Mining

Common Hazards in the Mining Industry

Fire and explosions

• The practices and equipment used to mine almost any ore create or expose workers to many fire hazards.
• Without proper protective devices, systems or plans in place, massive losses to people, assets or infrastructure and environmental damages can add up quickly.
• From early warning and automatic detection to suppression systems and manual firefighting equipment, taking the right steps to be prepared is crucial.

Working at heights and in confined spaces

• Mines and process plants require equipment and infrastructure for extreme working conditions.
• The mining industry commonly includes elements of working at heights with scaffolding or on temporary or permanent work platforms.
• Having the right solutions to first mitigate risks is paramount.

Environmental monitoring

• Mining exposes workers to many different hazards that are naturally occurring but get disturbed during excavating practices.
• Huge risks to workers can be as simple as the small particles of dust that are spread through the air from blasting, crushing and vehicle movement which can cause long-term effects like silicosis.
• Ensuring sufficient levels of oxygen and no poisonous gases are present is essential.

Chemical and acids exposures

• Different types of aggressive chemicals are used to separate valuable minerals from the surrounding ore.
• There can be serious consequences if a person’s skin or eye tissue is exposed to these chemicals.
• Chemical burns: Dipotherine® solution is a decontamination solution specifically designed to prevent chemical burn injuries and subsequent lost-time days.
• Chemical spills: Trivorex® absorbent is the best option for managing chemical spills on surfaces.
• Non-corrosive spills: Polycaptor® is a versatile absorbent for non-corrosive spills and leaks.
• Chemical spills on equipment: LeVert is designed to decontaminate vertical surfaces such as equipment, hydraulic hoses, hard-to-access areas, chemical suits, and PPE. LeVert declassifies chemical hazards which helps to make clean-up safer and easier.

Occupational disease arising from noise

• Noise dosimeters are specialized sound level meters designed to be worn during work to determine the personal level of noise exposure over a period of time.
• By identifying noise levels, safety managers can reduce the chance of a worker experiencing a noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
• Safety managers also need to consider their schedules for machine maintenance as this is essential to noise reduction.
• Your company policy should include proper training and smart hearing protection which uses Bluetooth or radio frequencies to enable workers to communicate without removing their hearing protection.