Know About Mining Safety Statistics

Mining is one of the most hazardous industries as itMine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
has to be performed under potentially unsafe andcollects and analyzes current information on
unhealthy conditions even with substantialemployment and production, as well as on accidents,
technological improvements. The mine fatality rateinjuries, and illnesses in the mining industry. The
which was at its peak during 1908 has beencurrent accident, injury, and illness information are
significantly reduced with the new technologicalused to produce statistics on accident causes. The
developments and effective safety measures. produced statistics are published and available to the
According to mining safety statistics from 1983-2004,mining industry and the general public at related web
it has been reported that there were more than 3site.  These statistics are needed for evaluating the
million lost workdays associated with mining injuries.existing safety measures in order to make new
Statistical results also showed that the probability ofeffective safety measures.
an injury having 10 or more lost workdays was 0.52Mine Safety and Health Administration will publish a
for coal mine cases versus 0.35 for metal/nonmetalproposed rule to enhance miner safety and
mining injuries.implement the recommendations of the Technical
Generally, the total number of coal mine accidentsStudy Panel on the Utilization of Belt Air and
and the total number of deaths in coal miningComposition and Fire Retardant Properties of Belt
decreased from 2002 in almost all the countriesMaterial in Underground Coal Mining, based on the
involving in coal mining. But according to 2005 miningmining safety statistical analysis of various years.
safety statistics report of China, the number ofMining industry management and labor, and the
deaths in large-scale coal mine disasters or accidentsfederal government's Mine Safety and Health
increased by 253 percent in 2005. The sharp increaseAdministration (MSHA), have made intense effort on
was seen despite of the strong measures anddecreasingaccidents, improving miner training and
efforts by the central government to reduce theminimizing unhealthy workplace conditions.
number, frequency and severity of accidents. TheThe mining industries must strictly follow the safety
sharp increase may be also due to the fact that themeasures in order to reduce the number of accidents
policy initiatives have done nothing to help reduce theand the number of deaths, and to reduce the
number of large-scale coal mine disasters and thenegative environmental effects of mining. The safety
number of deaths in such accidents.  This made themeasures will help the mining industry to more
central government to order for the closure of moreeffectively identify higher-risk operations and more
than 12,000 small mines across the country.logically evaluate their safety improvement programs.
Then the overall decline in the total number ofExtreme weather conditions such as winter weather
accidents and deaths in coal mining could be becausecreates certain safety hazards that can affect
of the fact that the central government ordered localworking conditions at mines in U.S and other
government officials to crackdown small mines incountries. Therefore it is very essential to identify
their areas. The reason could be also due to adoptionthe hazards so as to minimize or reduce or eliminate
of effective safety measures. The accident rate inthe accidents, injuries, and illnesses in the mining
mines has been reduced greatly since the introductionindustry and to ensure a safe workplace for all
of modern safety and training methods, andminers.
productivity has risen dramatically.