Field Evaluation of Seat Designs for Underground Coal Mine Shuttle Cars

NIOSH researchers conducted a systematic study to evaluate seat designs on low- and mid-coal-seam shuttle cars. The purpose was to gather additional data to support earlier findings that NIOSH seats, with unique viscoelastic foam padding, are indeed improved designs for coal mine shuttle cars. This study included a larger sample of shuttle car operators than a prior NIOSH investigation. Eight shuttle car operators participated in evaluating seat designs on the basis of perceived levels of vehicle jarring/jolting and discomfort. Researchers then compared the operators' perceptions with field-measured levels of vehicle jarring/jolting. Seven seat designs were evaluated on low- and mid-coal-seam shuttle cars during production operations at two underground coal mines in southern West Virginia. This research will provide the mining industry with better seat designs for isolating operators from vehicle jarring/jolting. Furthermore, equipment manufacturers are afforded the opportunity to refine and improve the NIOSH seat designs using information gathered from this research study.