Mining Working Environment

We believe that work environments may vary in the type of occupation you’re in. If you’re working in the corporate sector, you can feel its comfortable ambience. If in construction, you can feel the danger. However, the working conditions in mines, quarries, and well sites can be bizarre in nature, and sometimes perilous. Physical strength and stamina, likewise to construction, is necessary. Working in the mining site involves prolonged standing, lifting, carrying, climbing, stooping to work with tools that are often soiled and oily. Miners are exposed to all kinds of weather and climate, though some surface mines shut down in winter because snow covering the mine site makes work too perilous.

Surface mining is said to be less hazardous than underground mining, because they are largely automated once deposits have been located, generally operate year round regardless of weather conditions, even if offshore oil platforms are evacuated before the start of dangerous weather.

Compare to underground mines, some can be hot and noisy, damp and dark. At times, water may cover tunnel floors. Underground mines have electric lights along main pathways. Notice that the miners do wear hat that has a light built on it to illuminate pathways.

Moreover, workers in mines may have to work on their hands, knees, backs, stomach in confined spaces. Speaking of underground mining, the operation includes cave-in, mine fire, explosion, or exposure to harmful gases. Diseases like pneumoconiosis or ‘black lung disease’ can take place in the mining site from coal dust, or silicosis from rock dust. Nowadays, dust levels in mines are closely monitored if proper procedures are followed. In this case, underground miners have the option to have their lungs x-rayed on a periodic basis to monitor for the development of the disease. Workers who develop ‘black lung disease’ or silicosis may be entitled for Federal aid.

Mine safety is regulated by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act 0f 1997, which has resulted in steadily declining rates of mining injuries and illnesses. As a result, workers in the mining sector do not experience more work-related injuries and illnesses than average.