Annual Refresher - Surface Mines

COURSE/CLASS DESCRIPTION

ISSUE 1. Part 48, Annual Refresher:Surface
Part 48, Annual Refresher:Underground
Large and Small Coal and Metal and Non-Metal Mines

Part 48:Annual Refresher Surface, Coal and Metal Non-Metal Mines

Description of the issue:

Part 48 Annual Refresher Training is a very necessary component of the overall strategy in the prevention of accidents, injuries, illnesses and fatalities at Missouri's mines.  Many of the mines in the state do not have a qualified instructor to train the miners in safety and health.  A large portion of the industry has not evolved along with the progress and advancements made in technology.  They do not have access to the information and equipment needed to provide up to date and exciting training programs to enhance the efforts of MSHA, the State Grants Program and the Missouri Mine Safety and Health Program.  New and different hazards are found every day in the mining environment.  Even though the miner has been trained, retrained and retrained there is a complacency aspect that we must overcome when dealing with the experienced miner.  Many miners feel that this is just another boring eight hours that must be done so they can keep on mining.

Proposed Solution:

This attitude is what we in Missouri have tried, shaken and overcome with new approaches to the class.  Interactive classroom activities and hands on training in the areas each miner has done for the majority of his or her mining life tends to cause increased interest in the class.  New awareness of the hazards they are associated with every day begins to soak in.  The class begins to open up and interact with the instructor.

We will use Part 48 Annual Refresher Training to update the miner in the latest trends and technological advances to make their job safe and healthy.  We will to bring these to light in the class.  We use the internet to search and find the latest trends and specialty class topics to bring to the miner.  We have the advantage of being able to access many areas of information that the small operator cannot because of time and budgetary constraints.

What used to be livid or just plain tepid classes have become lively, interactive and very informative.  Many of the old hazards are still out there but we are finding that because of the new and improved mining equipment and methods, the miner of today is finding hazards that were not possible before.  The federal and state Laws have done much to eradicate the hazards of the past.  It is our goal to inform, educate and train the miner of today about the hazards of today.

Goal:

To reduce accidents, injuries, illnesses and fatalities, the miners must be informed of the hazards they are faced with.  Annual Refresher is a vehicle that is expedient and versatile enough to get the information to the miners.  The miners will be informed in a way that will be retained.  Retention of the knowledge is the most important aspect of the training exercise.  If the class is dull, boring and redundant, the miners will walk away with less than they started with.  We feel the operator can use the information we give them on a daily basis to produce safety talks and one on one sessions with their miners.  We will enlist the aid of management to participate in Annual Refresher Training along with inspections and hazard awareness programs which will effectively reduce the potential for accidents, injuries and illnesses.

OBJECTIVE:

We will train the experienced miner in the required subjects as set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 30, Part 48, Training and Retraining of Miners and other courses as may be required by the District Manager based on circumstances and conditions at the mine.  The classes presented will be adapted to the mine where the miners are employed.  A site specific inspection and audit will be performed at the mine and a discussion with the operator and miners representative to determine the needs at the mine before the course is presented.  This will inform the instructor in the processes and problems encountered at the mine.  This process will enable the instructor to prepare his or her class to be mine specific.  We will provide eight hours of the required training. A discussion with management and the workforce on the health hazards found at the mine will be held.  The long range health consequences, hazards and the prevention of Silicosis will be presented at each refresher class.

OUTLINE:

1. Mandatory Health and Safety Standards
   1. Introduction to the mandatory safety standards in CFR 30
   2. Discussion of Part 56
   3. Introduction to the mandatory health standards in CFR 30.
   4. Discussion with the primary focus on Silicosis, noise and winter hazards.
   5. Responsibilities of management.
   6. Introduction to Company Rules.
2. Transportation Controls and Communication Systems.
   1. Procedures for entering and leaving the mine.
   2. Check in and check out system.
   3. Riding conveyances.
   4. Transportation of miners, materials and explosives.
   5. The use of mine communication systems.
   6. Warning signals, signs and directional signs used at the mine.
3. Escape and Emergency Evacuation Plans; Firewarning and Firefighting.
   1. Review of the escape procedures and routes.
   2. Review of the Firefighting and Emergency Evacuation Plans.
   3. Instruction in the firewarning systems.
4. Ground Control; Working in areas of Highwalls, Water Hazards, Pits and Spoil Banks; Illumination and Night Work.
   1. Highwalls and ground control plans will be discussed.
   2. Procedures for working safely around highwalls.
   3. Procedures for working around water.
   4. Procedures for working around spoil banks.
   5. Night time hazards identified and procedures for working after dark.
   6. Special emphasis will be placed on checking and preparing the worksite at or around the highwall.
5. First Aid
   1. Primary survey
   2. Secondary survey
   3. CPR
   4. Bandaging and splinting
   5. Transportation
6. Electrical Hazards
   1. Recognition and avoidance of electrical hazards.
   2. High voltage dangers
   3. Power center dangers
   4. Grounding
   5. Ground fault interruption
   6. Sub-stations
   7. Disconnects
   8. Lock-out/Tag-out
7. Prevention of Accidents.
   1. We will review common accidents in the mining environment.
   2. Review of fatal-grams and near misses.
   3. Review of the company policy.
   4. Instruction in hazard recognition and avoidance.
   5. Instruction in Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
8. Health
   1. Instruction in how and why dust, noise and other health measurements are taken and what the results mean to the miner.
   2. Discussion on Silicosis and its prevention at the mine.
   3. Health controls in place at the mine will be discussed.
      1. Noise
      2. Winter Hazards
      3. Hygiene
      4. Silicosis
      5. Heat stress
   4. Health provisions of the act will be explained.
   5. Warning labels and Material Safety Data Sheets explained.
9. Explosives
   1. Review and instruction in the use and danger of explosives.
   2. Hazards in the handling and transportation of explosives.
   3. Day boxes and Magazines
   4. The use of Certified Blasters or becoming certified
10. Self Rescue and Respiratory Devices
    1. Instruction in the use, care and maintenance of the type of devices used at the mine.
    2. Demonstration on the complete donning procedure.
    3. Fit Testing and the hazards if not done properly.
    4. Their use in the prevention of Silicosis and other respiratory related diseases.
11. Such other courses as may be required by the District Manager based on the circumstances and conditions found at the mine.
    1. Powered Haulage Safety
    2. Fall Prevention
    3. Personal Protective Devices
    4. Health and Hygeine
    5. Confined Space Entry
    6. Hazardous Materials Handling
    7. Materials Handling