Mine tragedies over the past few years have underscored the unmet need for two-way communications between underground miners and rescuers located on the surface. NIOSH is conducting research to develop and deploy systems to meet this need.

Moving critical safety technologies, including emergency communications, and miner tracking, from the laboratory into the mine is a high priority for NIOSH, as is adapting technologies from other military or civilian applications to the mining industry’s needs. In addition to the scientific challenges, there are economic ones as well - since mines represent a relatively small market for sales, the government role in research and development becomes even more important in bringing a promising technology to mine operators.

The Conference Report on H.R. 4939 (109-494) Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery provided a $10 million Emergency Supplemental Appropriation (ESA), will have a very positive effect in increasing the availability of communication and tracking technologies, critical oxygen supplies, and refuge technologies. The goal is to facilitate the adaptation and movement of these technologies from other industries or from prototype stage to commercialization and into the mines, as rapidly as possible, and this is well underway as described in the Current Activities section.

Progress towards the goal of survivable communications and tracking systems has been expedited through a structured approach to the challenge. A high level "Road Map" (PDF, 955 KB, 2007) for success was designed, taking into consideration, the availability of technologies, commercial availability of equipments, as well as the technical and logistical difficulties in meeting the schedule and performance expectations of the MINER Act. It was determined that the plan should include improvements to legacy systems as well as the introduction of new technologies. An accurate assessment of the existing technology base was deemed an essential prerequisite to success. The initial challenge for NIOSH was to invest sufficient time in the initial analysis to ensure that the contract efforts are in the areas most likely to yield results, and move new technologies into the mines as expeditiously as possible. This assessment led to the Request for Proposals developed by NIOSH and subsequent contract awards.

Stakeholder meetings including the NIOSH Mine Emergency Communications Partnership were held periodically as well. NIOSH also met with Australian labor, industry, and government officials to review findings and the proposed approach, as well as other alternatives. Within three months after the ESA was approved, a consensus was reached among all groups that the available funds were: targeting a balanced set of technologies that address the mining community’s needs in the critical gap areas; selecting technology subsets that have a higher probability of success in the short term; and meeting the goal of the emergency supplemental appropriation.

For a better understanding of the requirements of Communications and Tracking systems in underground coal mines and the relationship to the NIOSH initiatives, please see the Communications and Tracking Overview section of our website.