How safe is your mining operation?

Mine safety training is often considered a discretionary expense that can be avoided for a multitude of reasons. Many thousands of dollars can be justified to purchase equipment while a few thousand dollars can be considered too much to spend on mine safety training.

Investment in equipment can bring about improved production results while investment in mine safety training can save workers’ lives. How much does mine safety training really cost and what would you compare its value to? In most cases mine safety training for (6) front-end loader operators would cost less than one replacement tire for the machine. The tire is easily replaced if it is damaged but, in the case of a fatal accident, a human being is impossible to replace. A wise investment in safety training for heavy equipment could save lives and avoid injury to workers.

Mining companies make substantial financial investments daily as they purchase equipment required for their operations. The equipment is vital to the handling and processing of massive amounts of raw product whether it is coal, aggregate or other minerals. The investment in machines makes production a reality but does it make mine safety a reality?

The value of farm machinery shipments in the United States during April was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.59 billion, a 1.5 percent increase over March shipments, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released June 5.

U.S. construction machinery shipments were valued at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.69 billion, a 10.4 percent increase over March. The seasonally adjusted annual value of U.S. April shipments of mining, oil and gas field machinery was $792 million, a 1.7 percent decline from March. Shipments of industrial machinery during April, valued at $3.09 billion, declined 6.1 percent from March. April shipments of heavy-duty trucks were valued at $1.08 billion, a decrease of 0.9 percent, the Census Bureau reports

Costly down time do to worker injury and equipment breakdown can be avoided by investing in mine operator training that involves safety training for heavy equipment. Mine operator training involves teaching operating and maintenance procedures that will limit machine malfunction. Mine operator t raining is an investment that will pay dividends of efficient mine operations and production leading to improved profits.

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