Bezpieczeństwo Pracy i Ochrona Środowiska w Górnictwie Number 06/2018

According to statutory declarations, the president of the State Mining Authority can appoint special commissions to examine the causes and circumstances of dangerous events in mining, including to analyze the causes and circumstances of the event, present conclusions and propose recommendations which can be used to prevent similar events in the future.  The article presents a method, in which companies have enforced conclusions adopted by some commissions appointed by the president of the State Mining Authority in 2002-2016. Bearing in mind the range and scope of destruction caused by the crump which took place on 29 November 2016 in KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., the O/ZG “Rudna” mine in Polkowice, which left 8 people dead, a method of enforcing the conclusions adopted by a commission designated to examine the causes and circumstances of this disaster.

Safe work demotivation is a sum of factors which discourage employees from employing safe measures, as required by the laws and regulations, in their daily work routine. This may lead to negligence in safe work practices, which can occur in spite of the employee’s original motivation and commitment.  A survey carried out among the employees of mining companies has indicated that there were factors in their workplaces which discouraged them to employ safe work practices or from observing OHS regulation. This phenomenon is adverse and requires urgent corrections. Optimization should therefore focus on non-financial factors involving the rationalization of occupational health and safety management, including the effective procedures or systems in the organization, as well as on situations caused by other people around the employee (superiors, colleagues and subordinates), which discourage the employee from working in a safe manner. 

The people who become in charge of management and supervision of open-pit mine operations should have adequate qualifications and professional experience, as required by the Geological and Mining Law. This is a formal obligation, which is essential to mining companies and employers.  The provisions of the Geological and Mining Law do not specify the procedure for verifying the qualifications of candidates specializing in disciplines which are not under obligatory review by mining authorities.  Depending on the formal relations between the candidates to management and supervision positions and employers and mining companies, different procedures for verifying their qualifications are required.