Coal Age

JAN 2013

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mine safety Are Your Coal Miners Prepared to Self-escape? Every coal miner should be capable of independently getting out of the mine in an emergency BY ROBERT H. PETERS AND CARIN KOSMOSKI, PH.D What is self-escape competence? Webster's dictionary defines competence as "having sufficient knowledge, judgment, skills, or strength for a particular duty." Ennis (2008) defines competence as "the capability of applying or using knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors, and personal characteristics to successfully perform critical work tasks, specific functions, or operate in a given role or position. Personal characteristics may be mental/intellectual/cognitive, social/emotional/attitudinal, and physical/psychomotor attributes necessary to perform the job." We refer to the knowledge, skills and abilities miners need to have in order to evacuate from their mine quickly and safely as self-escape competencies. It is very important that every coal miner is capable of independently getting out of the mine in an emergency. Why are miners' self-escape competencies so important? In the aftermath of mine emergencies, time is of the essence. The longer it takes for miners to exit the mine, the lower their chances of survival (Galvin 2008). For various reasons, it often takes many hours for mine rescue teams to locate and extricate miners from underground work areas. If miners must wait for rescue teams to reach them, it is often too late. Over the years, several miners, such as those involved in the Sago and Darby mine explosions, have survived an initial disaster but perished before they could escape or be rescued (Gates et al. 2007; Light et al. 2007). As part of a recent study by Ounanian (2007), U.S. coal mining accidents from 1970 to 2006 were reviewed. The review identified 37 events during this time period in which at least one miner was killed by an ignition, explosion, fire or inundation. Of the 252 fatalities caused by these events, 67 miners died while attempting to escape, and another 17 died after deciding to barricade and wait for rescuers. In other words, one-third of the 252 victims survived the initial event, but died before they could escape or be rescued. Since the coal mine disasters of 2006, several groups of mine safety experts have published reports that identify significant 26 www.coalage.com gaps and deficiencies in miners' emergency response training (Mine Safety Technology and Training Commission 2006; West Virginia Mine Safety Technology Task Force 2006; McAteer et al. 2006a, 2006b; GAO 2007). These experts recommended several significant improvements to the content and methods of escape training, as well as the evaluation of miners' self-escape competencies. How can we assess whether coal miners possess sufficient competence in self- escape? It can be difficult to accurately determine if miners' self-escape competencies are sufficient or in need of improvement. The following list of questions illustrates some of the steps involved in determining if miners are sufficiently prepared to self-escape: 1. Have all possible emergency escape scenarios been identified? 2. Have task analyses been conducted to determine all of the types of actions that miners might need to take or judgments List of Self-escape Competencies Knowledge of… Where to find… • Mine Emergency Response Plan • Colors of reflective markers for primary and secondary escapeways • What the five tactile shapes on lifelines mean • Other techniques for navigating your way out (besides lifeline) e.g., power cable, stopping numbers, water lines, conveyor belt, track, direction of air flow • What your crew expects you to take care of (your responsibilities) during an emergency • How to communicate nonverbally while using SCSR (both to co-workers underground and to outside persons) • How to understand/read a mine map • Where your crew will assemble to prepare for evacuation • Realistic expectations about using SCSRs, e.g., if you can't get enough air from your SCSR you need to pause or slow down your pace • Realistic expectations about navigating through smoke • Properties of mine gases (e.g., odor, specific gravity, exposure limits, physical symptoms of overexposure, and consequences of failing to isolate lungs) • How the mine ventilation system functions • Types of alarm systems and how you should respond to them How to decide… • Which evacuation route is best to use • When to switch escapeways • When to don SCSRs, when to switch SCSRs • When to go to a refuge, if you should leave, whether to use a refuge as a way station • Whether to split up an escape group or leave someone behind • Who will lead your escape group out • Whether to ride or walk out • Whether to attempt to fight a fire, and when to abandon such efforts • • • • • • • • • • First aid kit Escapeway map SCSR caches Refuges Tethers Lifeline Gas meter Phones/radios Areas of higher elevation in the mine All possible exits (shafts, slopes, drifts) • • • • • • • Communication systems Gas meter SCSR Refuge Lifeline Tether Transportation equipment (mantrip, hoist) How to use… What to remember to do before starting to evacuate… • Notify the responsible person and people in other sections who may be affected • Communicate who, where, what. Is everyone accounted for? Is anyone in danger or missing? Magnitude of the problem, what is being done at the scene, what resources are needed • Tell the outside communications person when you plan to evacuate the section, who is with you, and the route you are taking • Make/discuss your escape plans • Note the time you depart and also note the time if you don an SCSR • Shut down equipment, turn off power, etc. • Take escapeway maps, radios, gas meter, extra SCSRs, tether, medicines/first aid January 2013

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