P&Q Editors Blog
Shedding some light on the situation
February 17, 2012
By: Pit & Quarry Staff
MSHA is clearing up a safety issue concerning Bayco flashlights. Certain model numbers of these flashlights are labeled with the MSHA emblem when, in fact, they are not an MSHA-approved product. Bayco’s website and advertising materials also improperly identified the flashlights as MSHA approved. The model numbers are XXP-5420B, XXP-5420G, XPP-5422B and XPP-5422G. Bayco is new to the mining market and has not received MSHA approval for any products at this time, though it has applied to MSHA for proper approval of the flashlights, the administration says in its alert. MSHA urges owners of these flashlights to return them to Bayco. The flashlights, however, are listed by Environmental Testing Laboratories as intrinsically safe for use in hazardous locations, and this listing is not affected. – Brian Richesson
Safety reminders
January 3, 2012
By: Pit & Quarry Staff
Safety concerns with bulldozers and highwalls make up MSHA's latest safety alerts. A string of deaths in the mining industry linked to bulldozers and highwalls led MSHA to warn the community about potential dangers and to remind it about best practices. Meanwhile, a look at 2011 fatality statistics in the metal/nonmetal sector reveals 16 total deaths – 11 occurring at surface mines and five underground. The leading causes of these deaths were powered haulage (four) and machinery and slip/fall of person, with three each. The 16 deaths in metal/nonmetal are down from 23 in 2010. – Brian Richesson
Four dead in four days
November 21, 2011
By: Pit & Quarry Staff
Four miners killed in four days. That's the bold headline in a MSHA safety alert poster, which includes a checklist of best practices on how the mining community can avoid these tragedies. While these deaths in the last four days of October did not occur at aggregate operations, they still serve as a reminder of the dangers all miners face on a daily basis. In fact, of the four deaths that occurred at metal/nonmetal mines in the third quarter of this year, ending Sept. 30, three did happen at aggregate operations. One miner was killed at a sand and gravel operation when he accessed an elevated platform near an unguarded head pulley and became entangled in the operating conveyor system. Another miner was killed at a portable sand and gravel operation when he opened the 480-volt feeder box at the motor control center, started to remove the leads and received a fatal shock. And yet another miner was killed at a sand and gravel operation when he was changing a screen in the plant and fell about 56 ft. He was standing on a steel rail that had been placed between the midrail of the protective rail surrounding the screen deck work platform and the screen structure. Take some time to review MSHA's preventative recommendations regarding fatal accidents. – Brian Richesson
Winter risks
October 24, 2011
By: Pit & Quarry Staff
As I type this on a cold, dark October afternoon in Cleveland, I see the rain outside and I swear there are snowflakes mixed in. Winter is on the way, and with it comes a new set of workplace hazards that don't exist in the warm-weather months.
With that in mind, the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) launched its annual “Winter Alert” campaign to call attention to the dangers caused by cold weather. "Colder weather creates some drastic changes in the mining workplace," says Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. "Mine operators," he says, "need to take additional precautions to protect miners. In view of this, MSHA is distributing important information to the mining industry about the preventive steps to be taken to avoid accidents.”
Colder weather, MSHA says, brings potential hazards such as limited visibility, icy haulage roads and walkways, and freezing and thawing of highwalls at surface mines. This year, the agency encourages miners and mine operators to “Knock Out the Risk” that winter weather brings by taking specific measures to avoid workplace hazards:
• Remove snow and ice in travel ways.
• Apply salt and sand where needed.
• Frequently examine highwalls for stability.
In addition to miners, mining equipment is also susceptible to risks in cold weather. Caterpillar offers these tips to keep equipment running well:
• Before the beginning of cold weather, install the correct lubricant in each compartment.
• Provide cooling system protection for the lowest expected outside temperature.
• Check all rubber parts weekly: hoses, tires and fan drive belts.
• Keep all batteries fully charged and warm.
• Fill the fuel tank at the end of each shift.
• Check the air cleaners and the air intake daily. If snow is present, check the air intake more frequently.
• Steering response on equipment with hydraulic steering may become very slow at very low temperatures.
• Run the engine until it reaches operating temperature, which will help prevent the intake valves and exhaust valves from sticking.
Be safe this cold-weather season. –Darren Constantino
Industry gathering place
October 5, 2011
By: Pit & Quarry Staff
The economy, MSHA, the highway bill and frac sand were among the topics at the forefront of the Pit & Quarry Roundtable, held Sept. 30 in the Chicago area. About 40 attendees, making up aggregate producers, manufacturers and service providers, participated in the annual event. As always, members of our industry offered valuable insight into the factors impacting aggregate operations across the nation. In upcoming issues, we will print a portion of that dialogue from your peers and equipment suppliers. Will you agree with them? You won't want to miss what they had to say. – Brian Richesson
