Mining Publication: U.S. Bureau of Mines/NIOSH Mining Electrical Safety Research: A Legacy of Protection Against Shock, Fires, and Explosions
Original creation date: February 2010
This paper reviews the 100-year history of federal electrical safety research in the U.S mining industry, originally by the US Bureau of Mines, and as carried on today by NIOSH. First, there is a brief historical review of the use of electrical power in mining and an examination of the associated shock, fire, and explosion hazards. These hazards were the impetus for government intervention to improve the safety of U.S mineworkers. The evolution of electrical power systems and equipment in mining then serves as a backdrop for a review of continued electrical safety research. The paper concludes with a recap of the contributions made to mine worker electrical safety by federal research efforts, and thoughts on where the future will lead such research under NIOSH.
Authors: MR Yenchek, GT Homce
Conference Paper - February 2010
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20037020
2010 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 28 - March 3, Phoenix, Arizona. Littleton, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 2010; 45-57
See Also
- Electric Shock Prevention
- Electrical Accidents in the Mining Industry, 1990-1999
- Electrical Safety
- Further Study of the Intrinsic Safety of Internally Shorted Lithium and Lithium-ion Cells Within Methane-air
- Look Up, Look Down, Look Out
- Occupational Electrical Injuries in the United States, 1992-1998, and Recommendations for Safety Research
- A Performance Evaluation of Two Overhead Power Line Proximity Warning Devices
- Practical Risk Assessment Guidelines for Identifying, Assessing, and Mitigating Stored Energy Hazards in Underground Coal Mines During and After a Mine Emergency
- Reducing Non-Contact Electric Arc Injuries: An Investigation of Behavioral and Organizational Issues
- Technical Solutions for Enhancements to Mine Safety Using Barricade II Fire Blocking Gel
- Trends in Electrical Injury in the U.S., 1992-2002
- Page last reviewed: 9/21/2012
- Page last updated: 9/21/2012
- Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program