officials. More than 100 requests for copies of
the software have been received.

The opportunities for continued programs
through research in training, equipment, and task
design are many, and we are encouraged to
actively address safety problems using those
approaches.

Disaster Prevention

Research on the prevention and control of mine
fires and explosions continues to address critical
issues. Reliable early-waming fire detection
methods are crucial for ensuring sufficient time
for the safe evacuation of workers and for
permitting successful extinguishment of the fire
before it becomes a more serious hazard.
Research is being conducted to assess new
detection technologies, develop novel fire
sensors, and provide detector performance and
deployment guidelines for optimizing mine fire
detection systems.

The extinguishment of underground mine fires
is a difficult and dangerous process. Research is
examining new fire-fighting strategies and
equipment that minimize the risk to firefighters,
novel seals for isolating a fire area, and improved
automatic suppression systems based on water-
mist technology.

Reliable methods for preventing and detecting
hazardous accumulations of combustible
substances and rendering them inert are among
the most important ingredients in our explosion
prevention program. Research is being
conducted to develop sensors for assessing the
explosibility of gas and dust mixtures and to
develop remote methane monitoring technology.

Mine escape during emergencies, with
particular emphasis on life support, continues to
be a priority. Research on life support is
focusing on the design of new respirator systems
and life support devices that optimize
performance and reduce size and weight, as well

as conducting field evaluations of existing
respirators. In addition, a careful assessment of
respirator physiology may permit modification of
the performance requirements of self-rescuers
and other breathing devices used in underground
mining applications.

COAL MINING
Extended-Cut

Extended-cut mining operations are receiving
increased focus relative to health and safety
issues. Ventilation, methane control, operator
safety with remote-control systems, and mine
roof stability are some of the principal areas
currently being investigated. One area of related
research is that a “Machine in the Seam" graphic
computer visualization system is being
developed to enhance machine remote control.

Longwall Size

The increasing dimensions of longwalls dictate
a variety of needs and issues that are the subject
of health and safety research. These include
respirable dust, ventilation, entry stability, and
mine emergency issues (fires, explosions, escape,
etc.). This is a case where a "systems approach”
to the area of interest is the only way to proceed.
I am optimistic about the progress that will be
made in this area in the near future.

Retreat Mining

Many small mines, particularly in the southern
Appalachian coalfields, use pillar retreat mining
because of greater flexibility and lower capital
cost than longwall mining. Unfortunately, pillar
extraction often is faced with greater difficulty in
maintaining roof and pillar stability. The very
nature of the mining operation is also a challenge
from the mine worker's perspective, and human.
behavior issues during retreat mining operations
are being studied. A recent research
accomplishment has been the development of a
model for determining pillar stability during the


Emphasis is directed toward emerging
technologies, such as extended cuts, mobile roof
supports used in retreat mining, innovative roof
support systems, and projected increases in the
use of underground mining in the aggregate
sector of the industry. Studies are also
continuing on understanding basic rock
mechanics given various geologic settings and
mine designs. For example, in the area of
extended cut, natural gamma and radar coal
thickness sensors and infrared coal-rock interface
detection technology are being used to improve
the safety of remote mining machine operators
whose lives could be endangered when guiding
machines.

Health and Safety Issues Associated
with Automation

The minerals aggregate industry has made
substantial progress in the use of plant
automation, and other sectors of the industry are
increasingly using automation to reduce
exposure to hazards and increase production.
There are many health and safety issues related
to automation, ranging from human error to
"software safety." All of the health and safety
aspects of this issue are being investigated. For
example, a safety panel comprised of industry,
academia, and other government agencies has
been assembled to identify the most pressing
needs concerning mining automation. "Software
safety" was identified as the top concern. Efforts
are underway to generate mining industry
guidelines for this area because no such
guidelines exist. The draft guidelines will be
generated this year and discussed with the safety
panel.

Human Factors

Prior studies have documented the significance
of human factors in many mining accidents.
Through those efforts, progress in the following
areas has been made.

With help from universities, mining
companies, MSHA, and other providers of

training, we have developed more than 70
interactive simulation training exercises on
various mine safety and health topics. According
to participants at the 1994 MSHA Summit
Meetings on Miners Training and Safety at Small
Mines, there is a pressing need for better safety
training materials and methods in the mining
industry. We have been working to meet this
need by developing innovative training methods
and materials to address safety and health
problems associated with new technologies in
mining. The materials have been favorably
received and widely used. To date, more than
500,000 copies of these exercises have been
distributed by MSHA's National Mine Health
and Safety Academy, Beckley, WV.

Software has been developed to provide
mining equipment manufacturers and MSHA
(the certifying agency) with a quick and reliable
method for evaluating mine illumination
systems. Poor visibility in underground work
areas contributes to many serious accidents. In
the past, mine illumination systems where laid
out with a trial-and-error approach, using
handheld photometers to determine illumination
output. The amount of work involved with this
technique made it prohibitively expensive to test
alternative systems. This meant that most
illumination systems in mines were overdesigned
and generated excessive amounts of glare. The
CAP Mine Visibility Systems that we have
developed allow mine lighting system designers
to quickly lay out lighting systems that provide
adequate illumination while at the same time
minimizing glare. All of the major mine lighting
manufacturers have purchased the CAP system,
attesting to its potential to influence the mine
lighting industry.

A user-friendly, PC-based software package
(MADSS) was developed to provide the mining
industry with access to a national database of
mining accident information. The software
contains a full set of features for searching and
analyzing the MSHA databases. The system is
currently being used by top-level MSHA


retreat mining operation. The model, called
Analysis of Retreat Mining Pillar Stability
(ARMPS), is now being widely used to design
retreat mining sections.

Auger Mining

The use of auger or highwall mining systems,
both for surface as well as for underground
applications, is increasing and is the subject of
various research initiatives. Although there was
concer several years ago about explosions
during the use of highwall augers, various
USBM-proposed technologies and other
initiatives have helped to effectively address this
problem. Some of the principal concerns
currently relate to mine roof control issues and
equipment recovery with highwall mining
systems. In addition, the proposed efforts to take
similar mining concepts underground raise a
variety of ground control, ventilation, and
operator safety issues that need to be addressed.
Guidance technology in the form of inertial laser
gyro systems or radar web thickness monitoring
will soon see application, thereby minimizing
machine burials and improving resource
recovery.

NONCOAL

Ground control in metal and nonmetal mines
continues to be a focus of our research program
inasmuch as both high stress conditions and mine
design failures are problematic to the industry.
Rock bursts in deep metal mines in the Western
United States are still not fully understood, and
technologies must be developed to identify and
prevent burst-prone conditions. Massive pillar
failures have recently occurred in two
underground mines, Retsof and Solvay, which
resulted in widespread mine collapse. Additional
studies are needed to understand longterm pillar
behavior for both yielding and nonyielding
designs.

Projections indicate that limestone mining will
begin shifting from surface to underground.

operations. Challenges facing the industry will
include ventilation, blasting designs, equipment
safety, ground control, and worker training.
About 5% of the total U.S. stone production
comes from approximately 90 underground
mines. MSHA data show that 25% of the stone
industry's accidents and fatalities occur
underground. A significant portion of limestone
mining accidents and fatalities involve roof and
rib falls. Review of the accidents has lead our
researchers to focus on training for underground
limestone mining, with emphasis on roof and rib
hazards. Training prototypes will te directed
toward the two general areas of scaling and roof
and rib inspection. The focus will be on
perception (visual identification) of hazards; the
identification of cues needed in the recognition
of hazards. A module will be developed using
three-dimensional photographs containing
degraded and highlighted underground limestone
scenes. Key elements within the module have
been identified, and a curriculum and instructors
guide will be developed. The prototype training
module will be piloted and evaluated this fall.

SUMMARY

The health and safety research staff at
Pittsburgh and Spokane, in conjunction with our
partners, are moving forward to address the
issues of mine health and safety. It is important
that we all work together to continue to make the
progress that has been realized in recent years.

We are currently working under the leadership
of Dr. Gregory Wagner, Acting Associate
Director of Mining for NIOSH; and we look
forward to a smooth and full integration into
NIOSH in Fiscal Year 1997. I welcome the
opportunity to be with you as we begin another
Institute. Best wishes for a successful meeting,
and thank you for the opportunity to share these
thoughts with you today.


UPDATE ON MINING HEALTH AND SAFETY RESEARCH

John N. Murphy

Pittsburgh Research Center

INTRODUCTION

It's a pleasure to be with you and to share in
this opening session for the 27th Annual Institute
on Mining Health, Safety, and Research. As we
come together today, I would like to reflect for
just a moment on the past Institutes. Much of the
progress in Mine Health and Safety has been the
subject of presentations and discussions at the
previous Institutes, either by identifying the
issues, proposing techniques to overcome the
problems, or presenting new findings to address
important issues for the mining industry. May I
extend our thanks and congratulations to VPI and
to the planners and organizers of all of these
Institutes for their important contributions to our
mutual goals of improving mine health and
safety.

In the time available today, I would like to
accomplish two objectives:

1. Provide my assessment of the
current status of the Mining Health
and Safety Research Program; and

2. Share with you the continuing need
and direction for the Mining Health
and Safety Research.

MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY
RESEARCH TODAY

Mine Health and Safety Research was
conducted formerly at four geographical
locations within the USBM, specifically:
Pittsburgh, Spokane, Twin Cities, and Denver.
Although the Twin Cities and Denver Centers
were closed, we have been successful in
relocating/maintaining much of the core
competencies to conduct a responsive,
multidisciplinary Mine Health and Safety
Research Program. The current staff at
Pittsburgh and Spokane directed toward Health
and Safety Research totals 397. This includes
Lake Lynn Laboratory, about 60 miles southeast
of Pittsburgh, where large-scale mine fire and
explosion research is conducted. With the
closures and transition we have worked to
maintain the core competencies necessary to
address Health and Safety issues. In some cases
we have made arrangements to provide the
requisite core competencies through external
organizations. An example is the reassignment
of the diesel particulate instrumentation
capability from Twin Cities to Pittsburgh. In the
case of diesel emission control, due to the cost of
relocating laboratories and the lack of the
appropriate skills at Pittsburgh or Spokane, the
emission control laboratory is now being
operated in Minneapolis through a contractual
arrangement with the University of Minnesota.


PROGRAM FOCUS AND DIRECTION

Although organizational changes and
alignments are important and, I am sure, of
interest to this audience, I trust that the most
important aspect of the Mine Health and Safety
Program is the programmatic focus and
accomplishments that are available for use within
the industry. In that regard, I would like to use
the remaining time to share with you my insights
into our program direction and a few selected
accomplishments.

We all agree that early involvement by
potential customers in research programs
expedites the use of the new technology by the
customer and reduces the timeframe and cost of
technology development and implementation by
the private sector. In recent years, we have
accelerated and will continue to aggressively
seek input and participation in our research
programs. In addition, I encourage all
components of the industry to consider cost-
sharing ventures by which we can expedite the
development and application of technology to
meet specific customer needs. I encourage you
to continue to provide input into our program
development. I also encourage you to be more
proactive in financial participation in our
programmatic efforts, in particular in the final
developmental portion of our program. Where
applicable, I would encourage the industry to
consider using our unique facilities and staff on a
cost-reimbursable basis to address site-specific
or manufacturer-specific needs and interests.

As I look across the mining industry today,
relative to issues that research and development
can effectively address, I see an increasing
amount of interest in health-related issues.
Although it is important that we do not abandon
our efforts relative to mine safety, we are
expecting to see some shifts in the relative
priorities of health versus safety research.
Therefore, although past USBM research
investment in health-related issues has been
about 20% over the past 5 years, I would expect

to see an increase in the health investment to
about 35% in the next year or two.

Although the details of the coming fiscal year
are still being formulated, I would like to share
with you some of the principal issues and needs
within the industry as well as selected examples
of accomplishments and program direction. It is
important to note that many of these issues relate
to both coal and noncoal. Although in some
cases the implementation strategy may vary
depending on the type of mining, the underlying
technology is the same in many cases.

Following is my assessment of issues that are
common within all segments of the industry and
those peculiar to one component.

GENERAL INDUSTRY ISSUES
Silica Dust Control

Recent NIOSH and MSHA studies have
indicated the severity of this health problem. In
addition, there had been a proposal to reduce the
exposure thresholds to one-half of the current
permissible level. Techniques have been
identified to reduce exposure to silica. For
example, in surface operations, shrouds around
blasthole drills have been able to reduce operator
exposure by as much as 95%. In underground
coal mines, research into silica dust collection by
flooded bed scrubbers has reduced the silica
which penetrates the filter and gets into the air by
40%. Research is underway to provide control
technology to reduce worker exposure both in
surface and underground mines; focus areas
include longwall operations and roof bolting.

Noise

Noise continues to be an issue of interest and
concern. MSHA has proposed rulemaking that
would significantly modify exposure limits in
mining. Further, NIOSH has examined 20,000
audiograms of miners and reports that miners
have 2.5 to 3 times the hearing loss of the non-
mining workforce.


Techniques have been identified to reduce
some mining machinery noise. Joint studies with
equipment manufacturers and rebuild shops are
needed to integrate these concepts into current
machine designs. Research is underway to
assess the effectiveness of earmuffs and various
control technologies to reduce machine noise. I
believe it would be beneficial to get a current
assessment of noise levels and noise exposures
inasmuch as the last comprehensive listing on
this topic is 20 years old. Such data would be
useful in formulating and directing new research
in this area.

Diesel Emissions

Diesel power systems have been the mainstay
of the noncoal mining industry, and their use is
increasing in underground coal mines.
Significant progress has been made in control
technology (including the adaptation and
evaluation of control technologies, such as
ceramic and paper element diesel exhaust
particulate filters, low-emission engines, new
diesel oxidation catalysts, fuel additives, and
alternate fuels). Legislation is pending in the
Pennsylvania and Virginia legislatures to update
diesel use regulations in underground coal mines.

Research will be conducted as required relative
to measurement, control technology, and
maintenance issues to ensure that the mining
industry is able to comply with future regulations
limiting the concentration of diesel exhaust
particulate and gasses in underground mines.

Haulage

This activity is receiving increased attention
due to the recent disproportionate number of
haulage accidents and fatalities. Research
initiatives have been intensified to address this
growing problem. The opportunities for
correcting this problem lie in the areas of human
factors, training, equipment design, and haulage
design. I believe that issues such as the
increased use of extended shifts need to be
carefully reviewed regarding such accidents. In
underground operations, one problem area

concerns the operation of continuous haulage
equipment where operators are stuck or caught
while guiding the haulage equipment behind a
continuous miner. Our research has identified
sensor technology that can be utilized to guide
and position the continuous haulage. Laboratory
tests have been very positive, and field tests will
be conducted this fail.

Ground Control

Issues of ground control continue to be of
importance in all sectors of the industry. Recent
accomplishments include recommendations that
we developed for redesigning the controls on
roof bolting machines. During the past decade,
several roof bolter operators have been caught
and crushed to death by the powerful hydraulic
drill boom. Several solutions to this type of
problem were developed based on a human
factors analysis of the machinery and tasks
associated with the bolting function. The report
containing recommendations received high
praise from the West Virginia Board of Coal
Mine Health and Safety. Some of the
recommended solutions have already been
adopted by the largest U.S. manufacturer of roof
bolters, who have more than 70% of the market.

Ten seminars entitled "Preventing Coal Mine
Groundfall Accidents: How To Identify and
Respond to Geologic Hazards and Prevent
Unsafe Worker Behavior" were conducted. The
presentations at these seminars approached the
prevention of groundfall accidents from two
different perspectives: (1) how to train and
motivate miners to protect themselves from
groundfalls and (2) how to identify and respond
to various geologic conditions that affect roof
stability in southern Appalachian mines. The
seminars were cosponsored by mine operators’
associations and State mining agencies in West
Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky. More than
400 persons attended these seminars. I believe
that these initiatives have contributed to the
drastic decline in the number and rate of fatal
groundfall accidents in the eastern U.S.
coalfields.