AMIT 129: Surface Mine Safety

Welcome to AMIT 129. This course includes the rights of miners, an introduction to the work environment, ground control, hazard   recognition, first aid and explosive safety. This course fulfills the Mine Safety Health   Administration requirements for surface miner training. Students are awarded MSHA   certificate upon completion of the class. (1+0)

Course Information

Credits: 1

Prerequisites: None

Instructional Goals

  1. Identify the role of a mill operator technician/miner in safety.
  2. Explain the terminology utilized by mill operator technicians with mining safety systems.
  3. Explain safety issues related to mine transportation.
  4. Explain safety issues related to fires and firefighting.
  5. Explain and demonstrate Hazard Recognition as applied by MSHA.
  6. Explain safety issues related to mine explosives and blasting.
  7. Describe the safety concerns and safety systems applied to conveyor system
  8. Explain safety issues related to Health
  9. Explain safety issues related to mine electrical hazards.
  10. Explain safety issues related to chemical hazards.

Student Outcomes

Student Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to do the following:
Assessment Procedures
This outcome will be assessed by one or more of the following:
Students demonstrate an understanding of safety as applied to working in a mill facility/minePerformance answering identified mine safety test questions
Students demonstrate proper safety practices around open pit mine siteObserved performance demonstrating proper (general) safety practices required
Students demonstrate knowledge of mine transportation systemPerformance answering identified mine transportation systems test questions

Observed performance identifying hazards of transportation
Students demonstrate knowledge of dust control,
housekeeping
Performance answering identified types of dust test questions

Observed performance identifying causes of dusts
Students demonstrate knowledge of conveyor systemPerformance answering identified conveyor test questions

Observed performance identifying conveyor parts
Students demonstrate knowledge of mine blastingPerformance answering identified explosives test questions

Observed performance identifying blasting procedures
Students demonstrate knowledge of crushing equipmentPerformance answering identified crushing equipment hazard test questions

Observed performance identifying crushers
Students demonstrate knowledge of ground control typesPerformance answering identified methods in ground control test questions

Observed performance identifying ground failures

Course Outline

  1. Mine intro
    1. Mine terminology
    2. Mining methods
    3. Mining equipment and their function
    4. Ground Control
    5. Mining Hazards
  2. Open pit mine
    1. Open pit mining terminology
    2. Size of open pits
    3. Importance of proper design
    4. Personal Protective Equipment
    5. Employee responsibilities
    6. Types of PPE
  3. Mine Entering
    1. Check-in and Check-out procedures
    2. Safety in Mine transportation system
    3. Signs
    4. Mine communication system
  4. Health, Clean up and Housekeeping
    1. Airborne particles and their effects
    2. Dust Control
    3. Hazards from toxic materials
    4. Housekeeping procedures
    5. Spillage hazards
  5. Hazard Recognition
    1. Mining hazard and accident prevention
    2. Analysis of accidents and contributing factors
    3. Causes of accidents
  6. Conveyor system
    1. Conveyor
    2. Conveyor lock out and tag out system
    3. Conveyor pull cords
    4. Visible signs of bad conveyor
  7. Mine explosives
    1. Hazards in use of explosives
    2. Safe work procedures with explosives
  8. Mine maps, Emergency Evacuation
    1. Mine map
    2. Causes of mine emergencies
    3. Mine emergency warning system
    4. Escapeways and emergency evacuation
  9. Mine Fires and Fire Fighting
    1. Types of fires
    2. Firefighting equipment and methods
  10. Mine Ground Control
    1. Causes of ground failure
    2. Types of ground failure
    3. Methods in Ground Control
    4. Responsibilities for back and ground control
  11. Mine Electrical Hazards
    1. Electrical circuit
    2. Effects of electricity on humans
    3. Factors contributing to electrical accidents
    4. Rescue Techniques
    5. Lock-out and Tag-out procedures
  12. Crusher and mill operations safety
    1. Crusher blockage
    2. Crusher and mill maintenance
    3. General hazards
  13. Chemical hazards
    1. Health hazards
    2. Material Safety Data Sheet
    3. Label color
  14. General hazards
    1. Noise
    2. Vibration

Suggested Text

Wills’ Mineral Processing Technology, 8th edition
B.A Wills, James Finch PhD, Butterworth-Heinemann publisher, 2015

Bibliography

DACUM Research Chart for Mill Operator
Produced for Teck Alaska Inc. Red Dog Mine — June 2015
Prepared by John P. Hakala
Apprenticeship USA United States Department of Labor