12/6/2022—Despite safety increases over the last 20 years, mining remains one of the most dangerous industries in the United States. Coal mining employs over 75,000 people in the U.S., producing upwards of 1.1 billion short tons of coal yearly from surface and underground mines.¹ According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), traumatic injuries resulting from machinery, powered haulage and falls are a significant problem. With new technology like CoRe Connected Resources, mining safety is ample innovations.
Severe machine-related accidents, classified as struck-by or caught-ins, accounted for 41% of all severe accidents at mining operations.² These numbers demonstrate the consistent and proper machine-training needed to protect mining personnel. CoRe simplifies this task by tracking employee trainings, providing administrators with clear insights into an employee’s capabilities. Should personnel lack training, administrators can identify this gap and provide the education needed to enhance their safety.
CoRe’s IoT platform can also be used to monitor machine usage, keeping workers notified when machines are being utilized and specific safety practices should be enacted. Monitoring also provides administrators with real-time views of machines onsite, helping prevent collisions and save on downtime costs, as machines can be powered down when not in use. Heavy machinery requires regular upkeep to prevent site accidents, so accurate tracking of machine usage helps ensure required maintenance needs are met throughout a machine’s lifetime.
The risk of mine collapse is another unique safety issue within mining. During a collapse, employee monitoring is essential to quick and safe evacuations. CoRe Personal Safety Devices (PSDs) provide emergency evacuation alerts, helping employees get to safety when time is critical. Thanks to real-time location tracking, site managers can count employees who have made it out safely, while maintaining visibility of employees trapped underground in a collapse. This unprecedented vantage allows for faster response and rescue. PSDs are also equipped with text alerts which can be sent directly to administrators.
Due to jobsite dangers, lone work in mining is especially dangerous, requiring reliable oversight. In mine collapses, getting lost within mines, or falls and machinery accidents while working alone, a CoRe PSD alerts management when help is needed, even if the worker is unable to do so themself. “Mine operators should have procedures in place so they can account for the whereabouts of every miner, at the beginning of the shift, while they are working, and at the end of the shift,” said Patricia Silvey, the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) deputy assistant secretary. “They should assess whether a particular task can be safely completed by a miner working alone, and always follow established communication practices.” ³
Falls are another prevalent safety issue in mines, especially dangerous in remote work or mine collapses, as employees can be rendered unconscious and difficult to gain access to. CoRe’s IoT management solution addresses this issue head on with fall detection built into every wearable device. Should an employee fall and be unable to alert admins, the PSD will send an alert.
As mine safety continues to reach new levels of promise, CoRe Connected Resources is proud to provide enhanced safety measures for these essential workers. With rich data and real-time oversight, mine management and personnel can take comfort knowing that safety is a priority, and that help is always available when needed.
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¹ ISHN. (2020, November 5). Top 25 most dangerous jobs in the United States. ISHN RSS. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.ishn.com/articles/112748-top-25-most-dangerous-jobs-in-the-united-states.
² Machine-related injuries in the US mining … – cdc.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining%5C/UserFiles/works/pdfs/mriit.pdf.
³ Safety+Health Magazine. (2017, May 11). Deaths of lone workers prompt msha awareness effort. Safety+Health Magazine. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/15632-deaths-of-lone-workers-prompt-msha-awareness-effort.
Maly, M. (2014, October 22). 7 safety tips to reduce mining accidents. Reliable Plant. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.reliableplant.com/Read/29927/mining-safety-tips.
Key wearable tech trends in the mining industry. MINING.COM. (2020, March 6). Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.mining.com/key-wearable-tech-trends-in-the-mining-industry/.
Coal mine safety achievements in the USA and the … (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/UserFiles/works/pdfs/cmsai.pdf.
