Mining Health and Safety Tips

23 February, 2017

Mining Health and Safety Tips

We are all aware that working within a mine is quite a risky profession. In fact, this is one of the most dangerous industries worldwide. Health and safety has always been a large issue in the overall working industry as numerous fatalities occur each year. As of 2001, more than 30 million people were employed in the mining industry. Despite that being only 1% of the world’s workforce, mining holds over 8% of workplace fatalities. Mining safety tips must be taken into consideration.

Safety and Health in Mines Convention (C176)

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is an agency under the United Nations that deals with international labor issues while promoting workers rights and opportunities. One of ILO’s goals is to hold annual labor conventions to create legally binding contracts for participating nations to ratify. During the Safety and Health in Mines Convention (C176), it was recognized that there are inherent hazards in the mining workplace, and a need for a convention was mandatory.

The outcome of the Convention is that miner’s health and safety is upheld and monitored through various actions involving the mining workplace. The responsible parties would be the government and employer of the countries that ratified the Convention. Laws outlined in the Convention ensure the health and safety of miners. The ILO adopted the Convention on June 22, 1995. As of the end of 2015, 31 nations have ratified the Convention. The ILO requires any nation that ratifies a convention to be legally bound to its rules.

Modern technology enables workers to enjoy greater levels of safety than ever before and yet, there are still a number of topics and procedures which should be covered in order to avoid any unforeseen circumstances. Let us take a look at some major concerns in greater detail.

Mining Safety Tips: Topics to Consider

The first aspect of proper mining safety is recognising that dangers can literally exist around every corner. Whether referring to hazardous gases, rockfalls, the inhalation of fine dust or working with powerful machinery, the possibility of fire, floods, explosion and collapse has the potential to simultaneously affect a large number of people. The fact of the matter is that workers need to realise that they can never let their guard down. After recognising this fact, it is critical to appreciate other topics and concepts.

Safety within the mine requires a top-down approach by management. Planning here is crucial. While miners will often be subject to deadlines and production targets, it is never wise to rush through a project without first conceptualising a plan. This can include factors such as what to do if a dangerous situation occurs and how workers should deal with on-site injuries. Without this level of communication, all employees will be placed at an undue amount of risk.

Safety

Regular and ongoing training always needs to take place. Seasoned workers may feel that these reviews are unnecessary, but expertise does not eliminate accidents. Overconfident workers are placed especially at risk, for they may forego established procedures. Thus, it is the responsibility of management to provide regular training and to make certain that all employees attend.

Working within a mine dictates that the proper safety equipment is worn at all times. This can include (but may not be limited to) high-visibility clothing, goggles, breathing apparatus and hearing protection. In the event that such devices are obstructive or unwieldy, management should speak with the supplier in order to determine whether there are other viable alternatives.

Finally, all mining safety procedures should be documented in order to enhance existing levels of quality control. This is also an excellent way to interpret how these procedures impact the overall workload from a longitudinal point of view. Accident reporting, recording lost hours due to injuries and the condition of the mine itself should all be addressed in detail.

Why Take the Topic of Mining Safety Seriously?

Mining safety should be a concern of everyone within such hostile environments. By providing employees with the proper training and information, accidents and injuries can be dramatically reduced. Regardless of technological advancements, safety is more important than ever before.