Coal Age

MAY 2013

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underground mining continued bright yellow pigmented coating. The custom nature of synthetic rope allows end users the flexibility to tailor color and reflectiveness to their needs, in this case, resulting in a product that enhances visibility in a way that steel products simply cannot. Stronger & Safer Today's synthetic cables are durable enough to reliably stand up to a 98,000-lb break strength as opposed to the 79,600-lb break strength of their steel cable counterparts of the same diameter. Additionally, the ability to twist synthetic filaments both clockwise and counter-clockwise prior to the braiding process results in superior torque balance, as well as low stretch and low elasticity, which in turn reduces risks upon breakage and recoil. And unlike its steel counterpart, users do not have to be concerned with bro- ken wire strands that can result in puncture wounds. Beyond strength, weight and flexibility, perhaps one of the most important properties of a mining rope is its resistance to abrasion—the ability to withstand prolonged exposure to rough or corrosive underground conditions. Advanced urethane technology answers that need with unprecedented levels of toughness and dependability in even the most hostile environments. Finally, the zero water-absorption feature available in synthetic rope provides assurance that the product will not be weakened by rust in damp underground conditions. Considerable Cost Savings By reducing the time spent in the shieldhauling process, the small change to synthetic rope can offer mining companies extra productivity and quantifiable increases in profit. When equipment is easier to see and handle, and is carefully engineered for ergonomic benefits, the cost of workplace injury is likely to decline. The MSHA study, which analyzed injury claims between 1994 and 2005, found that back injuries cost the industry more than $460.9 million in direct costs over that 10year period. This figure did not include the cost of lost productivity or training new workers, etc., which they estimated could double or triple the expense. Also notably mentioned in the report was an anecdotal reference to unreported injuries, which the researchers suspected were common and had a noticeable impact on productivity. Replacing heavy cable with lighter synthetic rope can help mining companies stay productive, decrease their workers' compensation and insurance claims, and get a handle on the crippling expense of employee injury. While it is critical for companies to innovate to keep pace with an ever-changing and competitive mining industry, it is also true that in an occupation like longwall mining where safety relies on proficient use of familiar materials, workers are reluctant to embrace major changes in the tools they use. The transition from wire cable to synthetic rope does not have to be an arduous one. On all counts, synthetics have evolved to meet and exceed the mining industry's rigorous safety standards. Putnam is president of Yale Cordage. www.yalecordage.com 50 www.coalage.com May 2013

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