Back to The MINER Act of 2006 and Related NIOSH Activities

Overview

Although much progress has been made in preventing underground coal mine disasters, ignitions still occur, sometimes producing violent explosions. There were serious underground ignitions and explosions in:

• July 2000 at the Willow Creek Mine in Utah (2 fatalities and 8 injuries)
• September 2001 at Jim Walter Resources No. 5 Mine in Alabama (13 fatalities and 3 injuries)
• January 2003 at the McElroy Mine in West Virginia (3 fatalities and 3 injuries)
• January 2006 at the Sago Mine in West Virginia (12 fatalities and 1 injury), and
• May 2006 at the Darby No. 1 mine in Kentucky (5 fatalities and 1 injury)

Frictional ignitions arising from the striking action of the cutting bit on hard rock have occurred at a rate of about 45 to 80 annually over the past ten years with no apparent upward or downward trend. Safety controls and worker training have succeeded in reducing the number of non-frictional ignitions to about 5 to 15 annually over the same period. These include ignitions through other sources such as cutting torches and lightning.

NIOSH research addressing these issues includes the development of standard test methods to evaluate gas/dust ignitability and explosibility. Laboratory research on coal face frictional ignitions includes the measurement of the hot-spot temperatures and heated surface areas necessary to ignite flammable gases, liquids, dusts, and hybrid mixtures. This work will provide guidelines for quickly and accurately identifying factors that affect the severity of an ignition. Research is also being conducted to determine the root causes of flame cutting and welding fires. The work will lead to the development of guidelines for flame cutting and welding in underground coal mines.

NIOSH Projects and Activities

• Reducing Fire Hazards in US Coal Mines
• Improving Methane Control Practices in Coal Mines
• Mine Explosion Prevention

References