A day in the mine is always a day of adventure. Working underground or near excavations presents many hazards, most of which can lead to fatalities. One among these hazards is overexposure to methane.
Methane has the ability to kill in two ways. One, it can easily cause an explosion when ignited with a spark or a flame. Two, in high concentrated levels, it can cause asphyxiation (suffocation).
Here are safety precautions to follow when working with or near methane:
- Signs must be posted on doors to indicate whether they must be kept open or closed.
- Examinations must be done within three hours before every shift.
- Here are safety measures that can help you avoid methane:
- Even with appropriate engineering controls installed, miners must wear respirators in work areas where levels of methane are high.
- Never enter worksites after blasting until gases have reached safe levels.
- Methane monitors must be installed on all long wall face equipment, loading machines, continuous miners, and electric face cutting equipment. These monitors must be approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
- All methane monitors must be placed as close as possible to the working face.
- Methane tests must be conducted before and during welding operations.
- Employees must be provided with emergency equipment like self-generating oxygen devices.
- Every employee must be trained in the use of self-rescuers.
- Miners must make sure that all self-rescuers are properly maintained by inspecting them regularly.
- All tunnels and mines must have multiple escape ways, evacuation plans and emergency action plans.
- Do not smoke in areas where methane is present.
- If a main fan or all multiple fans at a tunnel or mine stops, all miners must evacuate the area. If the fan/s go off for more than 15 minutes, methane tests must be done.
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