MSHA to explore safety tech for mobile equipment, conveyors

The Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) plans to hold six public stakeholder meetings and a webinar to discuss safety improvement technologies for mobile equipment at surface mines.

The agency also plans to explore safety solutions for belt conveyors at surface and underground mines.

Mobile equipment at surface operations includes bulldozers, front-end loaders and trucks, according to MSHA. Belt conveyors are used to transport materials in both surface and underground mines.

MSHA’s request for information, which was published in the Federal Register on June 26, is part of a larger MSHA initiative to reduce powered haulage accidents. According to MSHA, these accidents involve haul trucks, front-end loaders and other large vehicles.

In addition to soliciting data from stakeholders on technology and practices to improve miner safety, MSHA will provide technical assistance and develop best practices and training materials to further raise awareness of hazards related to mobile equipment and belt conveyors.

The stakeholder meeting dates and locations are as follows: Aug. 7 in Birmingham, Alabama, at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel; Aug. 9 in Dallas at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel; Aug. 16 via an online webinar; Aug. 21 in Reno, Nevada, at the Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel; Sept. 11 in Beckley, West Virginia, at the National Mine Health and Safety Academy; Sept. 20 in Albany, New York, at the Hilton Albany; and Sept. 25 in Arlington, Virginia, at MSHA’s headquarters.