The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is hunting down mines and making them pay hefty penalties because of unpaid fines for past violations that have been accessed.
Mine safety in the United States is covered by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, otherwise known as the Mine Act. An amendment of the 1969 Coal Act, the legislation merged the safety regulations for both coal and non-coal mining. The law mandates that the MSHA conduct inspections often, usually in coordination with other concerned federal agencies.
Such inspections would include a mine’s conveyance equipment. For example, it’s imperative that an underground operation utilize safe and reliable mine cages for the transport of men and materials. Mine cages must move at a preset speed to prevent accidents. Should it encounter an over-speeding problem, an emergency braking system engages to bring the cage to a halt. There are a number of compliant braking systems available such as rope breaking, traction sleeve braking and dynamic braking. Mine equipment fabricators like Wabi Iron & Steel Corp. design safety mechanisms like these as well as the robust mine personnel cages themselves.
Some mine equipment manufacturers, including Wabi Iron & Steel Corp., will also conduct inspections of a mine’s current conveyance equipment to ensure operational safety and efficiency. These conveyance inspection services can ensure that a mine is compliant with government safety regulations both in Canada and the United States.
(Source: “Regulators Take Action Against Delinquent Mines,” NPR, January 12, 2015)
