During 1990 through 1996, over:
- Fiftypercentofallminersinvolved in roof and rib accidents had over 15 years of total mining experience.
- Twenty percent of all miners involved in roof and rib accident shad less than one year experience at the mine where they were working.
- Nine percent of the miners involved in roof and rib accidents had less than 13 weeks experience at the mine where they worked.
- Tenpercentofallminersinvolvedinroofandribaccidents had less than one year experience at the job they were performing.
Following the best practices listed below will ensure a job can be done safely.
- Miners must realize that they are responsible for not only their own personal safety but the safety of coworkers.
- Since miners moving to new jobs and locations are involved in such a large number of accidents, operators must ensure all task training has been completed.
- Since hazards can vary from mine to mine or section to section due to different conditions – such as geology, mining practices, and individual work habits – each miner should become familiar with all these new conditions related to the new job.
- Each miner should be familiar with the roof control plan and its requirements for the work area. Some provisions, such as mining method and sequence, may vary significantly at different locations.
- All miners should be aware of all revisions and changes to the approved roof control plan.
- Machine operators should become familiar with the different controls from one type of machine to another.
- Miners should learn the safety features, capabilities, and limitations of the equipment.
- Workers should be aware that each job requires different physical and mental skills.
- Each miner should learn the maintenance requirements for the machine he/she is operating.
- Miners should learn the work habits of the other miners on the section.
- After moving to a new work area, each person should immediately find the escapeways and self contained self-rescuer locations.