What does an underground (hard rock) miner do? Anyone working underground to mine hard minerals such as ore containing gold, silver, iron, copper, zinc, nickel, tin, and lead may be exposed to many hazards.
Anyone working underground to mine hard minerals such as ore containing gold, silver, iron, copper, zinc, nickel, tin, and lead may be exposed to many hazards. The same processes are used for mining hard gems like diamonds. Soft rock miners excavate softer minerals, such as salt or coal. There are many technical services jobs required underground to support the miners. These positions include surveyors, geologists, engineers, technologists, and ventilation technicians, to name a few.
Underground miners may have many roles, including:
The following hazards are present when anyone is required to work underground.
duty Production - responsible for blasting and moving the ore. These roles may include long hole blasters, narrow vein miners, load haul dump (LHD) (scoop operators), rock truck drivers, and rock breaker operators.
duty Development - advance the drifts (tunnels) based on engineering and geological prints to the ore. These roles may include jumbo operators, rock bolters (mechanized and handheld), scoop operators, and development round loaders.
duty Service - maintain and advance mine services such as ventilation, water lines, air lines, backfill or paste lines, restock fuel bays and powder magazines, and pick up scrap materials.
duty Construction - build and install ventilation doors, grizzlies (grating over an ore pass or chute), refuge stations, and other underground infrastructure.
duty Shaft - inspect and maintain shaft services, or operate the cage to bring workers to various working levels.
duty Drillers - either for exploration or production, and can include diamond drilling, long hole drilling (up holes and down holes), ITH (in the hole) drilling, raise bore drilling, etc.
duty Maintenance - responsible for maintaining, repairing, and rebuilding underground equipment.
duty Electricians - advance cables for electricity, Wi-Fi, radio communications, and other means of connectivity.
There are many risks within the mining industry. These include, but are not limited to:
general Silica
general Diesel particulate matter (DPM)
physical Noise
ergonomic Manual material handling
physical Health effects from vibration, including whole-body and hand-arm vibration, Raynaud’s Phenomenon, and White Finger
safety Fall of Ground (rock cave-in)
general Rock bursts
general Secondary blasting
safety Working at heights
general Crush hazards
general Pinch points
chemical Gases such as ammonia, carbon monoxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides
general Working with explosives
ergonomic Pain or injury from physical overexertion, repetitive manual tasks, or working in awkward positions
physical Heat stress
safety Electrical hazards
safety Hazardous energy control, including lockout/tag out
general Working with cranes, hoists, conveyors and other material handling equipment
safety Struck by mobile equipment
safety Fires, including underground fires
biological Air quality, including oxygen-deficient environments or moulds
safety Slips, trips and falls
psychosocial Working alone
psychosocial Shift work or extended workdays
general Computer work
psychosocial Stress relating to deadlines and decisions regarding health and safety, as well as production
psychosocial Stress and other psychosocial hazards associated with living in isolation or away from family
biological Proximity living in a camp environment may increase risk of community transmission of disease (for example, Norovirus, influenza, common colds, etc.)
requirement Speak with the area supervisor before going underground to note any hazards and to let someone know where you will be working.
administrative Inspect the workplace for existing and potential hazards before work begins and take the appropriate actions to control the hazards. Be aware that conditions can change constantly.
requirement Review logs and crossover notes for any indication of seismic events, poor ground conditions, standing water, or other hazards noted between shifts.
administrative Inspect all equipment and machinery for any defects before work begins.
requirement Keep tools and equipment in good working order.
ppe Ensure the appropriate personal protective equipment is available and used as intended.
requirement If required, ensure any radios or personal gas detectors are in good working condition and understand the proper use of these tools.
administrative Practice good housekeeping.
requirement Scale the rock when entering a workplace.
requirement Wash down the workplace, paying special attention to areas that have been recently blasted.
requirement Know the location of the nearest refuge station and escape route. Know the emergency response plans before work begins.
requirement Use atomizers or other dust control methods as required.
requirement Avoid awkward body positions and take frequent breaks.
requirement Learn safe lifting techniques.
administrative Participate in training and have the required sign-offs before beginning any task or operating a piece of mobile equipment. High-risk activities such as working at heights, hazardous energy control (lockout/tag out), or confined space entry may require additional training.
requirement Ensure proper precautions are taken for working in extreme heat, cold, or wet conditions.
requirement Ensure proper footing on uneven ground. Walk on the perimeter of puddles if the ground under the water cannot be seen.
requirement Know how to get help in an emergency if working alone.
administrative Understand and follow the safe work procedures for the site.
requirement Take care of your mental health.
Understand your role in working safely and review any policies, procedures, practices, and programs relating to:
requirement Confined space entry
requirement Fall protection when working at heights, including working near an open hole
requirement Electrical safety
requirement Hazardous energy control, including lockout/tag out of machinery
requirement Prevention of diseases such as silicosis, or the spread of infections and viruses
requirement Protection from vibration
engineering Safeguarding
requirement Ladders
requirement Material handling
requirement Conveyors
ppe Hearing protection
ppe Respiratory protection
requirement Working with tools and equipment, including power tools and hand tools
requirement Working alone
requirement Extreme work temperatures
requirement Fire safety
requirement Washing down the work area
requirement Use the proper length steel bar, sound (listen to) the rock
requirement Have good footing and a place for rock to land
requirement Have a good retreat, anticipate where the rock will fall and be aware of the unexpected fall of muck
requirement Scale from good ground to bad
requirement Check scale frequently during the shift
requirement Safe scaling techniques:
engineering Ventilation, including management of diesel exhaust
requirement Fresh cracks in the rock or shotcrete
requirement Bolt heads damaged or missing
requirement Hollow sound when scaling
requirement Bumps, or other sounds of rock failure
requirement More (or less) rock noises (like snapping or cracking)
requirement Knowing the signs of possible ground and support problems.
requirement Maintaining positive contact with mobile equipment operators. Do not approach a piece of mobile equipment until you are signalled to approach by the operator
requirement Participating in air sampling activities
ppe Checking personal protective equipment (PPE) and cap lamps (head lamp) before going underground
ppe Ensuring proper fit of personal protective equipment and using, maintaining, and storing it according to the manufacturer's recommendations
requirement Working with hazardous products, including WHMIS
requirement Office ergonomics for proper workstation setup
administrative Good housekeeping procedures
requirement Safe lifting techniques
requirement Protecting psychological health
requirement First aid
general Reporting hazards or injuries to your employer or the workers’ compensation board
requirement Reproductive hazards, pregnancy, and protective reassignment