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With the development of mining industry, the intensity of mining work is gradually increasing, which makes mine disasters occur during mining. In this study, the current situation of mineral resource exploitation region was analyzed, and the mine geological hazards caused by high-intensity mining were summarized, including debris flow, landslide and ground fissure. Study of the distribution characteristics of related geological hazards suggested that the area affected by surface collapse caused by ground fissures was the largest, while debris flows and landslide posed a great threat to life. In view of the potential safety hazards caused by geological hazards in mines, establishment of disaster information base and strengthening of measures for disaster prevention and control were proposed. Finally, mineral resources were protected to restore the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Investigators had limited knowledge of causation models and investigation methods. • Some investigators lack formal training although they continue to investigate. • Post-investigation findings were often underutilised to improve the work process. • There are different levels of maturity related to incident investigations. Abstract Incident investigation has been regarded as one of the means of improving safety performance. Limited published research exists that focuses on the context of practical investigation and the perspectives of investigators in the field. This research addresses this gap by evaluating how investigations are conducted in the Ghanaian Mining Industry. Forty-one investigators with diverse backgrounds were interviewed and the data collected was analysed through qualitative content analysis. Results of the study indicate that the blame culture is still evident, there is a lack of focus on controls and narrow dissemination of post-investigation findings. 49% of investigators had no knowledge of accident causation models and investigation methods. 37% of investigators had received no investigation training although they continue to investigate incidents. The frequently used data sources included interviewing victims/witnesses and evidence from the incident scene, while data from safety-related activities such as previous investigations and risk assessment were often under-utilised. An event tree showing opportunities to improve incident investigation and learning was developed to support the prioritisation of strategies for improving investigation practices. A framework has also been proposed to help incident investigators self-assess the maturity/effectiveness of their investigation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate metal contamination level in coal mine water of the North Karanpura coalfields and assess the possible health risk due to the intake of untreated mine water. Fourteen coal mine water samples were collected from the study area and analyzed for Al, As, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Se, and Zn using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) was used to calculate metal pollution level in the coal mine water. The hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) were estimated for health risk to child and adult by using the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) methods. The concentrations of Al, Fe, Mn, and Ni in coal mine water were exceeding the acceptable as well as the maximum permissible limits specified for drinking and domestic uses. The HPI values were below the critical pollution index level of 100 except at one location. The estimated HQ and HI values for adult and children were greater than the standard limits in nearly half of the water samples. High HQ and HI values suggest that suitable treatment of coal mine water will require before its utilization in domestic and drinking purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is chief source of energy in India and accounts for 55% of country's energy need (www.coal.nic.in). Indian coal mining industry is manpower-intensive. Despite majority of coal mining is done by public sector coal companies, accident rates remain high compared to other major coal producing nations (except China). Human failures have been found to be major attributes of coal mining accidents. To identify human errors in accidents 96 fatal and serious accidents befell between 2009 and 2014 in a large public sector coal company of central India were analyzed on human factor analysis and classification system - mining industry (HFACS-MI). Analysis revealed that violations, skill based errors, decision errors, inadequate leadership and physical environment were the major contributing factors. These findings stress upon the need to focus on reduction of human errors during mining operations to arrest present trend of accidents. The results of the study represent a preliminary findings and subsequent detailed study is required to pinpoint activity-wise human failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although, there are a number of safety management systems available but the near-misses, dangerous occurrences, incident and accidents occur every day and it became worst and known to be a major concerned in mining industry. In this paper, a coal mine accident has been analysed which showed reoccurring disturbances during routine operation were present in the contributory path of the accident. The reoccurring disturbances were the warning from the system toward the organisation and could be seen as pre-warning signals. It is necessary to investigate all the pre-warning which are unknown, as well as to identify all the underlying causes. As a result suitable action can be taken against them for the prevention of accidents in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underground mining environment can greatly affect radio signal propagation. Understanding how the earth affects signal propagation is a key to evaluating communications systems used during a mine emergency. One type of communication system is through-the-earth, which can utilize extremely low frequencies (ELF). This paper presents the simulation and measurement results of recent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research aimed at investigating current injection at ELF, and in particular, ground contact impedance. Measurements were taken at an outside surface testing location. The results obtained from modeling and measurement are characterized by electrode impedance, and the voltage received between two distant electrodes. This paper concludes with a discussion of design considerations found to affect low-frequency communication systems utilizing ground rods to inject a current into the earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review analysed the top 56 annual and lifetime cited articles related to mining injuries. The number of annual and lifetime citations, year of publication, design, topic of focus, number of authors, and country of publication, were collected and reported. Cross-sectional studies were the most commonly used design type and the majority of the corresponding authors were from the United States. Lost-time injury as an outcome measure (73% of articles) was the most frequently discussed topic. The findings of this review article are designed to facilitate future research by revealing existing patterns and trends within the science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article documents personal lives in a Calabrian village in south Italy and the Fairmont Coalfield in northcentral West Virginia. It reveals the fracturing of families through emigration, betrayal, divorce, and death but, also, the Appalachian redemption of an immigrant woman. A range of primary sources is used, from West Virginia records of a mining disaster and a divorce to Italian police reports and interviews. Paesani (fellow villagers) guided the research not only in identifying emigration patterns but also patterns in leasing coal company housing; in deaths of women, children, and miners; in replacement of wives; and in recruitment of company labor. This research offers comparative glimpses into transformations in intimacy, inter-gender power, paid labor, and home production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to the on-going efforts to improve occupational safety in the mining industry by creating a model capable of predicting the continuous risk of occupational accidents occurring. Contributing factors were identified and their sensitivity quantified. The approach included using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to identify patterns between the input attributes and to predict the continuous risk of accidents occurring. The predictive Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model used in this research was created, trained, and validated in the form of a case study with data from a platinum mine near Rustenburg in South Africa. This resulted in meaningful correlation between the predicted continuous risk and actual accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of a people-oriented safety culture is the key method to strengthen miners’ rule-following behavior (RFB) and decrease the probability of accidents in mines. Beginning with two forms of the inner composition of safety culture, this study dissects the theoretical connotations of espoused and lived safety cultures. Based on the distinction between the types of safety regulatory frameworks, such as intrinsic and extrinsic RFB, we studied previous theories (social exchange theory and person-organization fit theory) and analyzed the role of two forms of safety culture and supplies-needs congruence on miners’ RFB. Using quadratic polynomial regression with response surface analysis, we drew upon a survey of 276 miners in large state-owned coal mines in China to analyze the influence of coal mine espoused safety culture–miners’ needs (ESC–MN) congruence on miners’ RFB and discussed the mediating role of lived safety culture–miners’ needs (LSC–MN) congruence. Our findings demonstrate that coal mine ESC–MN congruence has strong non-linear effects on both intrinsic and extrinsic RFB, and that the mediating role of LSC–MN congruence is strong toward intrinsic, but not toward extrinsic, RFB. Additionally, our study brings up the definition of fit congruence in coal mine ESC–MN and calculates its range of applicability to the actual needs of miners. Based on our research results, we present suggestions for further research on coal mine safety management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accidents at works statistics show that mining industry is one of the most dangerous. Therefore there is a need for new solutions, which will improve professional adaptation process and will simultaneously have significant impact on improvement of occupational health and safety situation, especially among the youngest employees. Using the technology of Virtual Reality (VR) allows the acquisition and practice the correct behavior by the miners in a controlled, safe environment. In the paper the results of pilot training with the participation of 21 people employed in the mining industry are presented. Each of the trainees took part in the two simulations, using different motion capture systems: Razer Hydra or vision based system. Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) with different field of view (FoV), wide (110 degrees) and relatively narrow (45 degrees), are also compared. Trainees consider used system useful and feel the positive effects of training even after three months. In almost all cases high immersive VR combined with wide FoV is assessed as the best solution for training. The results of the experiment encouraged owners of training facilities cooperating with polish mines to introduce VR training to basic training for youngest miners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the problems in the occupational safety and health in the mineral industry in the U.S. and offers potential solution to address them. It provides an overview on some of the industrial accidents in the sector during the past few years, as well as the underlying causes of the incidents. The solutions offered include strict compliance with all safety regulations, compliance with mandatory legal requirements for uses technologies, and the review the corporate culture.

The article focuses on the protest movement at the Kuzbass coalfield in May 2010. It states that mining protests began after the mining accident at Raspadskaya mine at Mezhdurechensk, which reveals how mine managers have neglected their workers' wages and safety. It also highlights the organization called the Union of Kuzbass Residents and their manifesto, which demands the release of protesters in Mezhdurechensk and a raise in wages in the Kuzbass region.

The paper draws a profile of the mining sector from the working conditions perspective as it is seen comparative with other sectors in European Union (EU), emphasizing the occupational safety side. Thus, in order to highlight the sectoral profile impact on the safety of workers in regions with mining activity as reflected by the state of accidents at work, we present and discuss the particular case of the Jiu Valley - a Romanian region still heavily dependent on mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate the circumstances leading to fall from equipment injuries in the mining industry. Method: The 2006 and 2007 Mine Safety and Health Administration annual injury databases were utilized for this study whereby the injury narrative, nature of injury, body part injured, mine type, age at injury, and days lost were evaluated for each injury. Results: The majority of injuries occurred at surface mining facilities (∼60%) with fractures and sprains/strains being the most common injuries occurring to the major joints of the body. Nearly 50% of injuries occurred during ingress/egress, predominately during egress, and approximately 25% of injuries occurred during maintenance tasks. The majority of injuries occurred in relation to large trucks, wheel loaders, dozers, and conveyors/belts. The severity of injury was independent of age and the median days lost was seven days; however, there was a large range in severity. Impact on industry: From the data obtained in this study, several different research areas have been identified for future work, which include balance and stability control when descending ladders and equipment design for maintenance tasks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The role of prosecution in achieving compliance with social regulation is a highly contentious issue, nowhere more so than with regard to work-related injury and death in the New South Wales mining industry. Following a mining disaster, political pressure prompted the mines inspectorate to abandon its traditional ‘advise and persuade’ approach in favour of a much tougher, deterrence-oriented approach. Our field-work suggests that while the former approach can result in regulatory capture, the latter can be equally counterproductive. In the mining industry, interactions between inspectors and the regulated industry are frequent and ongoing and trust is central to constructive relations. When those relations break down (as under an inappropriate prosecution policy) then dialogue ceases, information is withheld rather than shared, in-firm accident investigation, prevention, and remedial action are inhibited and both sides retreat to a form of adversarialism that undermines regulatory effectiveness. Through a 20-year case study of the mines inspectorate, the article demonstrates the centrality of trust to regulatory effectiveness, how it can be lost, and how it can best be regained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1981, an Alberta Government project upgraded the monitoring of South Peak, Turtle Mountain, on the south margin of the 1903 Frank Slide. The monitoring program aimed at understanding the rates of deformation over large, deep fractures encompassing South Peak and predicting a second large rock avalanche on the mountain. The monitoring program consisted of a complement of static ground points and remotely monitored targets measured periodically, and climatic, microseismic, and deformation data collected automatically on daily intervals and archived. In the late 1980s, developmental funding for the monitoring program ceased and some of the installations fell into disrepair. Between May 2004 and September 2006, readings from the remaining functional monitoring points were compiled and interpreted. In addition, readings compiled previously were re-interpreted based on a more recent understanding of short-term movement patterns and climatic influences. These observations were compared with recent observations from an airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) digital elevation model and field photographs to give more precise estimates of the overall rates, extent, and patterns of motion for the past 25 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: This paper presents a study on the causes and circumstances of occupational accidents in the Portuguese Mining and Quarrying (M&Q) activity sector. Method: To this effect, it uses national accident data (2001–2003), giving particular attention to the newly implemented harmonized ESAW/Eurostat variables. The study begins with a broad description of the M&Q sector and identifies its “typical accident.” A series of accident pyramids are used to discriminate between causal patterns of fatal and non-fatal accidents. The causation mechanisms of the “typical accidents” (fatal and non-fatal) are established by examining the statistical dependency between pairs of modalities of two key variables: the Contact and the Deviation. Results: The results obtained by this method revealed certain details of the cause-effect mechanism that were unknown before, which also facilitate prioritizing preventive strategies. The study highlights the benefits of the new Eurostat variables for the production of accident statistics. Impact on Industry: The consistent adoption of harmonized classifications has a potentially positive impact on several communities: researchers will find it easier to compare their studies; the national authorities can plan more target-oriented preventive strategies; and the individual organizations may use this instrument to facilitate benchmarking of their performance indicators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Discusses the physical dynamics and causes of slips, trips and falls (STF) in the United States workplace environment. Statistics on STF incidents in the mining industry; Variety of STF hazards posed by mining environments; Scope of fall protection/prevention regulations; Characteristics of STF events; Factors that contribute to STF hazards; Strategies to reduce STF.

Focuses on the mining fatality rate in the United States. Reports of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and Department of Labor on the fatality rate; Significance of virtual-reality (VR) training tools on fatality and injury reduction; Features of the VR software.

Presents a study which analyzed the structure of accidents at a metal foundry, emphasizing the significance of job classification, length of employment and drug screening. Estimate of workplace injuries by the Bureau of Labor Statistics; Methodology used to conduct the study; Results of the study.

The article reports on the statement of Andrew Cripps, the Mines Minister in Queensland, regarding the injuries and accidents in the mining industry which he blamed on stupidity. Topics include the comment of Stewart Bell of Mine Safety and Health on their concern about a report on the increase of injuries, a report on dangerous activities of workers and mines, and some miners smoking underground a coal mine.

The article reports that the U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration has issued the year 2014 preliminary mine safety data which reveals that 44 miners died in work-related incidents in the year 2014 which is two more as compared to the year 2013.

The article discusses the 36 occupational fatalities that occurred in the U.S. mining industry in 2012, reporting that the Mine Safety and Health Administration has identified the resulting fatality rate as the second-lowest on record.

The article discusses how 33 Chilean miners survived after being trapped underground for more than two months at the San José mine in Atacama desert in 2010. Trapped miners survived through extreme rationing, stretching a three days' worth of emergency suppliers for two weeks. Once the supplies run out, the miners drank water from underground mine sources and machinery radiators. Rescue was made using boreholes as further remining could be fatal for trapped miners.

The article discusses corporate culture as the cause of tragic incidents including the coal mining disaster at the Upper Big Branch-South Mine in April 2010.

The article presents an analysis with regards to the source of the collapse of the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah on August 6, 2007 provided by the National Science Foundation Earthscope USArray stations. According to the article, the motion polarities from vertical-component records of the seismic event are down or dilatational, indicative of an implosional source. Plausible interpretations of the secondary source are given which include vertical dip-slip faulting, horizontal shear, nonuniform crack closure and elastic relaxation.