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| Simulated electrical arcing accident |
Background
Between 1990 and 2001, 2,146 traumatic electrical injuries occurred in the mining industry, of which 846 (39%) were burns resulting from electrical arcing. Fifty-five percent of these injuries occurred in bituminous coal, 21% in stone, 10% in sand and gravel, 9% in metal, and 5% in nonmetal mining. No specific guidelines yet exist with which to combat electric arc burn injuries in mining.
A significant amount of industrial safety research has focused on protecting workers from electrical arcing hazards. The result has been the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) national standard 70E-2004, "Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace." The scope of NFPA 70E explicitly excludes underground mining. A true need exists to identify the relevant parts of NFPA 70E that can be applied to mining to reduce serious burn injuries.
Potential Outcome
NIOSH research is bringing relevant aspects of NFPA 70E into the mining workplace to afford miners better protection from electrical arcing injuries. This work will use computer simulations to quantify the short-circuit energy available in representative mine electrical systems. Recommendations for the use of arc-rated electrical personal protective equipment (PPE) in mining situations analogous to its use in other industries are being formulated. Advancements in PPE technology have the potential to mitigate the number and severity of arc burn injuries. Training to raise miners' awareness of electric arc burn hazards will be developed. Hazardous tasks commonly encountered by mine electricians are being identified. Task-appropriate, arc-rated fire-retardant clothing, electrical tools, meters, and work practices will be recommended. The anticipated industry impact is expected to be a substantial reduction in the number of arc burn injuries.