Safety Tidbit 7.05 - Safety Culture in Mining

 

Safety Tidbit 7.05 – Safety Culture in Mining

 

Reference: (2021). United States Department of Labor. Compliance & Enforcement | Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). https://www.msha.gov/compliance-enforcement

 

This Safety Tidbit was written by my student, Mr. Hunter Noel – a senior in the Safety Sciences Program at the Indiana University of PA graduating Summer 2022.

 

The coal mining industry has been an essential industry for almost 300 years. Coal has been a vital source of heating and energy throughout the past few centuries for households in the country. Besides wood, coal is the oldest source of heat and energy that the country uses. Despite the new sources of heat in the world, such as gas, oil, and electricity, coal still manages to find its way to being a vital and relevant heat source in the 21st century. With its importance, the coal industry has responsibilities to commitment through management and leadership; without it, the industry wouldn't be what it is today. The most significant commitment is a safety and health policy. In any company, it is their willingness to comply with laws and regulations and give recognition to their employees' safety and health. Any company should understand and recognize safety and health obligations to protect its employees, its visitors/customers, and its management. There should be an objective for the company and the employees to follow within any policy. Under the management and the employer, the company can make its objectives more precise and define accomplishments for proper health and safety with employee input and opinions. Through the policy and the company's power to fulfill mining inspections, comply with policy and procedures, and understand the pattern of violations. (MSHA, 2021)

 

A company policy could include the following to abide by regulations:

• Management should abide by four required inspections a year through the Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
• Management should abide by more frequent inspections depending on the level of explosive or toxic gasses through MSHA.
• Management should abide by policies and procedures described by the MSHA and the EFSMS.

 

As previously stated, companies in the coal industry have responsibilities towards commitment through management and leadership. A safety and health policy can provide employees, visitors/customers, and management with a safe and healthy workplace. Specifically, in the coal industry, a safety and health policy can fulfill obligations made by any management and suggestions made by employees. Through mining inspections., complying with policy and procedures, and understanding the pattern of violations, a company in the coal industry can be successful in aspects of health and safety.

 

Hope this was helpful and thank you for reading my Safety Tidbits! Comments and questions are always welcome. ~ Bryan

 

P.S. If you have a new safety or health question, please let me know.