Mine Safety and Health: Respirable Dust

The article Experimental study on effects of drilling parameters on respirable dust production during roof bolting operations, analyze the effect of drilling control parameters as well as looking at various ways of reducing respirable dust when drilling. The authors proceeded to do number of laboratory drilling experiments where they came up with the results that pointed to the feasibility of taking a dust control approach. The underlying observation was the fact that total amount of respirable dust that ends up being produces is inversely proportion to the resultant drilling bite depth. This factor then necessitated the authors to establish that the state of controlling the drilling process can indeed be effective when trying to achieve an effete high-bite depth from the ground.

Work place strategies used to combat hazards

            The first strategy was by ensuring that the drilling bit depth was increased which had the effect of increasing the dominant dust size from a respirable range to a non-inhalable range ((Jiang, Luo, & Mcquerrey, 2017, P. 148). This then meant that by using higher drilling bite depth, fine dust will be produced which will also come with reduced respirable and inhalable dust. The next strategy was by using a precleaner that pushes all of the inhalable and respirable dust into a dust box. This will ensure that no respirable dust is produced from the mining site which will go a long way in ensuring workers’ safety. Additionally, the workers would also be reminded to not interfere or disturb the respirable dust that ends up being deposited at the floor (150). All the workers that are tasked with the responsibility of handling the dust box should always excise extreme caution when handling the dust box so as not to interfere with it to a point that it ends up releasing the respirable dust to the environment. This is the case as a substantial amount of inhalable and respirable dust always end up being deposited in filters ad cyclones. The last strategy was in the form of coming up with a mechanism that ensures that an ideal parameter for drilling different rock surfaces is adopted which will translated to less drilling noise and a high drilling efficiency in the end.

            The use of a hazard control plan will come in handy in guiding the section of controls as well as the implementation of those control parameters. An organization would proceed to locate relevant information and details that would provide various insights on how to control identified hazards. This would then ensure that all serious hazards that can impact the workers are controlled if not eliminated completely. A hierarchy of control, on the other hand, will be used to identify the specific steps that an employer needs to take when dealing with a hazard before switching to protective gear (Kogi, 2012). With the control methods at the top of the hierarchy being more effective in protecting the workers, following the given steps outlined in the control hierarchy would translated to a safer working environment with reduced risk of sustaining injuries or illnesses. Workplace monitoring will ensure that all potential hazards are identify before they materialize which means that they will be dealt with before causing injuries or illnesses o the workers. The art of workplace monitoring is always complemented by conducting regular medical surveillance. Medical surveillance allows for the analysis of health information of workers for the purposes of identifying resultant workplace challenges and problems that may necessitate for targeted prevention (Kogi, 2012). This then means that such analysis can easily transform the normal screening an acute care into viable opportunities for primary prevention that can, in turn, help prevent the workers from contracting certain illnesses.