Emergency Response and Rescue in Mining

The goal of the NIOSH Emergency Response and Rescue Program is to enhance the safety and effectiveness of mine rescue teams and evacuating miners by implementing realistic training simulations and improving the technology used for rescue, exploration, recovery, firefighting, and evacuation operations in mines. Over the last decade, NIOSH has utilized its unique resources and expertise to spearhead the efforts in these areas in cooperation with the Mine Safety and Health Administration, State mining agencies, mine companies, and labor organizations. For example, 115 realistic mine rescue team training exercises have been conducted at NIOSH’s Lake Lynn Laboratory near Pittsburgh, PA.  In operating mines, 1700 miners have been trained in their own mines to evacuate through smoke-filled entries. Improved technology for emergency responders has also been identified, developed, and evaluated during these training exercises, such as a lighted rescue team lifeline (patent pending), an inflatable partition for high-expansion foam generators to fight fires (patented), wireless warning and communication systems, and an inflatable escape device.

Mine Emergency Response Interactive Training Simulation (MERITS)

The Mine Emergency Response Interactive Training Simulation (MERITS) provides trainees an opportunity to gain command center experience during a simulated underground coal mine emergency. This computer-based training allows trainees to practice information gathering, situation assessment, decision-making, and coordination skills without risk to personnel or property.

Videos

Emergency Response Planning (Who Needs It?)
This video focuses on the importance of small mine operations having an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) and discusses the planning, development, and proper use of the EPR. It would be useful to any small operation considering their state of readiness for an emergency. 

Recovery of Farmington #9 Video:  An Interview With Danny Kuhn
This video acquaints mine rescue personnel with certain aspects of rescue work that are not traditionally taught - the strain caused by continual work under adverse conditions; the problem of  "survivor guilt"  -  being spared the fate of one's deceased buddies; and the possibility that post-traumatic stress can occur during the sometimes lengthy task of body recovery.

Roof Fall Entrapment:  Eyewitness Account by Dave Garry
Dave, a miner helper, tells about witnessing a roof fall that covered a continuous mining machine. He discusses efforts that were made inby supports to rescue the trapped, but unharmed operator and recognizes that danger could have been minimized by installing temporary supports before continuing rescue.

Roof Fall Entrapment:  Eyewitness Account by Dave Murone
Dave tells about the experience of having to recover the body of a friend who was killed by a roof fall. The individual who was killed was inby supports at the time of the accident. Dave speculates on why his friend was under unsupported top and discusses the effect that witnessing this accident had on him.

Roof Fall Entrapment:  Eyewitness Account by Larry Strayer
The video consists of an interview with a miner who tells about a fall that occurred while he and another miner were attempting to bar down top just inby the last row of supports.

You Are My Sunshine
This video tells the story of the Sunshine Mine Disaster of 1972 through the eyes of 27 people who lived through it. The video explores what happened, what went wrong, and what were the lessons learned. The Sunshine Fire was the catalyst for the Metal/Nonmetal Health and Safety Act of 1977, which put in place the metal/nonmetal regulations that currently exist in this country.

NIOSHTIC-2 Search

NIOSHTIC-2 Search Results on Emergency Response and Rescue
 
is a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles supported in whole or in part by NIOSH.