MSHA new technology program manager Dave Chirdon told a large industry crowd at the Charleston Civic Center that just 192 of 529 federally approved plans for mining operations had been completed. That represents just 36% of the nation’s mines.
Federal regulators have set June 15 of this year as the deadline for installation of communications and tracking systems outlined by mining operators.
Chirdon noted that the US industry had made significant strides in a short period of time; just one year ago compliance stood at 6.4%, or 34 mines. Those mines not meeting the mandated deadline are subject to enforcement action.
Leading the list of popular technology for underground placement is the leaky feeder system, which accounts for 50% of installations. Wired node-based represents 29% and wireless node-based 22%.
Chirdon also provided an update on approvals of communications and tracking technologies. Since the passage of the MINER Act in 2006, the agency had approved 186 applications, including 67 new and 119 revised submissions.
MSHA is currently evaluating 53 applications at the Approval and Certification Center in West Virginia, including wireless mesh and through-the-earth technologies.
Finally, Chirdon noted that the agency was continuing its work on proximity detection, a sector which currently has three MSHA-approved systems: Nautilus’ Coal Buddy, Strata’s HazardAvert and Joy/Matrix Design’s M3-1000 system.
A review of fatal incidents between 1984 and 2010 found that 70 accidents could have been prevented with the utilization of proximity detection systems. Of those deaths, 30 involved continuous miners, 25 related to shuttle cars, 10 involved scoops and five incidents featured mobile bridge conveyors.
MSHA also found that 29 of the miners killed in these accidents had possession of the remote control for the continuous miner they were operating. Six were performing maintenance at the time of the incident.
As federal officials make progress with those companies involved in proximity detection, Chirdon said the agency had received 14 responses to date from interested parties after MSHA published a Request for Information last January. The agency was now working on an Emergency Temporary Standard for proximity, though a date for release of the document had not been determined.
