Mining Safety: A Basic Understanding of Common Mine Hazards

Mitigating Health and Safety Risks in Mining

Australia's mining industry is a cornerstone of the nation's economy, providing essential resources for various sectors. With the significant benefits come inherent risks including gas hazards and respirable dust, making safety a top priority in mining. To safeguard the wellbeing of workers and ensure operational integrity, monitoring equipment is an essential component that enables swift response times in an emergency. In this article, we delve into some key hazards that can be encountered in mining and the mining safety equipment used to help reduce risk and keep workers safe and healthy.

The Legislative Landscape of Mine Safety in Australia

Australia has a well-established regulatory framework governing mine safety to ensure the wellbeing of workers and prevent accidents. Bodies such as Safe Work Australia and jurisdictional WHS regulators like the Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety for WA set out regulatory frameworks, guidelines and standards such as AS/NZS 2290.3:2018 Electrical Equipment for Coal Mines – Gas Detecting and Monitoring Equipment that mining companies must adhere to. These regulations cover a broad spectrum of safety measures including risk assessments, emergency response planning, and the use of electrical equipment for hazard detection such as gas monitors. The legislative framework for each state and territory is listed by Safe Work Australia.

Key Challenges in Mine Safety

Common Gas Hazards in Mining

Mines are prone to toxic, explosive and asphyxiant gases including commonly occurring methane (CH₄), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulphide (H₂S). Some of these gases are identifiable by their distinct smell, while others remain undetectable without the proper equipment. These gases can accumulate underground and in unventilated confined spaces, leading to devastating consequences when not maintained.

Mining gas detection equipment such as the MX6 Multi Gas Monitor is hence critical in ensuring worker safety. Measuring single or multiple gases, the primary function of a gas detector is to sound an alarm and inform workers of a dangerous situation. Depending on the brand, gas detectors these days also incorporate a host of additional enhancements such as man-down alarms and peer-to-peer connectivity designed to assist supervisors or safety personnel keep on top of their team's safety and for compliance purposes. It is important to note that certain applications such as coal mining require gas detectors to be certified for the relevant Standard.

At an advanced level, connected safety solutions also give managers the ability to automatically produce reports for compliance, reducing the time spent managing their fleet and enabling them to focus on their team and other duties.

Connected safety solution subscription services such as Industrial Scientific's iNet Exchange platform play a pivotal role in streamlining operations, enhancing safety and visibility and reducing downtime on a mine site. These solutions monitor crucial data such as gas alarm frequencies and bump tests while simplifying fleet management and eliminating maintenance and repair hassles.

The dynamic nature of mining operations, with changing geographies and excavation activities, necessitates a proactive and adaptable safety culture. Regular risk assessments, periodic equipment maintenance, and emergency response drills are integral components of a holistic mine safety strategy. By acknowledging and actively mitigating the challenges posed by gas hazards, mining operations can enhance overall safety standards, protect the wellbeing of workers, and contribute to the sustainable development of the industry.

Respirable Dust and Dust Monitoring in Mines

Miners are particularly vulnerable to prolonged exposure to inhalable and respirable dust as they operate in environments where dust generation is inherent to various mining processes, especially underground. Crushing, drilling, blasting, and other activities release airborne particles such as respirable crystalline silica that, when inhaled, can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing inflammation and scarring over time and potentially causing both short- and long-term respiratory diseases. Extremely fine dust or particulates are not always visible to the naked eye, and controls, personal protective equipment (PPE) and dust monitoring equipment are hence paramount to protecting the health of miners who can be exposed for extended durations while working.

Controls and Safety Measures for Reducing Exposure to High Levels of Dust

Implementation of engineering controls, such as dust suppression systems, ventilation strategies, and the use of enclosed cabins for heavy machinery, plays a crucial role in reducing the generation and dispersion of respirable dust. Adequate PPE, including respiratory masks, further enhances safety, particularly where other controls are insufficient in reducing dust levels below Workplace Exposure Standards (WES). To ensure respiratory protective equipment is providing an adequate seal that will protect the wearer from breathing in hazardous particles, mask fit testing equipment such as the OHD QuantiFit 2 Respirator Fit Tester is required by regulation for all tight fitting respirators.

Gravimetric Sampling for Compliance

When controls have been implemented and dust levels are expected to be below the WES, air quality sampling equipment such as the SKC AirChek Connect Air Sampling Pump is necessary for collecting gravimetric samples. Gravimetric sampling is often used to assess the concentration of particulate matter (PM). These samples are sent to a lab for analysis, and the resulting data can be used to demonstrate compliance. It is important to note that this equipment should not be used to assess dust levels where it is uncertain if exposure is below the standard, as this would mean that workers are being exposed to non-complaint levels while collecting the sample and waiting for analysis.

Safety Advantages of Real-Time Dust Monitoring

Aside from employing gravimetric sampling, real-time dust monitoring can be conducted to bolster safety onsite and in neighbouring communities. Through real-time personal dust monitoring, high exposure alarms can be set to immediately alert onsite personnel to dangerous exposure levels. Additionally, exposure data logs can facilitate the identification of tasks or activities associated with hazardous dust levels, offering a valuable resource for managers to correlate worker actions with peak readings. This data can be instrumental in evaluating the efficacy of dust suppression measures and newly instituted controls. Subsequently, managers can respond proactively by introducing more effective controls, addressing worker behaviour discrepancies, ensuring adherence to best practices, and implementing any other necessary measures.

Alternatively, there are instruments in the market that combine both real-time monitoring and gravimetric sampling into single unit, such as the Nanozen DustCount 9000 Personal Dust Monitor. These instruments allow safety personnel to meet both safety and compliance requirements while also allowing worker to take advantage of both technologies without needing to wear multiple instruments or service and manage them separately.

Beyond personal dust monitors, real-time monitoring stations such as the AirMetER Series can also be deployed in strategic locations to continuously monitor dust without the need for personnel to operate equipment onsite. Leveraging cloud-based data portals, site managers can gain remote access to a continuous flow of real-time data from these stations, including alerts for high dust levels at the unit’s location. This makes them ideal for use in perimeter monitoring or at the entrance of an underground mine. In such settings, real-time dust monitoring stations can alert managers when hazardous levels of dust are detected migrating from their site or approaching nearby communities, enabling immediate action to rectify the situation. Aside from providing alerts, this air quality data can also be embedded into a website to provide real-time statistics to staff or the public for transparency, demonstrating safe practice at the site.

Managing safety in the mining industry is a complex process that involves not only selecting the right monitoring equipment and hazard controls, but also other factors such as staff training, safety protocols, equipment service and maintenance, and plenty more. Equipment applicability will also vary from site to site, with open pit mining and underground mining presenting different conditions and monitoring requirements. Some equipment, for, instance, may not be able to cope with the high volumes of dust commonly encountered in underground mines, and certain applications may require instrumentation to be certified for intrinsic safety.

With various safety challenges associated with mining in Australia, it is vital that the right safety measures are employed in accordance with regulation to maintain a safe environment while being prepared to respond in emergencies.

To better understand the most suitable equipment for your specific application, talk to your local Air-Met Scientific representative and we can help determine the option best suited to your requirements.