Mining Publication: Machine-Related Injuries in the US Mining Industry and Priorities for Safety Research
Original creation date: May 2010
Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health studied mining accidents that involved a worker entangled in, struck by, or in contact with machinery or equipment in motion. The motivation for this study came from the large number of severe accidents, i.e. accidents resulting in a fatality or permanent disability, that are occurring despite available interventions. Accident descriptions were taken from an accident database maintained by the United States Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, and 562 accidents that occurred during 2000-2007 fit the search criteria. Machine-related accidents accounted for 41% of all severe accidents in the mining industry during this period. Machinery most often involved in these accidents included conveyors, rock bolting machines, milling machines and haulage equipment such as trucks and loaders. The most common activities associated with these accidents were operation of the machine and maintenance and repair. The current methods to safeguard workers near machinery include mechanical guarding around moving components, lockout/tagout of machine power during maintenance and backup alarms for mobile equipment. To decrease accidents further, researchers recommend additional efforts in the development of new control technologies, training materials and dissemination of information on best practices.
Authors: TM Ruff, PJ Coleman, LA Martini
Peer Reviewed Journal Article - May 2010
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20036900
Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot 2010 May; 17:Epub ahead of print
See Also
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- Innovative Safety Interventions: Feasibility of Using Intelligent Video for Machinery Applications
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- Mining Roof Bolting Machine Safety: A Study of the Drill Boom Vertical Velocity
- Peak Methane Concentrations During Coal Mining: An Analysis
- Programmable Electronic Mining Systems: Best Practice Recommendations (In Nine Parts): Part 2: 2.1 System Safety
- Programmable Electronic Mining Systems: Best Practice Recommendations (In Nine Parts): Part 8: 6.0 Safety File Guidance
- Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program