Mine safety

Mine safety is a broad term referring to the practice of controlling and managing a wide range of hazards associated with the life cycle of mining-related activities.

[5] A ventilation system is set up to force a stream of air through the working areas of the mine.

Frictional heat and sparks generated by mining equipment can ignite both methane gas and coal dust.

[6] Miners utilize equipment strong enough to break through extremely hard layers of the Earth's crust.

[7] By age 50, nearly 90% of U.S. coal miners have some hearing loss, compared to only 10% among workers not exposed to loud noises.

[8] The preferred prevention strategy involves engineering controls to eliminate noise sources.

Cases such as these often lead to high-profile rescue efforts, such as when 33 Chilean miners were trapped deep underground for 69 days in 2010.

High temperatures and humidity may result in heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke, which can be fatal.

However, despite modern improvements to safety practices, mining remains a dangerous occupation throughout the world.

[12] There are upwards of 560,000 abandoned mines on public and privately owned lands in the United States alone.

[13][14] Abandoned mines may be dangerous to anyone who attempts to explore them without proper knowledge and safety training.

Le Petit Journal illustration of the Courrières mine disaster
Firefighter training in fell slate mine , Germany
Remnants of pit "San Vicente" in Linares, Jaén , Spain. On its last day of operation, in 1967, six workers died in an elevator accident. [ 2 ]
A video on preventing rock falls in mines
A video on handling explosives in underground mines
Warning sign near a dangerous area filled with open mineshafts, Calico Ghost Town , California.