tractors the victim is usually crushed by the equipment after driving off roads or benches falling or being thrown from the machine job experience has shown that wearing seat belts helps reduce fatalities as an operator of heavy equipment it is your responsibility to see that your vehicle is in safe operating condition before you use it and you must see that it's kept that way when starting your work shift first make a safety inspection of your machine especially important are the brakes and steering it is important that you follow a regular definite safety inspection procedure that also includes the tires horn backup alarms lights windshield wipers clutch and other controls if there are any defects that affect the safe operation of your equipment report them to your supervisor immediately do not use a vehicle until the necessary correction or maintenance is made maintenance on your vehicle will be performed by maintenance Personnel but you as an operator are responsible for the safe operation of the vehicle you're driving foreign [Music] speed must be consistent with the condition of the roadway especially when traveling downgrade your side of the road [Music] maintain a safe distance from other vehicles be alert watch for obstacles in the roadway sound your horn when it is necessary to give warnings [Music] along with being cautious a truck driver should be courteous a loaded Haul truck cannot be maneuvered as easily as an empty one empty Haul trucks and all other vehicles on haulage roads must yield to loaded coal haulers [Music] foreign ERS must know the traffic pattern traffic flow procedures and particular haul its Road problems for their mind [Music] [Music] be especially careful when entering congested areas you must understand your job give it your full intention and do it not only efficiently but safely [Music] always look to the rear and to the sides before backing up make certain that nothing is in the way and it's on your horn or back up alarm you're backing up to a dumping point where there is no suitable berm or stop blocks to prevent your going over the edge there should be someone to direct you [Music] never depend upon guesswork or chance taking when your life may be in danger the only sure thing is a safe thing Hoppers were designed and installed to make unloading as fast and efficient as possible all trucks often barely stop to unload whether you're driving or working near a hopper be alert and cautious [Applause] if you must Park on a grade turn the wheels into the bank or block them you leave your vehicle shut the power off and set the brake today's surface coal mining methods are complex highly mechanized and involve the use of a lot of moving equipment and the need for many operators no matter what kind of equipment you operate you must keep it under control at all times to do this you should know the mechanical principles of your machine be knowledgeable and skilled in his operation and be in good physical and mental condition in many surface mining operations coal hauling is done by conveyor belts these conveyors present their own safety hazards injuries and fatalities occur when workers are caught by the belts or the rollers and squeezed pinched or crushed between them safety training and more effective guards to cover pinch points seem to be the best Solutions an important reminder is that with belts as well as any other moving equipment shut it down before attempting any maintenance when belts are not guarded they must be equipped with emergency stop devices along their full length in addition to truck and conveyor haulage Mines May use rail haulage this particular mine uses a remote control electric train to convey coal from the Line Truck dump point to the cleaning plant some point the goal loading areas present a danger because the operator may not be able to see all the parts of his operation [Music] foreign [Music] automatic Audible and visible warnings are given to alert people to move themselves and their equipment out of the way [Music] [Music] some of the most hazardous activities and service mining operations are those which involve maintenance and repair accident records show that the greasing and oiling of equipment had the list of Maintenance activities in Which injuries and fatalities occur [Music] the tremendous size of much surface mining equipment makes direct communication between operators and maintenance people difficult but this communication can be vitally important the most frequent cause of accidents involving maintenance people is the attempt to lubricate moving machinery foreign the operator of what you intend to do and have the equipment shut down before you attempt any maintenance [Music] when maintenance is performed on the structural part of a boom the boom shall be lowered to the ground or blocked securely [Music] welding is another maintenance activity that can be quite hazardous welders and Cutters should know and follow the safety practices that apply to their work goggles helmets or Shields must be worn to protect the eyes and skin from harmful light rays and from flying metal chips and other material the use of welding Shields or other appropriate screening methods may be needed to protect co-workers from flash Burns if welding is being done on Elevated Places either a platform with a railing or a safety belt with a Lifeline should be used [Music] when welding or cutting must be done near combustible materials precautions may have to be taken to prevent Sparks or hot metal slag from starting fires if you spill any grease oil or other flammable materials clean it up before starting welding operations and keep adequate fire protection nearby [Music] after welding or cutting is completed the hot metal is marked for a warning sign posted to keep workers away from the heated surfaces Good Housekeeping principles and safe working practices must be followed at all times during welding operations if accidents and injuries are to be prevented slipping and falling while getting on and off large equipment accounts for many disabling injuries in surface mining if the steps or ladders are wet or Slippery from weather conditions or spilled grease or oil the hazard becomes greater operators should never jump off of equipment back injuries strains and sprains may result handrails and grab bars should always be used when leaving machinery be sure of your footing take one step at a time do not climb up or down ladders while carrying anything in your hands you need both hands to hold on or to catch yourself in case of a slip power to operate much surface mining equipment is supplied by high voltage power lines these and Commercial power lines present hazards to operators of mobile equipment with high booms or masts fatal accidents have occurred to The Operators of high-masted vehicles which have come into contact with power lines it is possible for this to happen where the master boom simply comes into close proximity of high-powered lines prevent this the boom must be lowered well before coming near to or passing under the lines metallic shielding for high voltage trailing cables supplying power to mobile or portable equipment is now a safety requirement [Music] also required for your safety is ground fault protection on alternating current circuits the ground fault protection automatically removes power from the circuit when a wire contacts birth or the metal frame of equipment grounded to Earth [Music] safety standards call for improved elimination of surface coal mines sufficient to provide safer working conditions in all working areas particularly in the vicinity of structures and machines [Music] other safety standards for surface coal mines are continually being revised and updated in order to provide the best protection possible for our Mine Workers to reduce mining deaths and injuries among the significant proposals are stricter standards for safely controlling mine High walls pits and spoil Banks they must be properly sloped at not too steep of an angle all hazardous walls shall be scaled down before any other work is performed and employees shall not work between equipment and pit walls where there is not adequate clearance to escape falling material or moving equipment Gary you see that bad high wall you better get that machine out of there [Music] blasting at surface mines is another potentially hazardous operation explosives trucks must be well marked safe and careful driving habits such as proper parking procedure are more important than ever in all stages of the blasting operation safety procedures must be rigidly followed thank you once the blasting area is ready and all traffic near the area has been stopped at a safe distance and mine Personnel are at a safe distance or under sufficient cover a loud warning signal must be given [Music] [Music] after the blast no one is allowed to re-enter the area until it has been checked for possible burning explosives or misfired holes and then only after the all clear signal has been given [Music] attitude has a lot to do with your job performance don't bring your problems worries preoccupations with you to your job this will only decrease your own personal awareness and increase your chance of injury while you're at work be conscious of where your thoughts are put them wholly on your job and the safe way of doing that job very useful piece of equipment around the coal mine yeah they can be a very dangerous piece of equipment before you even record show that employees with less than one year of job experience are involved in the greatest number of accidents it is apparent therefore that these workers need improved training procedures to introduce them to surface mining to new occupations and to new operations over the bucket and see it a distance make sure you don't run into any object or anyone [Music] at the end of mining operations comes land restoration and reclamation as in any other mining operation land restoration calls for safety awareness and precautions the equipment used for restoration must work on steep grades slopes and spoil Banks where there is danger of slips and slides and of losing control and overturning to perform this restoration requires extensive ecological system studies planning and engineering the object is to reconstitute the disturbed land areas to return the land to a usable and aesthetically pleasing condition [Music] restoration is a continuing and long-range project [Music] safety two is a continuing and long-range project safety must be observed in all aspects of the production of coal [Music] coal a valuable source of energy [Music] we need it today more than ever and we need a way to get to it safely safety practices and surface coal mining will help to satisfy these needs [Music] foreign [Music]