Bezpieczeństwo Pracy i Ochrona Środowiska w Górnictwie Number 04/2017

Mining industry is one of dynamically developing sectors in the Polish economy. The attractiveness of investment has a great impact on the development of technical and technological progresses in the mining industry. This article is a summary of the results achieved in questionnaires conducted among different groups of customers (businesses, government, science, NGOs) by Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences and The Employers’ Organization of Polish Copper in Lubin concerning the assessment of barriers and benefits of development of mining investment. It was shown that among factors determining attractiveness of Polish mining sector are good conditions for technology and infrastructure, as well as highly qualified and competent personnel, and the ability to use subsidies from EU funds. Mining investment has positive impact on development on mining regions. While the barrier are mainly taxes and procedures related to obtaining an administrative decision in the investment process and changing legislation. 

Mine Safety and Health Administration is an American federal agency developing and enforcing safety and health rules for all U.S. mines, providing educational and technical support to mine operators under the Federal Mine and Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act). MSHA distinguishes between coal and metal/non metal category of mines, that are being inspected by separate units. Under the Mine Act each underground mine is inspected at least four times annually, a surface – at least twice, with no chance to deny, giving no advance notice. To promote compliance with the provisions of the act, all violations are cited, with a wide range from $112 to even $242000 each, depending on the type of violation, considering 5 basic factors estimated for each mine too. Over years, the amount of dollars assessed has been fluctuating along with the number of citations and withdrawals. Recently the numbers have dropped, however, still the most frequently cited standards regard underground coal mining. For almost 40 years of MSHA’s supervision, number of fatalities as well as injury rates has significantly dropped, among all due to restricted Pattern of Violation rule or conducting impact inspections. Safety has became even more valuable to operators due to Dodd-Frank Act, requiring disclosing the mine safety information.

The evacuation from the accident place, especially in coal mines, is one of the most critical moments of rescue. Condition excavations, a significant distance from the shaft, long corridors, dust, high temperatures, and present additional difficulties prevent rapid transport the injured persons. Move them in adverse conditions without special precautions exposes them to additional trauma and reduces their chances of survival. With this in mind developed functional and technical assumptions basis of which, created “Technology Demonstrator” modular rescue capsule. The paper presents the various elements of “Technology Demonstrator” and the assessment of their functionality in the results of simulation research in the coal mine. On the basis of functional tests in the “Sobieski" coal mine concluded, that the proposed arrangements for the medical and transport module, monitoring modular stretchers with a protective module and modified sanitary mine carriage, compared with the current level of technology and how to give first aid to the injured in the coal mines are prospective and worth developing. It was also underlined that due to the different mining and geological conditions, individual transport infrastructure, level of the risks and their accumulation details of the individual components of the modular rescue capsule system with medical equipment may be changed, according to presented the recommendations and requirements of the potential user. Implementation of the modular rescue capsule to evacuate injured in a mining environment, apart from the necessity of individual adaptation to the requirements of customers, will require the development of proposals for legislative changes in the terms of reference for mine rescuers, to include training in health and safety in underground mines operating principles of individual modules system and to develop advertising materials and instructional videos.

Out of many existing formerly mines in Bytom today the hard coal exploitation in a wider range is carried out only by Ruch Bobrek - previously within the structure of "Bobrek - Centrum" mine and, at the moment, within "Bobrek-Piekary". The dissertation presents the protection of St. Cross. Church in the district of Miechowice as well as the compact multi-family building development in the district of Karb in the planning and carrying out the exploitation of four walls in coal beds - respectively: 510 w.d. and 504 w.g. Specific requirements imposed on the exploitation in the concession decision, resolution of the Commission for Surface Protection by the State Mining Authority, exploitation programmes and movement plans enabled an effective protection of the structures. These requirements included determination of the permissible indicators of terrain deformation, height indicators and the daily wall advance indicators, as well as specific monitoring of the terrain deformations and construction prevention.