Preventing falls in a mine

On Behalf of | Jan 16, 2019 | Workplace Accidents

If you are someone who works in the Louisiana mining industry or if you know a person who does, it is in your best interest to know how a miner can take a nasty stumble in a mine and the best precautions to take. Mines are dangerous places to work, and some of these hazardous conditions can cause miners to fall down if they are not careful.

According to Grainger, many miners do not need to fear plummeting from a great height since many mines are underground. However, there are some mines that do involve tall heights, such as raised goldmines or mountainous mines. These mines may require the construction of scaffolds to reach great heights, in which case mining workers must take great care to maintain their footing, including using harnesses to keep from plunging off the side of the scaffolding.

While working in underground mines, your concerns are generally the same as other workers who have to use heavy machinery in a ground level environment. For instance, mining requires the use of machines that shake the ground. Standing or walking too close in proximity to such machines may put you at risk of losing your balance and falling. You will need to know where to walk or possess proper footwear to maintain your balance.

Proper safety gear may also decrease the risk of falls. Adequate lighting can keep mine tunnels visible enough that a worker will not stumble over terrain or machinery while traversing the mine. In the event that rainfalls into the shaft are an issue, miners can don protective rain gear, including boots that tread slippery ground.

Additionally, air can be a problem. Safestart warns that in mines that traverse deeper depths into the earth, the flow of oxygen may be diminished. If you do not receive adequate oxygen, you may become light headed and start to lose your balance. Mine administrators should make sure their workers have supplies of oxygen if the air quality is too dangerous.

There are other ways a miner can take a spill. Seismic upheavals can throw a mine worker down to the ground and possibly cause rocks to fall from the ceiling or even cause a cave-in. There may be instabilities in the ground that go undetected. As a result, a worker could step on weak ground and trip and fall, or perhaps plunge into a sudden sinkhole.

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