156268 How to stop the sky from falling: Prevention of rockfall injuries in underground mines

Monday, November 5, 2007

Candace Danielle Sibley , Department of Anthropology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX
Jami Girard Dwyer, PE, CMSP , Mining Engineer, NIOSH Spokane Research Lab, Spokane, WA
Objective: To gain a better understanding of the surveillance data that has been collected with respect to rockfall accidents in underground mines, and determine the highest severity and incidence rates for the various commodity types and mine locations.

Methodology: Data was retrieved from the Mine Safety Health Administration records of accidents and fatalities from 2000 through 2004. Microsoft Excel was utilized to sort, graph, and manage the dataset and to calculate severity and incidence rates for each mine that reported rockfall accidents.

Results: Platinum mines had the highest severity rates and number of rock fall cases. Clay had the highest incidence rate. The most commonly injured body part was “multiple” as well as the shoulders, head, and mouth.

Conclusions: By examining the accident data on a case-by-case basis for the individual mines and for the various commodities, NIOSH researchers were given a clearer understanding of rockfall accidents. This includes the location of the accidents, the location of the mines and the commodity types with the highest frequencies and rates, the severity and type of injuries sustained by the workforce and other pertinent information.

Learning Objectives:
1.Participants will learn about the severity and amount of lost time rock fall injuries cause. 2.Participants will learn which portion of the most the body is most commonly injured in underground non-coal mines. 3.Participants will learn which type of non- coal mine a person’s is most likely to be injured.

Keywords: Occupational Injury and Death, Injury Risk

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? Yes

Name of Organization Clinical/Research Area Type of relationship
CDC/NIOSH Spokane Research Lab Occupational Safety and Health mentor for summer research experience

Any company-sponsored training? No
 Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Occupational Health and Other Environmental Risk Factors
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