Control of Airborne Respirable Dust Hazards

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Control of Airborne Respirable Dust HazardsA
Training Program for Underground Coal Miners
Penn State
The Penn State Miner Training
Program University Park, PA 16802 Raja V.
Ramani, Ph.D., P.E, C.M.S.P. Mark C. Radomsky,
Ph.D. MPA, C.M.S.P. Joseph P. Flick, M.S.,
C.M.S.P.
March 31, 2003
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CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH
GENERIC MINERAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER ON RESPIRABLE
DUST
PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU OF DEEP MINE SAFETY
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RESPIRABLE DUST TRAINING PROGRAM

• Section 13
• IMPORTANT REMINDERS
• WHAT YOU CAN DO
• TO PROTECT AGAINST DUST HAZARDS

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Suggestions for All Miners

• Dont dry sweep to clean upit puts dust in the
  air that you can breathe
• Use water or a vacuum system with a HEPA filter
  for cleaning
• Keep your work area cleandont let dust build up

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Suggestions for All Miners

• Do not use compressed air for cleaning clothes or
  equipment
• Keep your equipment adjusted
• Report maintenance or system problems right away

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Suggestions for All Miners

• Wear the recommended approved respirator for the
  type of respiratory hazards you might encounter
• When possible, maintain and clean equipment when
  its not operating
• Maintain adequate ventilation

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Suggestions for All Miners

• Never drill without a working dust control system
• If you have a wet system-dont drill dry
• Ask questions if you dont understand

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Suggestions for All Miners

• Stay in seam while mining to avoid generating
  excessive amounts of silica-containing dust while
  cutting sandstone top and/or bottom
• Mine and bolt on cycle, to limit the number of
  times the roof bolter works downwind of the miner
• Attempt to work upwind of any dust accumulations

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Suggestions for All Miners

• Maintain all water delivery systems
• Maintain all water sprays
• Maintain proper direction of water sprays
• Maintain all line brattice and curtains
• Maintain all scrubbers
• Replace cutting bit regularly

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Suggestions for All Miners

• Conduct all required on-shift checks
• of dust control systems
• Review the mine ventilation plan
• Review the results of dust sampling
• Wear an approved, appropriate, fit-tested
  respirator

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Identify and control the hazards Wear PPE Dont
take chances
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Report problems! Make suggestions! Play by the
rules!
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Proceed to Section 14 References and Readings