Mining

Mining

Miners are exposed to many hazards, including but not limited to harsh chemicals, explosions, fire, and mining dust. It is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States. Abolox carries the personal protective equipment to protect miners while they are working in the mines.

Mining provides coal for our electrical plants, metals such as gold, and minerals such as iron ore. Additionally, miners mine for rock and sand in the quarrying industry. We need these materials that are provided by the earth to live – many are found in building construction and road construction, and many of the items we use on a daily basis.

Mining’s sub-industries include nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying, coal mining, iron ore mining, gold and silver metal mining, and nickel, copper, lead and zinc metal mining.

The Extraction Process

Most mining operations follow a basic process for mining:

• Phase 1: Exploration. This crew does the geographical studies and mapping for the mines.
• Phase 2: Development. Mine construction, including buildings, roads, boards, shafts, pillars, electrical, head frames, pipes and ventilation.
• Phase 3: Production. Workers extract the minerals / materials from the earth.

Many of the hazards are unique to the specific type of mining, though some are the same. For example, ore mining has more metal workers, while quarrying has more rock splitters.

Some of the various mining occupations include:

• Conveyor operators.
• Chemical processing machine operators.
• Extraction occupations.
• Construction laborers.
• Continuous mining machine operators.
• Dredge machine operators.
• Crushing, grinding and polishing machine setters, tenders and operators.
• Excavating machine operators.
• Loading machine operators.
• Electricians.
• Earth drillers.
• Extraction workers.
• Dragline operators.
• Heavy vehicle mechanics and service technicians.
• Industrial maintenance workers.
• Inspectors, sorters, testers, weighers, and samplers.
• Industrial machinery mechanics.
• Loading machine operators for underground mining.
• Laborers.
• Material handlers.
• Mine cutting and channeling.
• Metal and plastic workers.
• Material movers.
• General maintenance workers.
• General repair workers.
• Mine shuttle car operators.
• Occupational health and safety specialists.
• Mobile heavy equipment mechanics.
• Rock splitters.
• Packaging and filling machine tenders and operators.
• Roof bolters.
• Welding, brazing and soldering machine workers.
• Precipitating, filtering, clarifying, separating and still machine operators.
• Welding cutters and fitters.

Common Mining Hazards and the Personal Protective Equipment Required

Mining hazards include:

• Abrasions. Workers might sustain abrasions while working with materials, shoveling, climbing, lifting, and working around low roofs. Abrasive-resistant gloves protect workers from abrasive injuries.
• Chemicals, liquids and fluids. Workers who clean mining equipment, work with cutting oils, in processing plants, and near leaky equipment need chemical protection gloves to protect their hands from chemical burns.
• Cuts and eye injuries from chips of stone, metal and other materials. Workers who chip stones, cut metal, weld, and do other jobs that cause particles of materials to fly through the air need goggles to protect their eyes. They could also use face shields to protect the rest of their faces from flying debris.
• Cold weather mining. Workers who work in open-pit mines during the winter need thermal clothing, including insulated gloves, to keep them warm.
• Crush and impact injuries. Working in confined spaces, working with heavy machinery, and even hand tools could cause crush injuries. The impact-resistant gloves we carry at Abolox significantly reduce the risk of crush injuries to workers’ hands.
• Electrical. Mines require electricity. There is always a chance of a flash fire when working with electricity. Abolox carries fire-resistant clothing to help protect workers against flash fires, sparks, heat, and regular fires.
• Repair and maintenance workers. Mechanics, service techs, and others who work with equipment such as dozers, conveyors, trucks, hydraulic equipment and other types of equipment need hand protection. Often they need something that provides a good grip since oil from the equipment gets onto the gloves. Abolox carries slip-resistant gloves to help protect workers’ hands.
• Handling metal, wire, cables and other sharp materials. It’s easy to cut yourself when working with metal and other sharp objects. Cut-resistant gloves protect your hands from severe cuts.
• Visibility. Mines are often dark. Surface mines are lighter but have many large trucks driving around. You can make yourself more easily seen by wearing high-visibility clothing, including coats, rain jackets, vests, overalls, and shirts.
• Welding. Mining sometimes requires installing steel borehole casings, which require welding at the joints. Workers welding in the mining industry should wear welding clothing and welding gear.

Visit Abolox for Personal Protective Equipment for the Mining Industry

Whether you need personal protective equipment for yourself or your workers, you can purchase top-quality PPE at Abolox. The PPE we carry meets industry standards. Choose to order for yourself, or you can order in bulk if you are purchasing for your employees. Visit Abolox for the PPE you need. If you don’t see something you want, call the office, and we’ll source it for you.