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Safety and Health in European Mining: A report on safety and health, statistics, tools and laws, produced for the I2Mine (Innovative Technologies and Concepts for the Intelligent Deep Mine of the Future) project
... As pointed out by Lööw et al. [20], the underground environment creates many different hazards, including physical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards, which may cause health problems connected with musculoskeletal disorders, hearing loss, and respiratory system diseases [20,21]. Considering the EU's policy concerning safety [22] and observed trends in mining companies in recent years, one may conclude that safety must be prioritised in mine reuse, beginning with initial plans [23]. This means that dealing with risks is currently the most significant challenge jeopardising new projects. ...
Underground mines are a vital part of the European raw material industry. The subsurface mining process is related to the large-scale development of underground structures like tunnels, chambers, workings, etc. These structures are abandoned or liquidated during the process of exploitation or after the termination of works. Still, due to the unique environment, post-mining facilities may be adopted for different purposes. There are few examples of implementations of this capacity in practical terms such as underground laboratories (ULs), energy storages, landfills of dangerous wastes, or food production plants. Unfortunately, the unique environment offered by underground space is also related to the occurrence of exceptional hazards, like seismicity and ground control problems, gases, floods, the lack of natural ventilation, and high temperatures. This results in low interest in investing in such facilities. Within this paper, some ways to repurpose underground mines have been presented, and possible challenges that need to be faced have been described. An extensive database of threats to post-mining repurposing and ways to mitigate them has been prepared based on surveys and interviews conducted with representatives of currently existing Uls and mining companies and a literature review. Finally, this manuscript provides a general look at post-mining infrastructure in Europe’s current situation and in the future.
... According to research on accidents' causes in European and Greek mining industries, the most frequent areas that cause accidents in mining are as follows: external physical threats; poor quality of supplied material; geological disturbance; improper strata control; inadequate training facilities; shortage of skilled employees and de-employment of unskilled employees; inadequate communication systems; poor supervision; spontaneous combustion; improper surveying; explosives and blasting; haulage machinery; slips and falls; lack of awareness; sealed off panels; inadequate supply of spare parts; use of uncalibrated instruments; lack of ventilation; other fires; poor illumination; unsafe behaviours; poor crisis management; off road and underground haulage tracks; cranes and derricks; workers with experiences of less than 5 years; bolting machine; long-wall; car transport; car shuttle; graders; gas drainage and drilling equipment; psychological factors; fatigue; occupational stress; and unsafe behaviours. Based on these accident causes and major risks, the training areas are defined [9][10][11][12]. ...
The aim of this article is to present priority themes covered by the Health and Safety training programs of the Greek and European mining industry during the last decade. Mining is considered as an industry presenting high occupational risks. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 1% of the world’s labor force is engaged in mining, yet mining accounts for 5% of occupational fatalities. Despite the use of advanced technologies in a safer working environment and “the zero harm-zero accidents target”, mining accident statistics indicate that despite the gradual decrease in fatality rate, safety performance has reached a safety plateau. In order to further improve this performance, training and promotion of a safety culture through implementation of mine safety plans and enhancement of technical and non-technical skills at all levels of management are prerequisite measures. Currently, training is increasingly relying on immersive virtual reality to simulate complex operations in potentially dangerous environments. Open-cut or underground mining simulators provide safe, replicable and cost effective environments for miners to be trained and for engineers and managers to test different conditions, new ideas, strategies and scenario outcomes, without exposing employees in real time hazards. High-end training programs have the potential not only to improve workplace safety conditions but also to contribute to more effective management and finally to a more sustainable mining industry.
... Vice versa, similar productivity benefits from good OSH conditions accrue at the company and national levels. Moreover, several studies [36,37] show a strong correlation between national competitiveness and the nation's incidence rates of occupational accidents, and the international standard on social responsibility (ISO 26000:2010) defines labor practices as being among the seven core subjects of social responsibility. Meanwhile, the endless competitiveness race ("do-more-and-better-with-less" paradigm [1]) especially in the mining sector, along with impacting internal and external challenges and pressures often results in work-related stress for both managers and workers. ...
This article deals with the role and the place of risk-based thinking in today’s occupational safety and health (OSH) systems used by mining companies. A brief survey on modern challenges and pressures affecting companies, as well as on the structure of supply chains, is given. It is demonstrated that, despite all measures and actions that are being taken, occupational injuries in the mining sector: (a) remain a matter of serious concern and (b) should be examined and investigated through the lens of the company’s complexity. The objective of the article is two-fold: to trace the evolution of risk-based thinking from quality management systems towards OSH management systems and to demonstrate how this approach can be implemented by a company performing open-pit mining operations. The matrix method along with the Fine and Kinney’s method was used in assessing OSH risks, and the checklist method along with a Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT)analysis was used while assessing OSH opportunities. The results of the study make it possible to conclude that risk-based thinking incorporated into an OSH management system can be a robust and efficient instrument for OSH planning and implementation. This article contains an example of assessing OSH risks and opportunities for a dragline operator and also discusses the possible ways of using the data on the OSH risks and opportunities that were identified in OSH activities. The final part also contains comments and reflections on various risks mining companies are facing nowadays.
... As noted by Shooks et al. (2014), according to international standard IEC/FDIS 31010 Risk management -Risk assessment techniques (2009), a comprehensive risk assessment should include: ...
Underground laboratories provide a unique environment for various industries and are the perfect place for developing new technologies for mining, geophysical surveys, radiation detection as well as many other studies and measurements. Unfortunately working in underground excavations is associated with exposure to many hazards not encountered in the laboratories located on the surface. Water inflow, gas burst, roof fall and even seismic hazards translate into high accident rates in the underground mining industry across the globe. Therefore, to minimise the risk of serious accidents, a lot of research investigations related to the development of effective risk assessment procedures are being carried out. One of the initiatives aimed at improving the work safety in underground laboratories in the Baltic Sea Innovation Network project implemented under the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme. This study presents the process of compiling a database on hazards within underground laboratories. Finally, a proposal of unification of the procedure for risk assessment, including methods for determining the likelihood and potential impact of unwanted events has been developed.
... The mining industry in Sweden is accompanied by high ambitions in occupational health and legislation, but the average risk of injury and fatality is still high compared to other industrial branches (Shooks, Johansson, Andersson and Lööw, 2014). In 2015 there were in total 684 incidents and 2202 near misses. ...
... Although the overall trend is that incidents are decreasing in the mining industry, incidents with varying degrees of severity still occur (Shooks et al., 2014). Major incidents are uncommon, but when they do occur the consequences can be serious (Bealko et al., 2011). ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine emergency medical service (EMS) personnel’s perceptions and experiences of managing underground mining injury incidents.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 13 EMS personnel were interviewed according to a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Findings
An underground mining environment was described as unfamiliar and unsafe and, with no guidelines for operational actions in an extreme environment, such as underground mines, the EMS personnel were uncertain of their role. They therefore became passive and relied on the rescue service and mining company during a major incident. However, the medical care was not considered to be different from any other prehospital care, although a mining environment would make the situation more difficult and it would take longer for the mine workers to be placed under definitive care.
Originality/value
This study complements earlier studies by examining the EMS personnel’s perceptions and experiences of major incidents.
... Over the past decades, the safety work of the European mining industry has been most successful. This is demonstrated by the accident rates, which have been decreasing since the 1980s, and the increasing relevance of occupational safety and health in corporate mission statements of major mining companies [1]. However, like in many other parts of the world, there is a distinct lack of skilled miners and mining engineers in Europe [2]. ...
For a modern mining company with attractive and safe workplaces a new type of leader for tomorrow’s Health and Safety at work is needed. This was the reason for four leading European mining universities to working closely together with industrial partners in order to develop a PhD-Programme with a focus on increasing mine safety, using the most up to date research data and basing their studies on industry-driven, real scenarios and projects. This programme, SafeMine, aims to develop a holistic, timely and resilient PhD-Programme in Health and Safety in mining and to train a cadre of qualified professionals who can lead the future of health and safety work in the European mining industry based on a modern view of how an attractive and safe mine should be designed and organized.
Moderne Bergbauunternehmen, welche attraktive und sichere Arbeitsbedingungen bieten möchten, brauchen zukünftig entsprechend ausgebildetes Führungspersonal. Aus diesem Grund arbeiten vier der führenden europäischen Bergbauuniversitäten mit Industriepartnern zusammen, um ein gemeinsames, koordiniertes Programm zur Doktorandenausbildung mit Fokus auf Arbeitssicherheit und Gesundheitsschutz im Bergbau ins Leben zu rufen. Die Forschungsthemen basieren dabei auf aktuellen, industrierelevanten Forschungsfragen und Herausforderungen. Dieses Programm, SafeMine, bietet einen ganzheitlichen und strukturierten Ansatz, um den zukünftigen Bedarf an hochqualifiziertem Führungspersonal für den europäischen Bergbausektor im Bereich Arbeitssicherheit und Gesundheitsschutz auszubilden.
In a previous research, a tool integrating the HAZOP analysis method and Coloured Petri Net formalism to support the analysis carried out by specialists during a HAZOP brainstorming session has been provided. In that work, the tool was used to simulate the behaviour of a few components of a chemical plant while diverse abnormal scenarios occur. In the present work, other types of components have been modelled and the behaviour of the plant has been simulated demonstrating its ability to model more complex components, simulate diverse failure types, hence, reducing the total time required to complete the analysis compared to a standard HAZOP assessment approach.
This paper examines the occupational health and safety performance (OHS) of the South African mining sector against the backdrop of changes in the composition of the sector, international trends in OHS performance, and the agreement on OHS milestones and targets by mining stakeholders at the Mine Health and Safety Summit of 2003. Although OHS performance has improved, progress is slow and there is need for significant rather than incremental change if the targets are to be realized. Since 2003, fatalities and injuries are 20-25% short of annual milestones and not all commodities show consistent improvement. Statistics on occupational health impacts are unavailable, but noise and respirable dust levels are known to be high in mines, with much work lying ahead to address exposures at source. Trends in regulating and addressing OHS hazards are discussed with reference to the notion of 'systems-thinking' and the targets. Efforts to improve OHS and to respond to changes in the sector are constrained by a lack of training and consistency in risk management, guidance for junior, small and artisanal miners, and holistic approaches to risk. For example, treating risk holistically would involve taking proper account of contractors and women in the workplace, and attending to human factors and ergonomics. © The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2007.
According to official statistics, the rate of occupational accidents (OAs) and fatal injuries in Russia decreased about 5-fold and 2-fold, respectively, from 1975 to 2010, but working conditions during this period had the opposite trend; for example, the number of people who work in unfavourable and hazardous conditions (particularly since 1991) has increased significantly.
This review summarises the results of a search of the relevant peer-reviewed literature published in Russia and official statistics on OAs and occupational safety in Russia and the Russian Arctic in 1980-2010.
The occupational safety system in Russia has severely deteriorated in the last 2 decades, with legislators tending to promote the interests of industry and business, resulting in the neglect of occupational safety and violation of workers' rights. The majority of workers are employed in conditions that do not meet rules of safety and hygiene. More than 60% of OAs can be attributed to management practices - violation of safety regulations, poor organisation of work, deficiency of certified occupational safety specialists and inadequate personnel training. Research aimed at improving occupational safety and health is underfunded. There is evidence of widespread under-reporting of OAs, including fatal accidents. Three federal agencies are responsible for OAs recording; their data differ from each other as they use different methodologies. The rate of fatal OAs in Russia was 3-6 times higher than in Scandinavian countries and about 2 times higher compared to United States and Canada in 2001. In some Russian Arctic regions OAs levels are much higher.
Urgent improvement of occupational health and safety across Russia, especially in the Arctic regions, is needed.
The aim of this study is to present occupational accident statistics in Turkish mineral-extracting industries and to compare the statistical data with major mine-producing countries. A comparison of safety performance indices in mineral-extracting industries in Turkey with those of other major mine-producing countries will enable authorities to develop strategies in order to take the relevant precautions and eventually improve mining industries in Turkey. Turkish data are obtained from annual reports of Social Security Institution (SSK) as well as from the safety statistics and accident reports of various surface mines and annual reports of The Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Mineral-extracting industries of Turkey have the highest incident rates and highest fatality-to-injury ratio among the major mine-producing countries. Low accident ratio is caused by serious consequences of accidents. Head and mainbody are the most affected body parts. The most common fatal accident/injury types occur in blasting operations, powered haulage and fall of face/highwall. The employees under the age of 40 had a higher risk of injuries than the older ones in Turkish surface mines.
The book describes how safety analysis can be practically applied as a tool for accident prevention. It presents more than 40 analytic methods, including techniques for risk evaluation, such as the Risk Matrix. The emphasis is on general methods that can be applied in a variety of areas, such as industry, production, transport, medicine, and public events. It can be down-loaded freely www.irisk.se/sabook
This study is concerned with how safety characteristics at industrial installations can be modelled and evaluated. The starting point was the concept of safety function, which is defined as a technical, organisational or combined function that can reduce the probability and/or consequences of accidents and other unwanted events in a system. A tentative theoretical framework has been developed, which has been applied in a new method called Safety Function Analysis (SFA). A workplace in process industry was analysed in the form of a case study. One result of the application was a model of safety functions in the workplace, including 54 functions. These have been evaluated, and system improvements have been proposed. A detailed comparison was made with the results of two other methods for safety analysis—Deviation and Energy analysis—applied to the same workplace. SFA gave essential supplementary information, and especially supported improvement of management issues, both formal and informal. It is concluded that the safety function concept worked well in the practical analysis of safety in the studied system. There is a need for further improvement of the theoretical framework, and of the method.
Risk matrices-tables mapping "frequency" and "severity" ratings to corresponding risk priority levels-are popular in applications as diverse as terrorism risk analysis, highway construction project management, office building risk analysis, climate change risk management, and enterprise risk management (ERM). National and international standards (e.g., Military Standard 882C and AS/NZS 4360:1999) have stimulated adoption of risk matrices by many organizations and risk consultants. However, little research rigorously validates their performance in actually improving risk management decisions. This article examines some mathematical properties of risk matrices and shows that they have the following limitations. (a) Poor Resolution. Typical risk matrices can correctly and unambiguously compare only a small fraction (e.g., less than 10%) of randomly selected pairs of hazards. They can assign identical ratings to quantitatively very different risks ("range compression"). (b) Errors. Risk matrices can mistakenly assign higher qualitative ratings to quantitatively smaller risks. For risks with negatively correlated frequencies and severities, they can be "worse than useless," leading to worse-than-random decisions. (c) Suboptimal Resource Allocation. Effective allocation of resources to risk-reducing countermeasures cannot be based on the categories provided by risk matrices. (d) Ambiguous Inputs and Outputs. Categorizations of severity cannot be made objectively for uncertain consequences. Inputs to risk matrices (e.g., frequency and severity categorizations) and resulting outputs (i.e., risk ratings) require subjective interpretation, and different users may obtain opposite ratings of the same quantitative risks. These limitations suggest that risk matrices should be used with caution, and only with careful explanations of embedded judgments.