No. 494 March 2002 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

Expert Miner Training Video Released By NIOSH
 

Objective 

To develop safety training tools for mine safety and health 

professionals that fill gaps in currently available materials. 

Background 

Over the past 4 years, NIOSH has developed and released a 

series of training videos targeted at underground mine safety. These 

videos were developed in close cooperation with the mining industry 

and safety training professionals and were intended to provide 

realistic, interesting, effective training to both new hires and experienced miners. The videos cover the mining cycle, starting with the 

breaking of the rock (Handling Explosives in Modern Mines), making 

certain the work area is safe after a blast (Rock Falls— Preventing 

Rock Fall Injuries in Underground Mines), installation of ground 

supports and recognition of failed supports (Miner Mike Saves the 

Day), and hauling both ore and materials in the mine (Hazards in 

Motion). A separate video (Hidden Scars) captures the story of a 

fatal rock burst through an interview with a miner who nearly died 

and who lost his partner in the accident. These videos have been 

extremely popular in the mining industry and are being used across 

the nation as well as in 18 other countries. Two of them, Rock Falls 

and Miner Mike Saves the Day, have won Alice Hamilton awards, 

NIOSH’s highest recognition for Excellence in Occupational Safety 

and Health, in the Educational Materials category. 

Approach 

A recently completed independent evaluation of the SRL mining 

videos identified five themes that mine safety trainers consider 

necessary for successful training materials: high quality, credibility, 

accurate content, effectiveness, and an engaging nature. All of the 

NIOSH videos were rated very high for each theme. 

Using these measures of effectiveness, a more difficult challenge 

has been undertaken. Much has been written in the mining industry 

about the coming turnover in employment. The average age of 

miners in the United States is approaching 50, and many of the 

“experts” will be leaving the industry as they reach retirement age. 

The mining industry, like many industries involving skilled labor, 

relies heavily on a master-apprentice relationship between new hires 

and older miners. New hands learn from experienced miners. Their 

learning falls into three primary categories—they learn what’s important to know, they learn how to do things correctly and safely, and 

they learn the culture. 

With the expected exodus of experts, there’s a very real concern 

in the industry about how to train new miners when there aren’t 

enough master miners left to go around. The new NIOSH video, Zen 

and the Art of Rockbolting attempts to capture the wisdom and experience of a master miner to help train a new generation of miners 

long after he has retired. 

Zen and the Art of Rockbolting 

This video showcases Jim Mortensen, a “gypo” miner for nearly 

40 years in a deep, underground silver mine in the West. Jim is paid 

for what he produces and consistently out-produces everyone else in 

the area. He has never lost a day to a lost-time injury. In the video, 

Jim explains to a young miner, Ted, what he has learned over the 

years. He tells young Ted how to survive and how to do the job 

right. He discusses such things as proper work practices and 

personal protective equipment, and at the same time, provides 

valuable lessons on what it means to be a hard-rock miner. Jim is a 

master and is highly credible as a trainer. 

This video runs 33 minutes, and while it was filmed in a hardrock environment, it’s an excellent introduction to the necessary 

interaction between working safely and working hard in any mine. 

For More Information 

Additional information and research reports can be obtained by 

contacting Elaine Cullen at (509) 354-8057, e-mail efc8@cdc.gov, 

Spokane Research Laboratory, E. 315 Montgomery Ave., Spokane, 

WA 99207. 

To receive additional information about occupational safety 

and health problems, call 1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674), 

or visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh 

Mention of any company name or product does not constitute 

endorsement by the National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health. 
Jim Mortensen, master miner Filming Jim as he works at the face.