Safety Materials

Useless Machine Kits and Free Plans

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Those of you who have been in my class have seen this little toy. I have it labeled “LOCK-OUT/TAG-OUT NOT REQUIRED even though it’s an electrical device, because it’s smarter than most. It doesn’t do much, but as I say, I’m easily amused. In fact, all it does if you flip the toggle switch on the top is turn itself back off… hence the safety without LOTO. Turn it on and a little plastic piece comes out, turns itself back off and then quickly retreats into the box for the next round.

You can buy kits or find your way to free plans here. There are also some entertaining videos to watch of useless boxes in action.

Use this file to print your own label.

Four Miners Killed in Four Days

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The mining industry recently experienced four mining deaths within four days. In an effort to remind operators, miners, and contractors to stay focused on preventing fatalities and injuries, the Mine Safety and Health Administration is distributing best practice and preventative measure information in the form of a Safety Alert and a 2011 3rd quarter fatality update.

The Safety Alert is a poster that can be displayed in the mine to remind operators, miners, and contractors of the fatalities that occurred between Oct 28 -31, 2011. It lists actions to take to prevent these kinds of accidents.

The 3rd quarter fatality update analyzes the mining fatalities for the third quarter of 2011 and best practices to prevent them.

Click here for: MSHA 3rd Quarter Fatality Review for Metal/Nonmetal (pdf), MSHA 3rd Quarter Fatality Review for Coal (pdf), Safety Alert Poster (pdf)

The Deadliest Month?

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MSHA has issued an alert for October based on numbers that show that for Metal/Nonmetal mines it is the deadliest month.

Of course it’s a good idea to pay extra attention to safety any month, any week, or any day, but this certainly indicates there are factors in the industry that could make October a special month to pay attention to safety. Download the printout below from MSHA to post or distribute to your miners.

Click here for: MSHA Alert (pdf).

NIOSH Lock-Out Tag-Out Publication

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NIOSH has issued a new Workplace Solutions publication on Using Lockout and Tagout Proceduresto Prevent Injury and Death during Machine Maintenance. The four page publication reviews the exposure of the hazard in OSHA industries and the OSHA Standard. It examines a case report of a fatality involving a Millwright and lists recommendations for employers, workers, and manufacturers. You can download a copy in pdf format here.

MSHA to kick off annual ‘Stay Out – Stay Alive’ public safety campaign

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ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration, along with Kansas City Chiefs running back Thomas Jones, will kick off its annual “Stay Out – Stay Alive” public safety campaign on Friday, May 6. Jones, the son of coal miners from southwestern Virginia, is the national spokesman for “Stay Out – Stay Alive,” which was established in 1999 to warn outdoor enthusiasts – especially children – about the dangers of exploring and playing on mine property. Each year, dozens of people are injured or killed in recreational accidents at active and abandoned mines around the country.

Jones will take part in a media conference call with MSHA Assistant Secretary Joseph A. Main and then visit a Crofton, Md., elementary school to address students.

Prior to these May 6 activities, Jones is scheduled to meet on May 5 with various members of Congress to discuss his role as campaign spokesman.

Click here for: Stay Out Stay Alive Web Page

Partnership Produces Resources for Aggregate Miners and Contractors

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MSHA and the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association have teamed up to produce a web page on MSHA’s site that provides everything an aggregate miner or contractor needs to know… even if the disclaimer is needed to say it’s still your responsibility to be sure you are compliant in every way. It’s SAFETY PRO IN A BOX!

These are not new materials, but it’s certainly helpful to have them accessible from one page, something SafeMiner.com tries to do all the time. There are Web Education and Training Resources, Paperwork Requirements, and links to MSHA Handbooks, the Instructor Guide Series, Streaming Media Clips, and more!

But why am I telling you what’s there when you can check it out here!

Now about whether you can actually put a Safety Professional in a box or not without providing confined space training… Ha! SafeMiners.com will provide a permanent link to the site under our Resources Tab, so you can always find one in a box if yours is out wandering around.

MSHA Provides Winter Alert Materials

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The annual Winter Alert is ON! “Conditions at underground and surface coal mines can change dramatically during the winter months,” said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “We must be ever mindful of the seasonal changes that can affect our work environments.”

Posters, decals, and a PowerPoint presentation focus on some underground issues, but a printable poster for surface is also available on the MSHA web site at http://www.msha.gov/FocusOn/WinterAlert2010/WinterAlert2010homepage.asp. Check it out!