WORKSHOP ABOUT HAZARD,

RISKS AND PREVENTIVE

MEASURES.

PRESENT BY :

WILTON IDELFONSO MORALES

PRESENT TO:

MARIA LUCIA BELTRAN ROJAS

CORPORACION UNIVERSITARIA AUTONOMA DE NARIÑO

TECNOLOGIA DE LA SALUD OCUPACIONAL

VILLAVICENCIO/META

2018

HAZARDS
Specific Hazards in Underground
Mines
Accidents are always a combination
of hazards and causes. Making the
issue more comprehensible is the
only reason for presenting the
hereafter list of hazards. The
collapse and flood of underground
workings could be a consequence of
a dust or gas explosion. Similarly, a
fire could cause dust explosion
and/or release toxic contaminants.
1. Fire
In the document “The prevention
and control of fire and explosion in
mines” issued by the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE), the
following potential sources of fire in
underground mines are listed:
"Friction from:- Defective bearings
– conveyor idlers, drums,
wheels/axles;
Conveyor belts rubbing against
some fixed object, such as a
roadway support or a tail end
structure, or running in spillage;
Seized brakes on vehicles;
Further reading on lightning
propagation
See also the section on blasting
related hazards below.
Internal combustion engines –
exhaust systems, air inlets, hot
surfaces;Spontaneous heating of
coal in the waste or of broken coal in
the roadside in high-risk seams;
Incendive sparks from cutting
machinery picks;
Electrical and mechanical
machinery and equipment;
Electrical sparking and hot
surfaces from electrical equipment
and distribution systems;
Short circuits and earth faults on
electrical equipment and
distribution systems;
RISKS
 Traumatic injuries
 Noise from drilling machines,
dynamite, grinders.
 Heat and humidity
 Barometric pressure
(Temperature increase
 Vibration (Pneumatic hammers.
 Inhalation of crystalline silica,
carbon dust and asbestos
 Inadequate postures
 Asphyxiation
 Exploration
 Unsafe work conditions
 Electricity burns by electricity or
chipas.
 Direct electricity contact with the
machines.
 High and low tension
 Electric current
 Crushing by defective machines
 Burns by the formation of an
electric arc.
 Burns from fires or explosions.
PREVENTIVE MEASURE
/CONTROL
 Training and retraining.
Ventilation plan
 Atmospheric and
environmental
measurements.
 Auxiliary power plant
 Pre-operational
inspections of the
machines.
 Procedures of medical
monitoring and monitoring
of miners.
 Use of personal protection
elements.
 Plan the maintenance of the
machines (Pre-Operational
Inspections)
 Analyze risks on the site
and its surroundings
 Retire the jewelry before
starting work.
 Define equipment and tools
with their respective
technical sheets.
 Select personal protection
equipment (insulated shoes,
goggles, helmet, insulating
gloves, fireproof clothing)
 Notify the personnel
involved
 Prepare Electric Work
Permit.
 Signaling The work area
 Apply the 4 golden rules
Natural sources, for example,
electrostatic discharges and
lightning
Explosives and detonators
Compression of air or gasses;
The thermite reaction between
light alloys and iron/steel (…)
Hot work – burning, welding, and
grinding;
Smokers’ materials, e.g.
cigarettes, lighters and matches.”
2. Flood
After the inrush in the Gleision
Colliery on September 15, 2011, in
the County of Wales, which killed
four miners, the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) issued the HID 4-
2011 safety bulletin focusing on
Regulations 1979 (Precautions
Against Inrushes). This regulation
has been introduced in 1973 after
the Lofthouse accident, Yorkshire,
where seven miners were killed.
With respect to every working in a
mine, it shall be the duty of the
manager to prevent any inrush into
the working of—
 gas from disused workings
(whether mine workings or
not), or
 Water or material that flows
or is likely to flow when wet
from any source
he owner and the manager shall
each have the duty to—
 ensure that they are at all
material times in possession
of all information which
indicates or tends to
indicate the presence or
 The remaining fluids. absence, in the vicinity of
 High concentrations of metals any working being carried
and radioactive isotopes. on or proposed to be carried
 Acidification of the surrounding on in the mine, of—
environment.  any disused workings
(whether mine workings or
not),any rock or stratum
containing or likely to
contain water (whether
dispersed or in natural
cavities),any peat, moss,
sand, gravel, silt or other
material that flows or is
likely to flow when wet;
andtake such steps as may
be necessary for the
purpose of substantiating
any such information which
comes into their possession
(whether in consequence of
the discharge of the duty
imposed on them by the
foregoing sub-paragraph or
not).
3. Collapse
Mine collapse might be caused
by the following factors:
Induced Seismicity
Mines located in seismically active
regions, such as the Andean region
(also known to be one of the
wealthiest metallic mining zones in
the world), are particularly at risk.
Especially dangerous in
underground mining areas, mine-
induced seismicity also causes
slope instability in surface mining.
Use of Explosives  
The use of explosives might cause
earthquake-like events that collapse
mine workings, and traps miners, as
happened to the 33 miners stuck
underground from August to
October 2010 in a Chilean mine
near the city of Copiapo, or kill them,
flood the mine and damage  Death
structures on the surface. Verify the excavation daily
 Burns levels three  Adequate storage system
Dust or Gasses Explosion  crushing by rocks for materials and explosives
Please refer to Common Mining  entrapment in dead ends used below the
Accidents  Inhalation of dust or dynamite underground mine.
 Dust blindness  Every operator or mining
Timbering / Pillar Failure  Electrical crashes or corrosion employer must supply fire
Webster’s dictionary gives this due to collapse between the extinguishing equipment or
definition:“The operation of setting machines. fires, both on the surface
timber supports in mine workings or  Fires by dust and gases and inside the work.
shafts to support the roof or the face  Personnel falls at the same level 
of a tunnel during excavation and 
lining. The term "support" would
cover the setting of timber, steel,
concrete, or masonry supports”.
You can get an idea about the
traditional way to timber a mine by
reviewing this video. The role of
pillars or timbers is obviously key in
underground operations.The
instability of pillars induced by stress
or other unfavorable causes may
lead to horrendous cascading pillar
failure mechanisms.

4. Toxic Contaminant  Chronic or terminal diseases  Mining operators should

Considering that the atmosphere
underground is limited and confined,
the contaminants may include dust,
aerosols, diesel fumes and
particulates and fumes from
 Inhlation of toxic substances.
 Allergic reactions
 Water pollution and excessive
 use of water resources leads to
many health problems
provide equipment that
reduces dust in the mines
 The fans extract the dust
and dirt outside from the
mine
blasting, as well as gasses released
from the rock strata. Ventilation is
key to extract or dilute to a harmless
level the toxic contaminants.
5. Blasting Related Hazards: A
Common Threat To Surface And
Underground Miners
As reported by the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH): “In underground
mines, most explosive-related
fatalities were caused by miners
being too close to the blast (fly-
rocks), followed by explosive fumes
poisoning, misfires, and premature
blasts".
Mine induced seismicity must be
added to that list.
Fly-Rocks: Workers struck by
rocks, either because they are too
close to the blast or because the
rock is thrown much farther than
expected, remains one of the main
causes of accidents both in surface
or underground mines.
Explosives Fumes:Blasters at
surface mines and construction
operations have not been as
concerned about blasting fumes as
their counterparts in underground
mines, believing that fumes would
disperse in the open air. Surface
blasters, however, must be aware
that toxic fumes have the potential
to create hazards in their
operations” (Source: Dangers of
Toxic Fumes from Blasting, Mainiero
& al.)The explosive products used in
surface and underground blasting
operations produce a variable
quantity of toxic gasses:
 Air pollution from power plants  Air pump for blow fresh air
and in sheet
 foundries near the mines cause
serious diseases Operators must provide
materials to prevent miners
from inhaling dust
• Provide ground lime,
blankets or other coverings
for blasting sites.
• Provide adequate masks
and make sure they are
clean and well
maintained
 Crushing
 Fractures by rocks
 Wounds slight its serious  A production program,
 Traps which must adjust to the
week, make a detailed
control of the programming,
relate to the execution.
 Geological control
 Use of Protective Elements
 Sustainability control
 Verification of the type of
support
 On-site training
 Mine inspection
 Incident analysis
 Personal evaluation
 The inspections are carried
out weekly, with the
participation of the heads of
 Damage to the breathing the areas of operation:
system. Planning, Geology,
 Problems in the lungs. Geomechanics; Mine and
 Poisoning Security.
 Irritation in eyes and hands,  An efficient, well designed
nose. and maintained ventilation
 Cell damage or irritation system is key to preventing
 Suffocation or mitigate this risk.
 Adequate storage
 Brain death
 Signaling
 Procedure of Use
 Safety sheet
 Provide water sprinklers to
moisten the dust. Store the
water in the tanks above
and pump it or let it run
down to the mine wells and
tunnels through pipes that
have small holes along or
shower to the extreme. Non-
Harmful concentrations of such potable waste water can be
gasses are more likely to appear in used.
underground confined  Provide cutting and grinding
environments. An efficient, well equipment that sprays water
designed and maintained ventilation to trap dust.
system is key to preventing or  Keep the ventilation ducts of
mitigate this risk. smoke and combustion
residues in good condition
Misfires: Misfire means the
by means of extractors or
complete or partial failure of a  Fire
ventilation grilles.
blasting charge to explode as  Burns
 Socialize of procedures
planned." (Definitions for Surface  Suffocation
 Report of conditions
and Underground Metal and  Deafness
 Periodical monitoring.
Nonmetal Mines, Department of  Blindness

Labor, Mine Safety and Health  Dismemberment
Administration (MSHA),30 CFR  death
Parts 56 and 57, Sec. 56.2, Volume
69, Number 124, pages 38837-
38843
Premature Blast:The detonation of
an explosive charge earlier than  Cough and phlegm
warranted. Premature explosions  Specially trained fire
 Eye and throat irritation brigade
may be due to carelessness,
 Breathing discomfort  Humidity and
accidental percussion, a faulty fuse,
 Feeling short of breath ventilation
or degenerated explosives." Source:
Dictionary of Mining, Mineral and  Unusual fatigue or fatigue  Limit the storage of
Related Terms.  Combustion explosion and fire flammable products
The explosive or pyrotechnical  Intoxication, especially due to and materials
products that remain on the ground carbon monoxide  Decreased
or in the muck pile might be  Mutilation exposure in the
triggered by any mechanical effect workplace
during the digging, milling or  Spill plan for
crushing stages of the mining chemical
process, causing injuries or fatalities substances
to blasters or operators.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
Nitric oxide (NO)
Carbon monoxide (CO)