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Workplace Examinations

Alice Blanton - EFS

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Responsibility for Safety

Congress declared in the Federal Mine Safety & Health Act of 1977 the first priority of the mining industry must be the health and safety of the miner

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Responsibility for Safety

Coal Mines are dynamic work environments where the working conditions change rapidly and without warning

The mine operator along with the assistance of miners have the primary responsibility to prevent the existence of unsafe and unhealthful conditions and practices in mines

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Responsibility for Safety

Diligent compliance with safety and health standards and safety conscious work practices provide a substantial measure of protection against mine accidents and emergencies

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Workplace Examinations

Workplace examinations are intended to alert mine management to any changes in the mine ventilation system and other potentially dangerous mining conditions before accidents can happen

Each mine examiner’s task to conduct a proper and complete examination is essential to accomplish an accurate assessment of conditions within the mine

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Workplace Examinations

Examinations are the first line of defense for miners working in coal mines and are necessary to protect miners

Primary means to determine effectiveness of mine ventilation system and detect hazards such as accumulations of methane

Proper examinations protect against mine fires and explosions; oxygen deficient atmospheres; accumulations of other harmful gases; and other hazards that may endanger miners

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Workplace Examinations

Types of exams:

Pre-shiftSupplemental

On-shiftWeekly

Pre-Operational

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Workplace Examinations

First priority of all workplace examinations is for the person conducting the examination to examine for hazardous conditions

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Workplace Examinations

For the purpose of workplace examinations, hazards are considered to be conditions that are likely to cause death or bodily injury to persons exposed to such conditions

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Hazards

Examine for hazardous conditions

Loose roof and ribsExcessive levels of methaneOxygen deficiencyDamaged or improperly installed ventilation

controls on the sectionDangerous accumulations of loose coal or

coal dust

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Hazards

Examine for hazardous conditions

Rock dust not applied in required quantitiesElectrical hazardsFire hazards from damaged or improperly

operating belt conveyorsOther obvious fire hazards

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Hazardous Conditions

Examination for hazardous conditions

How does the mine examiner identify hazardous conditions?

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Hazardous Conditions

Experience Training

AND MORE

Training Experience

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Hazardous ConditionsPosting/correcting/recording

Any hazardous condition found during performance of a mine examination shall be posted with a conspicuous danger sign where anyone entering the areas would pass

A hazardous condition shall be corrected immediately or the area shall remain posted until the condition is corrected

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Hazardous ConditionsPosting/correcting/recording

If the condition creates an imminent danger, everyone, except those persons referred to in section 104(c) of the act, shall be withdrawn from the affected area

Only persons designated by the operator to correct or evaluate the condition may enter the posted area

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Examination Certification

the person conducting the exam shall certify by initials, date and time that the examination was made

At each working place examined and outby at enough locations to show that the areas

have been examined

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Workplace Examinations

Recording results of exams along with performing follow-up action to eliminate noted hazards should be routine and is necessary for accomplishing a safe mine.

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Examination Recordkeeping

Make a record of results of each examination including

Hazardous conditions and their locations

Results and locations of air and methane measurementsAir measurementsMethane measurements shall be recorded as a percentage

of methane

PRESHIFT

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Examination Recordkeeping

All preshift and corrective actions records shall be countersigned by the mine foreman or equivalent official by the end of the mine foreman’s or equivalent official’s next regularly scheduled work shift

PRESHIFT

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Hazardous Conditions

To reduce mining accidents, we will have to better prepare miners and supervisors to perform their work tasks safely.

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Workplace Examinations

Questions

PRESHIFT