Signs Matter in the real world. It’s a hot summer day, with very little breeze, and any means of cooling off is welcome. A young man (over 18 years old) and some of his friends decide they have a great idea to cool down. There is a closed mine about ½ mile away and they [...]
2022 You don’t have to follow OSHA: You can have stricter safety policies. You don’t have to follow OSHA: You can have stricter safety policies. You of course know that the OSHA safety rules are safety minimums. In other words, these safety rules are the bare bones of good safety practices. But did you know [...]
Mine Safety Health Act Safety Alerts. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) provides support for mine safety in ways other than mere inspections and citations. MSHA also provides a great resource for making known safety hazards which exist at many mines. Topics of these Safety Alerts include vehicle rollovers, roof and rib safety guidance, and [...]
Mine safety. Confined spaces. Most workplaces in the US have confined space hazards. Mining is no exception but with different twist. Many confined spaces in mining involved material processing equipment. Crushers, conveyors, and material storage bins. Material engulfment is a hazard that can be present where mined materials are handled. For example, sand and gravel [...]
Fall safety. Almost everyone learns about gravity as a kid. Climbing trees, roller blading, climbing fences. And of course, falling from these or other activities. Gravity has not changed much since we were kids to working adults. The big difference, adults are supposed to be smarter (or at least wiser) than kids. Recognizing a fall [...]
Mine safety for water hazards. Seconds matter. The Mine Safety Health Act requires that water floatation devices be easily accessible when a water hazard exits. Water rescue devices must be easily accessible. I take this to mean that 1) water rescue devices are very kept very close to potential water hazard exposures. 2) All employees [...]
Warning signs. As you no doubt know the safety rules in the Occupational Safety Health Act (OSHA) usually apply only in the work place. Namely, between employer and employee. OSHA makes the employer responsible only for worker safety. But as in life, there are exceptions. OSHA section 29 CFR 1910.145 says warning signs safety rule [...]
Safety Training. It is worth the time. Safety training is a great opportunity to not only send the message to your employees that their safety and welfare is important to the company but training personnel on how to do their jobs the right way. Safety training does not necessarily translate into hours of classroom work. [...]
Knowledge equals safety. What does this simple statement mean? One word. Training. Employees trained to recognize hazards and unsafe conditions at work will know where risks to their safety and health exist. Knowing that a hazard exists means the employee can take appropriate steps to avoid/reduce/eliminate the risk to their safety. Training on how to [...]
Mine Safety Tool Box Talks. Mining is a rewarding and challenging industry. Keeping your miners safe is a constant effort. The Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA) has developed a collection of tool box safety talks. These safety talks are useful presentations that can be used on a daily or weekly basis. These talks are simple [...]