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Post by dazbt on Jun 20, 2010 15:35:09 GMT -5
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Post by dazbt on Jun 24, 2010 12:51:41 GMT -5
Are controls in The USA all that much better than China really?
"MSHA had identified 41 mines for so-called pattern-of-violation n screening in 2009 and removed 10 mines, including one cut twice during separate reviews, in response to limits set by the Coal Mine Safety and Health administrator, according to the report. District managers were told to list no more than three mines for each MSHA district."
WHY were these mines removed from listed violators, if not purely to fudge the figures??? ............... is it only me, or does this stink of corruption or at very best bureaucratic faulty indifference and inadequacy?
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Post by John on Jun 24, 2010 13:34:59 GMT -5
The thing being in US mines Daz is state law is higher than fed law, see 10th amendment.
Problem is as I see it, takes a couple of hours studying, a few minutes to sit through a multi choice exam, practical experience, and not a lot of that required, and you can be the "equivalent" of a UK mine manager.
Even worse, to be an Inspector only takes a MSHA run course, pass a multi choice exam and you are now an Inspector!! Crazy isn't it!!!
If you or I had designs on being an HMI in our respective trades, we'd have needed an Elec or Mech Engineers Ticket, been practicing that job for several years etc.. OR straight HMI Class one certificate and so many years as a Mine Manager.
Errr Not hardly, as a UK Mine Manager is 100% legally responsible for everything that goes off at his mine, he has the qualifications at almost degree level, he had to work in every mining job to get his practical side too.
TBH, I'd hate to go underground in any state in this country Daz, I'd never feel safe.
There are too many things that go off I wouldn't feel comfortable with.
Reading some of the states coal mine laws and MSHA's rules, I don't think they address the same standards of safety I've been used to on two continents.
I've worked on American made machinery, from the electrical point of view, FLP standards were not on par with either UK or NSW, Australia standards, both countries we modified the equipment up to our standards.
All Uk made FLP elec equipment was readily granted a NSW certificate of FLP and IS without further testing. All American equipment had to be modified then checked by the Inspectorate after the mods.
Seems MSHA's Inspectors are also instructed to turn a blind eye too! There are some good US mines forums, and many on them actually work in the industry and have bad words for the Inspectorate here.
We only have to look at how MSHA handled the Utah incident about three years ago, seemed to me that the company CEO was doing more than the Inspectors. A case of the tail wagging the dog!! ;D
I think it's high time the law makers started looking at how other countries are protecting their mineworkers, best places to look are the UK, fair enough not a lot to look at there other than the M&Q Act and the old NCB/BC training schemes. Both NSW and Queensland coal mining industry and NZ's rules and training schemes, not forgetting SA, whose coal industry was run similarly to the UK's.
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Post by John on Jun 24, 2010 13:40:36 GMT -5
I've stated this before Daz, I was put in the position of preventing the longwall from cutting at Angus Place due to both methane detector heads being faulty one shift. IF it wasn't for the fact our industry was a closed shop, I doubt I'd have kept my job. I had a flaming row with the Under Manager and told him straight, if he over ruled me, I would exit the pit and phone the Manager, Elec Engineer and District Mines Inspector and appraise them of the situation. He backed down, the crew were found other work and I never heard any more about the situation. |
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Post by dazbt on Jun 25, 2010 3:43:04 GMT -5
I've stated this before Daz, I was put in the position of preventing the longwall from cutting at Angus Place due to both methane detector heads being faulty one shift. IF it wasn't for the fact our industry was a closed shop, I doubt I'd have kept my job. I had a flaming row with the Under Manager and told him straight, if he over ruled me, I would exit the pit and phone the Manager, Elec Engineer and District Mines Inspector and appraise them of the situation. He backed down, the crew were found other work and I never heard any more about the situation. Yes John, and you were quite right in the action that you took ........ but my point here was that this was not an example of 'faulty' sensors but about a deliberate overiding of safety monitoring and control equipment that was working correctly, a very different situation. I have worked on faces that have had methane sensors deliberately blocked by chewing gum and tobacco purely because they were working well and frequently detecting 'switch off' levels, those examples weren't implemented under instructions from mine management. |
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Post by John on Jun 25, 2010 5:53:40 GMT -5
I wonder if those actions would have taken place on UK faces during the early days of mechanisation, during the old PLA contracts?  I have witnessed cutting being carried out with over 2% gas caps on safety lamps back in the mid 60's. Violation of the M&Q Act as you know. |
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I have witnessed cutting being carried out with over 2% gas caps on safety lamps back in the mid 60's. Violation of the M&Q Act as you know.