Buying Better Equipment

How To Cut Down On Arc Flash Injuries In Any Underground Coal Mine

6 January 2016 by Jared Perez

It's no secret that coal mining is commonly considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and part of what makes this job so dangerous is the potential for arc flashes underground. In fact, the CDC claims that arc flashes are the number one cause of electrical injuries in the world of mining. This means that it should be any miner's first priority to cut down on the probability of these accidents happening, and thankfully there are several levels at which you can protect yourself and your employees. 

PPE

On the personal scale, wearing the right personal protective equipment (PPE) is crucial for preventing an arc flash-related catastrophe. In order to select the proper level of protection, you can ask your employer for the recommended Hazard Risk Category (HRC) for your specific job. You can then use this information to pick out all of the necessary protective clothing that is appropriate for your job using a table. While this can be done on an employee-by-employee scale, a company-wide overhaul may prove to be more effective and efficient in the long run. 

Arc-Flash Relays

If you want to get more into the root cause of the issue than limiting its negative effects, then you have to start looking at your electrical system for solutions. One of the most effective solutions from this perspective is the use of an arc flash relay. This device is designed to recognize the bright flash of an arc that's just beginning to form and then send a signal to the breaker to cut the power and prevent the arc flash from forming in full force. These machines can be placed anywhere that there is the potential for an arc flash since they are compact and work well in a huge variety of situations. Some ideas for placement include transformers, motor control centers, and any electrical cabinet. 

Employee Training

Of course, all of your prevention measures can be completely undone by one or two poorly trained employees who can put everyone in risk. In order to avoid this, proper training is absolutely critical. Just about everybody needs to be trained on preventing arc flash injuries, especially those working directly with the electrical system in your mine. Specifically, this training should cover what's presented in OSHA regulations 29 CFR 1910.332 and 29 CFR 1910.269. Another important thing to keep in mind when conducting these trainings is to make sure that they are properly documented in order to comply with OSHA regulations and avoid fines or other punishments.  

For mining equipment itself, contact a company such as Don Leslie Supply, Inc.

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