Emergency response Mine rescue competitions are used to sharpen the skills of teams.
Containing COVID-19 spread at mine rescue contests RESCUE TEAMS ARE A NECESSITY TO KEEP WORKERS SAFE ON A MINE SITE. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THREATENS TO PREVENT THESE TEAMS FROM FULFILLING THEIR REGULATORY OBLIGATIONS?
T
he COVID-19 pandemic has created serious issues for industries across the world and the mining sector has not been exempt. Social distancing and masks have become normal practice and all precautions are taken to protect the health of workers. However, issues arise when regulatory requirements must be met in order for a mine site to continue operating. In the United States, mine rescue contests are designed to sharpen skills and test the knowledge of team members who would be called on to respond to a mine emergency. The contest requires team members to solve a hypothetical problem while being timed and observed by judges according to complex rules. JHK and Associates Consulting president Jeffery Kravitz has worked at the Mine Safety and Health Administration
(MSHA) for more than 43 years. He served as the mine emergency operations chief and the scientific development for MSHA chief. He was responsible for seeking out and developing new technology for mine emergency operations, and led MSHA’s mine emergency operations and respiratory protection programs. Kravitz says the COVID-19 pandemic had a serious impact on the running of mines rescue contests in the US. “Here in the United States, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), which is the governing body that regulates mining, did not relax any mandatory regulatory requirements for training,” he says. “They required two mine rescue contests per year for all coal teams as there are always two contests held per year during normal times. Kravitz says holding mine rescue events during the pandemic presents a
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range of challenges for organisers. “Trying to round up enough judges caused a problem,” Kravitz says. “Normally for contests, both regionally and nationally, MSHA has the main function for judging along with each state. “MSHA really didn’t have judges available and they are not allowing their people to travel so it creates a major problem. “The states are stepping up to fill the gap and also mining companies themselves that are not participating in the contest are also stepping up to the plate.” As close contact between teams is a regular occurrence at contests, the possible spread of COVID-19 was a genuine concern. “A typical mine rescue team doesn’t stand 15 feet apart, they don’t stand six feet apart, they are normally standing shoulder to shoulder,” Kravitz says. “So if anyone in that team had COVID
