Bissert P T, Carr J L, DuCarme J P, Smith A K
Mechanical engineer, mining engineer, mechanical engineer and mechanical engineer, respectively, Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH PMRD), Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Trans Soc Min Metall Explor Inc. 2016;340(1):75-81. doi: 10.19150/trans.7330.
The continuous mining machine is a key piece of equipment used in underground coal mining operations. Over the past several decades these machines have been involved in a number of mine worker fatalities. Proximity detection systems have been developed to avert hazards associated with operating continuous mining machines. Incorporating intelligent design into proximity detection systems allows workers greater freedom to position themselves to see visual cues or avoid other hazards such as haulage equipment or unsupported roof or ribs. However, intelligent systems must be as safe as conventional proximity detection systems. An evaluation of the 39 fatal accidents for which the Mine Safety and Health Administration has published fatality investigation reports was conducted to determine whether the accident may have been prevented by conventional or intelligent proximity. Multiple zone configurations for the intelligent systems were studied to determine how system performance might be affected by the zone configuration. Researchers found that 32 of the 39 fatalities, or 82 percent, may have been prevented by both conventional and intelligent proximity systems. These results indicate that, by properly configuring the zones of an intelligent proximity detection system, equivalent protection to a conventional system is possible.
连续采煤机是地下煤矿开采作业中使用的关键设备。在过去几十年里，这些机器导致了多起矿工死亡事故。为避免与连续采煤机作业相关的危险，人们开发了接近检测系统。将智能设计融入接近检测系统，能让工人有更大的自由来调整自身位置，以便看到视觉提示或避开其他危险，如运输设备、无支护的顶板或矿壁。然而，智能系统必须与传统接近检测系统一样安全。对美国矿山安全与健康管理局已发布死亡事故调查报告的39起致命事故进行了评估，以确定这些事故是否可以通过传统或智能接近检测系统避免。研究了智能系统的多种区域配置，以确定区域配置如何影响系统性能。研究人员发现，39起死亡事故中有32起，即82%，可能通过传统和智能接近检测系统避免。这些结果表明，通过合理配置智能接近检测系统的区域，可以实现与传统系统同等的保护。
