Bezpieczeństwo Pracy i Ochrona Środowiska w Górnictwie Number 03/2019

In the new regulations of Minister of Energy on detailed requirements related to execution of operation of underground mining plant, there were implemented, among other, the duties to make billings and connection attempts in all-plant connections. However, the term „connection attempt” was not defined. This term has more than one meaning and for some mining telephone exchanges operated in all-plant communication system may create serious technical problems. The paper presents in graphic form the methods of accomplishment of: connections in telephone exchanges for analogue, digital and VoIP telephones as well as repeated and erroneous connections attempts, including opportunity to record appropriate records in telecommunication server memory. It was suggested that in mining communication systems the recording and archiving of accomplished connections and repeated connections attempts would be obligatory, whereas erroneous connections attempts would not be obligatory.

The deposit of lead and zinc ores of the “Olkusz-Pomorzany” Mine is located in the so-called Muschelkalk (the Middle Triassic), which is present on the strata of the Bunter sandstone. The Muschelkalk is locally covered by deposits of the Keuper and the Upper Jurassic, as well as of the Quaternary. The Quaternary, Upper Jurassic, and Triassic multiaquifer formations are connected to form a single water-bearing horizon. A karstic-fissured aquifer system developed in the Triassic multiaquifer formation. Exploitation is carried out under free groundater flow conditions. The intensity of groundwater inflow to excavations (230 m3/min in Q4 2017) depends on the lithology of carbonate rocks and the presence of numerous connected cavities and channels. Such connections allow groundwater beyond deposit borders to flow to excavations laterally and vertically. Operation of a mine under such conditions is based on the recognition of water conditions using underground holes and the monitoring of pressure in piezometers within the rock mass under mining drainage. The distribution of piezometric pressures in each of the multiaquifer formation makes the predicted inflows to be close to the actual inflows. This leads to decisions of the mine management related to the safety of mine operation under water hazard, including the categorisation of water hazard with the use of the groundwater table elevation of the Triassic multiaquifer formation compared to the elevation of the designed excavation. This categorisation method has been used since the mine was established. According to mine authorities, the method is suitable and effective.

Between 2013-2017, there were 31 electrical accidents in the mining industry, including 20 arc burns and 11 electrical shocks. In mines supervised by the District Mining Office in Gliwice, there were 10 electrical accidents, 3 of which were electric shocks. Based on archival materials of the District Mining Office in Gliwice, it may be stated that 4 accidents occurred on the surface, while 6 in excavations. None of them was a group accident; only one accident involved a person who was not a person responsible for the supervision of electrical operations or an installation electrician. These accidents most often occurred during the determination of causes of or the removal of failures of electrical installations. Their main cause included performing live works as a result of a failure to follow work safety procedures and rules specified not only in regulations but also in maintenance and operating instructions of electrical equipment. It is worrying that work safety procedures and rules were not consciously followed by persons responsible for the supervision of electrical operations and installation electricians. This demonstrates that the undesirable safety culture of employees who handle electrical installations contributed to such accidents.

The burden of musculoskeletal system is one of the most common problems in the mining industry. They cause employee absenteeism, decrease in work efficiency and health problems, mainly related to the spine and upper limbs. The study presents research on this problem by means of a survey method. The research covered a group of 40 operators of heavy mining equipment. They differed in their physical characteristics, level of education and seniority. The analysis of the survey’s results showed that the most burdensome conditions for employees were the conditions prevailing in the operator’s cabin and the repetitiveness of activities and the consequent monotony of work. General and local vibrations were also onerous. Additional solutions to improve working conditions have been suggested (e.g. improvement of working conditions in the operator’s cabin, application of additional personal protective equipment).