135 research outputs found

    Hum Factors

    Get PDF
    ObjectiveThe authors examine the pattern of direction errors made during the manipulation of a physical simulation of an underground coal mine bolting machine to assess the directional control-response compatibility relationships associated with the device and to compare these results to data obtained from a virtual simulation of a generic device.BackgroundDirectional errors during the manual control of underground coal roof bolting equipment are associated with serious injuries. Directional control-response relationships have previously been examined using a virtual simulation of a generic device; however, the applicability of these results to a specific physical device may be questioned.MethodForty-eight participants randomly assigned to different directional control-response relationships manipulated horizontal or vertical control levers to move a simulated bolter arm in three directions (elevation, slew, and sump) as well as to cause a light to become illuminated and raise or lower a stabilizing jack. Directional errors were recorded during the completion of 240 trials by each participant.ResultsDirectional error rates are increased when the control and response are in opposite directions or if the direction of the control and response are perpendicular. The pattern of direction error rates was consistent with experiments obtained from a generic device in a virtual environment.ConclusionError rates are increased by incompatible directional control-response relationships.ApplicationEnsuring that the design of equipment controls maintains compatible directional control-response relationships has potential to reduce the errors made in high-risk situations, such as underground coal mining.CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States2015-09-03T00:00:00Z24689255PMC455922

    Proceedings of the 2017 Coal Operators\u27 Conference

    Get PDF
    Proceedings of the 2017 Coal Operators\u27 Conference. All papers in these proceedings are peer reviewed. ISBN: 978174128261

    ECSC coal research Annual report 1988. EUR 12292 en

    Get PDF

    ECSC coal research Annual report 1988. EUR 12292 en

    Get PDF

    Proceedings of the 2009 Coal Operators\u27 Conference

    Get PDF
    Proceedings of the 2009 Coal Operators\u27 Conference. All papers in these proceedings are peer reviewed. ISBN: 978 1 920806 95 8

    Comparative analysis of coal fatalities in Australia, South Africa, India, China and USA, 2006-2010

    Get PDF
    Coal mining (especially underground) is considered one of the most hazardous industries, and as a result considerable focus is applied to eliminating or mitigating hazards through careful mine planning, equipment selection and certification, and development of management systems and procedures. Regulatory agencies have developed in-house methods for reporting, classification and tracking of fatalities and other incidents according to the type of event, often including consideration of different hazard types. Unfortunately, direct comparison of mining safety statistics between countries is confounded by considerable differences in the way that individual countries classify specific fatalities or incidents. This paper presents a comparative analysis of coal mining fatality data in Australia, South Africa, India, China and the United States from 2006 to 2010. Individual classification definitions are compared between the five countries, and methods presented to normalise each country’s hazard definitions and reporting regimes around the RISKGATE framework of seventeen different priority unwanted events (or topics). Fatality data from individual countries is then re-classified according to the different RISKGATE topics, thereby enabling a comparative analysis between all five countries. This paper demonstrates the utility and value of a standard classification approach, and submits the RISKGATE framework as a model for classification that could be applied globally in coal mining. RISKGATE is the largest health and safety project ever funded by the Australian coal industry (http://www.riskgate.org) to build an industry body of knowledge to assist in managing common industry hazards. A comprehensive knowledge base has been captured for risk management of tyres, collisions, fires, isolation, strata underground, ground control open cut, explosions, explosives, manual tasks and slips/trips/falls. This has been extended to outburst, coal burst and bumps, interface displays and controls, tailings dams and inrush

    Commissioning adiabatic oven testing - an inter-laboratory comparison

    Get PDF
    Adiabatic oven testing for spontaneous combustion assessment has been a primary method used by the Australian and New Zealand coal industries for input to the development of Principal Hazard Management Plans for mining operations. Consistency of results is important to ensure that the ratings obtained are accurate and reliable for maintaining the integrity of the database used to compare between mines and for obtaining site specific relationships. This paper presents the results from commissioning tests of four new adiabatic ovens at two different laboratories, which show the high level of reproducibility and repeatability needed for confidence in planning of future mining operations. The results cover a range of coal self-heating rates to show the validity of the testing and the reliability of the adiabatic ovens

    RISKGATE and Australian coal operations

    Get PDF
    The major Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) project, RISKGATE has now completed three years of knowledge capture and system development. The body of knowledge for risk management of tyres, collisions, fires, isolation, strata underground, ground control open cut, explosions, explosives underground, explosives open cut, manual tasks and slips/trips/falls was launched in December 2012. Recently, the project added knowledge about outbursts, coal bumps and bursts, human-machine interface, tailings dams, occupational hygiene and inrush to the original 11 topics. In 2014, the project plans (pending ACARP funding approval) to focus on issues around Fitness for Work. RISKGATE provides an environment for knowledge capture and knowledge exchange to drive innovation and cross industry sharing of current practice in the identification, assessment and management of risk. By capturing operational knowledge from industry experts, RISKGATE provides a cumulative corporate memory at a time of high personnel turnover in the coal industry. RISKGATE is the largest single ACARP Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) initiative to date. This paper presents an overview of the first seventeen topics, topic structures, and contrasts and inter-relationships between topics. The second part of the paper discusses some early steps that companies are taking to integrate RISKGATE into their operations; and conclude with some thoughts on where RISKGATE can go in the future

    Is carbon monoxide sensing an effective early fire detection option for underground coal mines?

    Get PDF
    The ability of carbon monoxide (CO) sensing to detect early stage smouldering of fixed plant fires in underground coal mines was recently assessed as part of an ongoing fire detection research project. Experiments were carried out to record the level of CO concurrent at the time of alarm activation of a Video Based Fire Detection (VBFD) system. The tests were carried out under simulated mine conditions within the SIMTARS facility at Redbank, Queensland. The experimental setup initially located the CO sensors in the positions at where they would typically be installed underground. On testing the experimental setup, it was found that the amount of CO produced from simulated overheating conveyor belt bearing housings did not display a reading on the CO sensors. The VBFD system however detected smoke and alarmed on each of the trial tests. To enable the experiments to proceed and a comparison to be made, the CO sensors were moved considerably closer to the weak pyrolysis fire source. The question of CO sensor capability in typical operational mine positions was highlighted as a result of this experiment. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling was used to estimate the fire size required to activate CO sensors under typical mining conditions. This modelling reinforced the limitations in using CO detectors on fixed plant. As such, the study presented here indicates that CO sensing may not be the most effective early fire detection option available, and that further research and development work with VBFD should be undertaken

    Optimisation of waste-dump lift heights for pre-strip operations

    Get PDF
    The optimisation of waste dump design parameters is a vital aspect that has the potential to significantly influence operational costs within mining operations. This research study investigates the effects waste dump lift height has on a truck-shovel coal mining operation. The analysis focusses upon simulating various dump lift heights in a truck-shovel operation in order to determine the optimal overall dump lift height. The dump lift height is the height to which each dump level or lift is constructed. The optimal height will therefore be determined by plotting the simulated cost results for each height and undergoing a comparative study. Additional factors incorporated within the simulation results include the cost of haulage, and ancillary equipment works (dozers, graders and water cartsto maintain the dump and construct haul roads to each new dump lift. Generating results from the research analysis to closely resemble real world applications, current mine data is incorporated within each simulation, including dig, dump and equipment data obtained from King 2 North pit of the Meandu mine located in Queensland
    • …
    corecore