If you are working in a mining environment it is absolutely crucial that you are working in safe conditions. Using any type of electrical equipment will put you at risk for injury or potential fatalities. Situations can quickly escalate in a mine and making sure that you can manage these situations will ensure that you can prevent risks and enjoy uninterrupted operations. Here are some of the top tips for handling construction and any electrical materials in a mining environment!
Proper Installation Techniques
Proper grounding of any system in a mining environment is essential. Using proper cabling and ensuring that any type of heavy-duty electrical wires and cables are able to be installed can be a crucial step. Power distribution systems, construction electrical materials which are approved for use in mining and other safety considerations all need to be met. In order to avoid parking, sparking, electrical shock or overheating it is also important to ensure that any conduit fitting or conductor is well insulated. With this improved insulation it is possible to avoid high resistances and problems within any of the systems.
Proper Equipment
The compatibility of equipment is crucial and this means having proper labeling to ensure clear use, proper padlocks and more for protecting staff. Low-voltage equipment is often the best type of equipment for mining; having workers using DC handheld equipment in highly conductive areas is crucial to preventing accidents. Restrained or bolted plugs and sockets can prevent system changes and lock out unauthorized workers from operating sensitive equipment.
Emergency Plans
Enhancing safety in the mine also means having a proper emergency plan. Make sure that all applicable emergency equipment can be found at regular intervals throughout the mine and make sure that your workers are trained in the event of an emergency. Having a backup electrical power source and critical support systems can ensure that there can always be a supply to crucial items like ventilators and lighting.
Consider some of these top tips so that you can remain safer in your mining environment!
This post was written by Justin Tidd, Director at Becker/SMC! For nearly a half a century, Becker Mining has been at the forefront of industry safety. Becker/SMC is the industry’s leader in increasingly more sophisticated electrical control systems. Most of the major innovations, design features and specialized electrical components have been developed by Becker/SMC.
