Published in the March 2007 American Longwall Magazine

The group was chaired by University of Missouri-Rolla faculty member Dr R Larry Grayson, who was flanked by Mark Beauchamp of Twentymile Coal Company, Consol Energy’s J Brett Harvey, Dr Jeffrey Kohler of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Arch Coal’s Anthony Bumbico, Dr Thomas Novak of Virginia Tech, Stanley I Cohn of Concepts to Operations, Cecil Roberts Jr of the United Mine Workers of America, Dr Amy Donahue of the University of Connecticut, and Buddy Webb of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

The individuals met and developed their charter in March 2006, and after meetings in April, May and July were able to draft a preliminary report. By September, the final draft report was ready for review by an expert panel, and the final report with all of the recommendations was made just prior to the end of last year on December 5.

The examination of technology in both the mining industry and other sectors of business was just part of the commission’s objective. Each representative also sought to find those items which would improve miner protection while taking into consideration the aspects of mining and need for new perspectives.

In the completed report, the 10-person panel cited various reasons for recent spikes in statistics, especially in the area of fire and explosion deaths in mines. Threat management changes for abandoned operations, an insufficiency in fire suppression technology, mine design modifications, and an increase in new mining staff coupled with a decrease in pertinent training were all cited as contributors to the data. Also, “based on record safety performances, some level of complacency cannot be ruled out,” they noted.

In part, some of the industry’s “persistent issues and new complexities” included items they felt needed detailed attention: maintaining communication with escaping and trapped miners, SCSR reliability, escape time, issues relating to mined-out areas, preparedness levels, reporting response times, trapped miner protection methods and an anticipated increase in hazards were all taken into account when putting together recommendations.

From their study, the commission developed 75 recommendations within the report, each of which was classified under one of five content areas:

• Risk-based design and management (4)

• Communications technology (7)

• Emergency response and mine rescue procedures (40)

• Training for preparedness (5)

• Escape and protection strategies (19)

Chairman Grayson said at a January industry conference that the group did not and will not specify what the Mine Safety and Health Administration or operations should do with their outlined recommendations. “It’s not all or nothing – pick what works for you,” he said. However, he said, “It does call … for a fundamental change … to protect these miners,” in the form of immediate change.

“The bottom line in protecting our coal miners is that all stakeholders must adopt a culture of prevention and systematically pursue mitigation of significant risks,” he added. “As this is done, risk management, new technologies, better training of miner and managers, better planned and executed emergency response and mine rescue operations, and better protection of escaping and trapped miners are needed.”

Some have noted that the recommendations take a different and less prescriptive attitude than state and federal regulatory bodies. Grayson explained the group’s processes this way: “Actually, some prescription is needed, primarily to specify minimum requirements of sustaining infrastructure and key mine safety components such as ventilation [and] roof control. However, prescription by itself is not enough; to achieve ‘best practice’ health and safety outcomes, a process-driven management approach founded on a culture of prevention and scrutinizing significant risks is needed.”

Grayson stressed the importance of a proactive, not reactive, attitude towards what has become a recent “buzz phrase” of the industry, a “culture of safety”. That culture, he said, is “espoused by most mines, but attaining a high level of safety in operations requires systematic safety management and timely interventions, what we are calling a ‘culture of prevention’.”

In order to successfully achieve that at any mine, the proper attention must be paid to the effort in the form of dedicated staff – and that means any mine or any size, not just large operations. “In general, one could reasonably declare that the industry has had a ‘culture of safety’ over the past decades, but it cannot be construed a ‘culture of prevention’ – and the risk-based systematic approaches that involve every person in safety are the keys.”

He said the industry’s legislative bodies are already taking notice of the recommendations and merging them with other regulations that are in place or in development. “About 12 reflect what is now being pursued through the MINER Act, with a few modifications. Some … aspects will require several years and concerted effort for effective implementation, say three to five, and require additional funding for research and/or development for future applications.”

The panel will also be working with Congress on the report’s major specifications, and said it will be working with industry agencies (including MSHA and NIOSH) that can help the recommendations move towards adoption. Grayson said the commission itself will also be acting proactively for the same cause.

“Underground coal mining is a high-risk industry, and as with other high-risk operations … it will require significant funding to address the risks effectively while always looking for better technologies, practices and methods to further reduce the significant risks.”

Grayson said the group’s work, much like new state and federal regulations, will not be the final attempt – but what they call a “continuous improvement” for operations and mine safety that must be practiced and kept fresh.

“Although it will be elusive, the goal of zero fatalities and injuries must be pursued; we owe that to our miners. In order to get there and sustain it, then surely all stakeholders working in the industry will need to perform their roles systematically, based on a strong commitment and adoption of best practices as they are developed,” Grayson said.

The Mine Safety Technology and Training Commission’s final report, including details of all 75 recommendations contained within, can be reviewed at www.coalminingsafety.org