Mainland Machinery Ltd

Number One in Safety the Past Five Years

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safetyNumber One in Safety the Past Five Years

At Mainland Machinery Ltd, Health & Safety is our top priority. We are fully compliant with all the latest safety certification requirements, and ensure alignment with our client’s HSE systems and end goals. Realizing that one of the largest objectives of clients is a clean safety record, we have worked strenuously to improve and realize a top-notch program that satisfies our clients and ourselves. The dedication and perseverance of our team has ensured exemplary safety standards. Whether it’s in our shop or in the field, we get the job done safely.

Unparalleled COR Scores

Each year our HSE System is independently audited for legislative compliance. We are proud to report that our 2016 COR Audit resulted in a score of 100%! Our Safe Companies COR scores are also unparalleled for the past five years, maintaining a yearly average of 100%. As we have proven ourselves in the matter of HSE, clients continue to look to us to bring a standard of safety that is unmatched.

Innovative and Ongoing HSE Auditing, Training and Operations

  • COR Certified
  • CWB Approved
  • CSA Standard W47.1 Certified
  • ISNet World Registered
  • Avetta (formerly PICS Auditing) Registered
  • ComplyWorks Registered
  • Continuous HSE training and updates

Exceeding HSE Program Expectations

At Mainland, we are not just satisfied with meeting the minimum HSE standards. In fact, we have achieved the best injury rate in our classification unit for the past five years! Mainland is a world class company producing a world class outcome in all that we do.

Whether you are retro-fitting your feed mill, producing equipment for the oilfield, installing mining equipment or in forestry operations, Mainland has the safety record, qualifications and experience to get your job done right.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Robotic Mining Equipment: Are We Ready for Automation?

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mine operator safetyIs The World Ready For a Fully Automated Mine? 

In the last few years, mining operations have taken advantage of robotic mining equipment to perform some of the more dangerous and repetitive tasks the industry requires. However, despite their high costs, is it possible that a fully automated mine is on the horizon?

There are three reasons why it might be.

Safety

Mining is an inherently dangerous industry. After all, it entails using large machines to drill holes in the Earth, pack them with explosives, and blow them up. Even with the most stringent safety protocols in place, the rate of workplace injuries is higher than most other industries.

However, there are other reasons why safety is compromised in the mining industry. Many of the less dangerous tasks are repetitive and mind numbing, a good example being driving haulage trucks. The job consists of driving from point A to point B and back again. Human drivers are susceptible to boredom and attention drift. That lack of attention is what makes a safe, routine task one where two people are killed every year.

In the mines, robotized mining industry equipment can perform the routine and repetitive tasks, in order to save employees for important tasks.

Efficiency

Robotic mining industry equipment doesn’t need the same kind of breaks that people do. To be sure, they are subject to maintenance, but that can often be done on a predictable schedule, which isn’t true of human labor.

It goes beyond that, of course. Automation allows operations to get closer to the text book optimums for load size and frequency while also allowing for shifts in load sizes due to potential short-term fluctuations.

The use of robotics in scouting for locations offers another opportunity for efficiency. While a manned helicopter could cost as much as $2000 per hour to operate, a drone with a camera costs a mere $500 per hour, meaning drones can cover four times as much territory for the same cost in the same time frame.

Productivity

Robotic mining industry equipment can operate in more dangerous locations, perform repetitive tasks with less loss of efficiency, and aren’t subject to the same workplace laws that humans are. But these are only the most obvious ways they are more productive.

Mining is not an industry that can pick and choose where the job gets done. The job goes where the raw materials are, and if there is a sizeable population of experienced miners, it will be more successful. However, if the area is remote, the operation is faced with either shutting down at times because there are not enough able workers to do the job on a full time basis, or bringing in workers from outside the region. Bringing in workers helps to keep the mine open, but comes at a substantial additional cost.

By performing many of the most repetitive and dangerous tasks, robotic mining industry equipment might actually lower the number of human employees necessary for an operation. Where this is not the case, robotic mining industry equipment will allow organizations to shift their workforce to safer jobs that require a less specific skillset.

In addition, automation would eliminate the need for all workers to be on site, which would allow an organization to place its workforce closer to a population center to eliminate or reduce the need to bring in workers from elsewhere.

A fully automated mining operation is not yet a reality, but with an increasing number of mining tasks being automated every day, it’s only a matter of time before a fully automated operation is possible.

 

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Robotic Welding

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robotic weldingThings to Know About Robotic Welding in Metal Fabrication Shops

Robotic welding tools have many advantages — they cut staffing costs, speed up production, and can be built to scale for your projects. By taking humans out of the equation, many welding projects see significant savings, but robots aren’t right for every workplace.

Welding cells are a lot less expensive than they were a decade ago, and they work better than they first did. Still, there remains much to consider in determining if a robotic welding system is right for you.

Potential Savings

Robotic welding costs less in energy and labour than traditional welding, and this helps the installations pay for themselves over time. The weld that a robot uses can be bought in bulk, and might save you even more money.

Robots aren’t prone to the same errors humans are, so they don’t tend to over weld. An 1/8th of an inch too much weld bead may not seem like much to a human welder, but it can double filler metal costs.

All these savings add up, and to calculate whether robotic welding is the right choice for you, it helps to calculate your long-term savings. If you don’t feel confident to do the calculations, go to a robotic welding integrator or an OEM for guidance.

Potential Challenges

If your business works with several different complex parts in your welding projects, robotic welding might not be the right choice for you, since humans can still handle these problems more accurately than robots. On the other hand, robotic welders work best with repeatable part designs, speeding up production significantly on high-volume products.

Depending on your needs, you can work to create consistent flow in your welding projects to make best use of robotic cells and keep your business moving.

Many first time users are also concerned that their robot will be difficult to program, but that is an unnecessary concern. Most robotic welding systems use simple visual interactive programs, making them easy to use for most knowledgeable workers.

Safety Concerns

Modern robotic welding cells are fully automated but still need human interaction to keep operations running smoothly.

In order to keep human operators safe, many robotic welding machines come equipped with an interlocked door, which the operator must open to access the machinery. While these are a great safety feature, opening doors takes time; so high-productivity cells might need an alternative safety solution.

The past few years have seen the introduction of new robotic standards in the U.S. that focus on maintaining safety (and productivity) in the workplace. For a full understanding, check in with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the American National Standards Institute, or the International Organization for Standardization, which all publish information for manufacturers.

These standards come with certain working advantages, including new safety regulations that allow programmable safety controls. That means designers can build smaller robotic cells, relying on safety controls for precaution rather than building cells that would cover any possible motion. The new standards also allow people to load and unload robots and work with the robot welders more closely.

As standards keep changing, the important thing is to keep up to date. Thankfully, many of these new standards are built to help you run your business more smoothly.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Canadian Pipeline Safety Measures

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Industrial zone, Steel pipelines and valvesCanadian Pipeline Safety Measures

Understanding the 2014 Canadian Pipeline Safety Measures

Oil spills are bad business for any company in the industry, no matter the scale. It hurts the bottom line, and it hurts a company’s reputation. Any spill is a high-profile event — some examples being the Kalamazoo River spill in 2010, or the spill in Slave Lake earlier this year.

Since pipelines are the fastest and most reliable way to transport Canadian crude oil, it makes sense that keeping spills that occur using this method of transportation to a minimum is a high priority for the Canadian government and oil companies alike.

That said, Canadian pipeline safety is second to none, and pipelines are one of the safest and most environmentally-friendly ways to transport oil over long distances. Natural Resources Canada reports that between 2008 and 2012, nearly all, in fact, 99.999% of the crude oil and petroleum products shipped through federally-regulated pipelines, was done without incident, and safely. That puts the rate of spills on Canadian federally regulated pipelines at two thirds lower than the rates in both Europe and the United States over the past decade. And, due to effective spill cleanup, 100% of the liquids spilled from 2008-2012 were recovered.

Furthermore, new funding provided in the Economic Action Plan 2012 allowed the National Energy Board to increase annual inspections of oil and gas pipelines by 50 percent and to double the number of comprehensive audits to improve pipeline safety across Canada. But the measures to maintain high levels of safety don’t stop there. Additionally, on May 14, 2014, Canada’s Natural Resources Minister, Greg Rickford, announced increased measures to improve Canadian pipeline safety.

Here’s a brief overview of what the National Energy Board measures address:

Absolute Liability

Under Absolute Liability, pipeline companies will be liable for costs and damages up to $1 billion, irrespective of fault. Companies at fault will also have unlimited liability for spills, which means their retributions are not capped at a maximum amount and exist regardless of the amount of investment each party has personally made. This follows the polluter pays principle, demanding that pipeline operators can show their ability to respond to any potential incident. The Canadian government believes that placing financial onus on companies will keep them incentivized to keep their pipelines spill-free.

Increased Aboriginal Participation

The new regulations mandate higher levels of Aboriginal participation in pipeline safety, from planning and monitoring to incident response. This is a particularly important opportunity for many Aboriginal communities located close to future energy projects, and could offer an immense benefit for their communities.

A Stronger National Energy Board Role

The new regulations will give the NEB several important powers. These include the authority to order reimbursement for cleanup costs, the ability to provide guidance on technologies and techniques in the pipeline building process, and the ability to take control of incident response in the place of responsible companies.

Additional Measures

In 2013, the government instituted penalties up to $25,000 for individuals and $100,000 for companies, municipalities and utilities for every day of non-compliance with safety requirements. If penalties prove ineffective, the NEB can revoke authorizations, impose operations-restricting safety orders, issue stop work orders, and, in the most serious cases, pursue criminal prosecution.

Finally, the NEB undertook an increase in both inspections and auditing last year, mandating company inspections through the use of state-of-the-art monitoring technology.

The quantity and the intensity of these various safety measures stand as an assurance for Canadians with a desire to protect the environment.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Top 3 Safety Issues in Oil and Gas Industry

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safety issues in oil and gas industryTop 3 Safety Issues in Oil and Gas Industry

When the National Energy Board (NEB) issued their paper on Emerging Issues in Oil & Gas Industry Safety Management, they established the ground rules that essentially ‘put safety and environmental protection at the forefront of its responsibilities in protecting Canadians’. From the perspective of industry leaders, oil and gas producers now have a set of guiding principles upon which to gauge their current processes and look for any gaps in their corporate safety culture.

The NEB has identified three oil and gas safety management issues that are the areas “where all regulated companies must invest effort and resources to demonstrate continual improvement of safety and environmental protection outcomes.” In her article, Alina Libkind of Field ID and Modern Safety distills the major components of the NEB’s paper and articulates what can be called the Top 3 safety issues in oil and gas industry, namely:

 1. Corporate Leadership and Safety Culture

At the risk of stating the obvious, company leaders do have a profound influence on overall safety culture. Their attitudes and day-to-day decisions guide the corporate performance and culture. It is management that sets the standard for safety culture throughout an organization, by taking an active role in overseeing the safety of the company’s operations.

Senior corporate leadership must play an active role in the way an organization manages safety risks. Although major accidents occur infrequently, the potential consequences are so high that leaders need to recognize:

  • When major accidents are considered credible business risks;
  • Regard the integrated nature of many major hazard businesses as including the potential for supply chain disruption;
  • The management of processing safety risks should have equal status with other business processes such as financial governance, markets, and investment decisions and so on.

2. Effectiveness of Management Systems

Effective implementation of management systems is what companies find difficult. Effective management systems must be consistently applied and thoroughly integrated. They facilitate the process by which companies share information and intelligence thereby promoting better decisions.

Although everyone in a team has a role to play in ensuring an organization’s safety, security and environmental protection, goals and accountability must be assigned. Performance and improvement of integral safety systems should be measured and tracked on an ongoing basis.

3. Hazard Identification and Risk Mitigation

Many high hazard industries define and measure the safety of their operations as the occupational health and safety of individual workers. This approach to measuring safety performance has two known limitations:

  • It places an inordinate amount of attention on “slip and fall” hazards, which may divert awareness away from other hazards and risks that need to be readily managed;
  • It is one-dimensional and is an incomplete and inaccurate account of the overall level of safety of an activity, a facility or organization.

As many high profile incident investigations have demonstrated, focusing on personal injury data while limiting or excluding information related to process safety and corporate culture can have catastrophic effects. For the purpose of creating a more complete picture of safety performance, regulators and companies should consider indicators relating to both high frequency, low consequence events (typical worker injuries) and low frequency, high consequence incidents (fatalities).

An effective understanding of present risks must ensure that active and potential threats to process safety (asset integrity, human factors, organizational deficiencies, and safety culture) are effectively identified and managed by companies in order to maintain the greatest margin of safety. The Senior Leader Considerations recommended after each of the issues is considered by many industry analysts to be very helpful. They comprise lists of possible questions to start a dialogue within a company and generally provides a great deal of information that is actionable.

In order for companies in the oil and gas industry to demonstrate safety as a priority in their organization, leaders must consider the example they set, the effectiveness of management systems and hazard identification. By addressing these three issues, business leaders can begin to take responsibility for safety and pursue a better overall workplace.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Housing for Oil and Gas Workers

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housing for oil and gas workersFind Your Happy Place – 5 Star Housing for Oil and Gas Workers in Remote Areas

If there is one thing that can keep oil and gas employees who work on a remote site happy, it’s premium accommodations.  Since most oil and gas industry remote-area workers originate from distant places, they want to replicate their own home environment as much as possible. Included are a few suggestions to reach that goal.

Feeling Special

When hard working employees feel special and appreciated, they’re one step closer to being loyal to their employer.  Keep in mind, it might not take much for an employee that required a large amount of resources to find, to jump ship to the competing company if the quality of life they’re subjected to is representative of a cost-cutting manoeuver by the accounting department.

Start Here

Providing at least 60% of home-like conditions is a good starting place. The idea of a ‘home away from home’ really resonates with oil and gas workers when they can come home to a fully functional residential unit. The kind of accommodations referred to goes beyond the motel experience and may be just shy of a four-star semi-luxury hotel stay.

Wish List

There are a few ‘must-haves’ for worker accommodations. This means the heart of the unit must have a kitchen – complete with a microwave oven, a good size refrigerator (not a mini-bar fridge), large sink with a filtered-water dispenser, table and chairs, and a pantry to store their non-perishable groceries.

The living area should have at least a 40”HDTV, and an entertainment center complete with CD, DVD, and MP4 players.  There should be a self-service laundry room nearby, as well as a gym and fitness center with advanced equipment, and an internet café with Wi-Fi throughout the complex. Sleeping accommodations should include a full-size bed (not a single or twin) in a bedroom with a decent amount of storage.

Talent Pool

It is crucial to remember that replacing an experienced professional or technical resource is approximately one-and-one-half times their annual salary so it is in the best interest of employers to have employee accommodation as a high priority. As oilrig workers value their accommodations they may allow that to be a deciding factor in whom they work for.

Healthy & Happy

Having all the comforts of home is not only a good start, but acts as a central hub for providing other perks that impact health and performance such as sleep, nutrition and relaxation.

Unfortunately, irregular sleep patterns are a fact of life for most oilrig employees due to their long work hours.  High levels of attention are required when observing proper safety precautions over the course of a single day and this is only possible with adequate amounts of restful sleep.

Proper nutrition plays a similar role in ensuring this kind of performance at peak levels. Getting the proper nutrition is an absolute must to perform at optimum levels for long hours in inclement conditions, says Christopher Wanjek a health and science writer.

It’s also very important to permit sufficient time to relax after a grueling work day.  The key in this process is the ability to ‘shut off’ the workday and enjoy undistracted leisure time.

It’s Just Business 

From a purely business perspective, happy and healthy workers are good for the bottom line.  Since employees can spend more than half of a 24-hour day on the job, the rest of the day is theirs.  To that end, worker retention and performance can suffer if their quality of life is substantially lower than what they’re accustomed to at home. To retain employees when there is a lacking workforce and to maintain high quality performance from all workers it is necessary for employers to show their appreciation by investing in quality accommodations for their teams.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Conducting Risk Assessment in Mining

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risk assessment in miningConducting Risk Assessment in Mining

Due to the many risks involved with mining, it has become an integral part of mining operations to assess risk. This is done, not only for employee safety, but also for profitability. Concerns for risk, in this industry, include: worker safety, high commodity prices, power consumption and technological reliability. In addition, further concerns are taken into consideration such as maintaining equipment, increasingly strict country regulations, restricting access to capital and regulating an unpredictable need for raw materials. Fortunately, many risks can be properly assessed and effectively prevented.

Mining is Risky Business

Effective risk assessment in mining is already in place, according to the Canadian Mining Journal. The journal states that mining companies are seeking advice on risk assessment before making investment decisions. For large mines, risk management uses multiple resources to create and implement reliable assessments.

5 Tips on Managing Risk in Mining:

  1. Build relationships with politicians: Get to know the political setting before you invest your money into a project. Problems in this area can arise, which could quickly put a stop to your project. You can reduce your risks by understanding the political setting first. It is important to know when to walk away from an investment.
  2. Know your supply threats: Remote areas are often the riskiest in this industry. One obstacle could be that transportation to, and from, the mine. Another issue might be having supplies shipped to the job site, which can become a problem with remote locations. Additionally, finding qualified workers can be challenging. It would be wise to review these risks thoroughly, so you know what your profit will likely be.
  3. Strengthen your relationship with insurers: Have a clear conversation with insurers and brokers, and make sure everyone knows exactly what coverage there is and what is being offered. Talk to your brokers who can help you transition from one stage of your project to the next. Your brokers will be able to offer you customized coverage for your specific needs.
  1. Create a business plan that outlines all potential risks: Without a strong risk assessment plan, you will be caught with surprises, when problems occur. This means sitting down with key members of your team to identify, prioritize, provide solutions and create a map about how to best minimize the risks.
  1. Implement ISO31000 in your company:  ISO 31000 is the standard in risk assessments. It is useful in providing a clear outline on managing risks. It provides executives with a flexible plan, which they can implement as situations arise.

There are some great resources online that can help your company with building a risk management plan. A few options are:

As miners, you face a lot of risks and volatility, which is why it is important to create an effective risk management program. These programs can help your company deal with threats and maximize any opportunities. By planning ahead and developing an experienced team, your company would be prepared for any situation that may arise.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Personal Safety in the Shipping Industry

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personal safety in the shipping industryPersonal Safety in the Shipping Industry

No one working in the shipping industry ever wants to hear the cry of, “Man overboard!” Thankfully, the advances in technology in personal safety in the shipping industry have improved the chances of rescue, should an accident occur. These developments have happened because of the need of maritime operators to meet certain safety standards for their crews and ships. Leading the charge is the Automatic Identification System (AIS). Every ship would benefit by being equipped with this type of transmission beacon.

When accessed, the AIS can provide a ship’s identity and global position. This can help a great deal in emergencies. Now, shipboard AIS technology has been pared down to a personal transmitter. The AIS Survivor Recovery System will revolutionize the way rescues are performed.

One of the first such transmitters put into wide use is the SafeLink R10 AIS SRS. The design of these units allows them to fit into a pocket or in a special holder on a lifejacket. For especially hazardous zones they can even be sewn into the protective gear worn by crewmembers. Additionally, SafeLinks can be retrofitted into a ship’s life rafts.

When activated, these devices transmit alerts and GPS signals to any receiver in a four-mile radius. Suppose a crewmember does fall overboard. The ship will have the AIS receiver up and running, which can pinpoint the location of their comrade in no time. Thanks to the 60-second update intervals, the location of the device will never be in doubt. Another type of personal AIS manufactured by Ocean Safety has a flashing LED light that helps with nighttime rescues. It also will transmit for 24 hours straight.

The use of personal AIS devices are part of the new safety regulations handed down by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The regulations passed in 2000 specify that all ships of 300 gross tonnages or more, must be equipped with an AIS system for ship-to-ship communication. That is also true of any cruise liner or cargo ship with 500 gross tonnages.

Beyond the professional shipping industry, personal AIS devices are also gaining in popularity with pleasure craft owners and charter fishermen. This has lead to a significant spike in the sales of these devices anywhere there is a marina nearby. Ocean Safety, the makers of the SafeLink, report that there are increased corporate orders for AIS SRS. Apparently, these units are replacing the EPIRB Personal Locator Beacons, whose sales have flat-lined.

To prove the merits of their device, Ocean Safety reps took 25 members of the Icelandic Fishing and Rescue Departments on a “rescue mission.” This involved a brave volunteer diving into the icy waters of Reykjavik Habour. He was wearing a survival suit and lifejacket equipped with the AIS. After the moment the lifejacket was deployed, the AIS began transmitting data within five seconds. The volunteer was plucked from the waters with pinpoint accuracy.

The emergency response fleet Svitzer UK has implemented the use of the SafeLink across all 100 of its vessels. With a weight of 120 g and measurements of 27 x 47 x 124mm, users hardly notice they are carrying the device until they need it the most.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Canadian Ports Carbon Footprint

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ports carbon footprintCanadian Ports Carbon Footprint: Encouraging Energy Efficiency through Incentives

Controlling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and pollution caused by the marine shipping industry has always been a serious problem. Many of the marine shipping vessel companies do implement carbon emission control norms and do their best to bring down their carbon foot print. To help boost the efforts by the shipping companies, Canadian ports have implemented the Echo Action and Green Wave programs to help further encourage shipping companies to control their ports carbon footprint.

Marine ports intend on running each shipping vessel through an emissions test, each time it enters the port. This is to determine the amount of emissions released by the vessel. The vessels will be examined and rated using an A-G rating.

Rewards of Meeting the Canadian Port Energy Efficiency and Pollution Standards

The reward for achieving low carbon emissions and pollution standards will be a 10% discount of the vessel’s sea harbour dues. This may not seem like much, but with vessels paying harbour dues based on the tonnage being loaded and offloaded from the vessel, the total costs are large and saving 10% is a great incentive for any shipping company. Many vessel owners visiting the Canadian ports have been noted to take radical action towards reducing carbon emissions and meeting the required pollution level recommendations.

Other areas that port authorities examine and evaluate on each vessel include:

Engine fuel consumption with relation to exhaust emission levels

When measuring a ship’s pollution level, the test begins from the tail pipe, where the exhaust is released by the vessel. Combustion gasses released through the exhaust are the most damaging to the environment and health, since they escape freely in to the atmosphere. Today, there are several technologies developed to help manage exhaust gases released by marine vessels, but the most efficient are carbon scrubbers. Carbon scrubbers help filter the exhaust gases, retaining the majority of Co2 in the scrubbers’ filter, which can later be disposed of in a safe manner. Vessels that use or install the scrubbers are more likely to score better grades and secure more discounts from the Canadian ports.

Oil and lubrication waste management

Vessels also require lubrication like oil and grease to function properly. Oil lubrication is one example of a lubricant which can be used and repacked for proper waste disposal or recycling. This means that shipping vessels must maintain an accurate record of all incoming and used lubrication, which will also contribute towards determining the vessel’s energy and fuel efficiency.

Human Waste Management

Another important area which shall be closely examined is the management of human waste. This includes sewage, laundry and any other polluted water which requires being treated and neutralized before being released in to the open ocean. There is also the concern linked to solid waste produced by the vessel’s employees while on voyages. In this case, a record of food stocks, consumption and the amounts of solid waste, like packaging, will be evaluated to determine how the vessel’s staff has been managing their synthetic waste. More waste will generally mean they stored synthetic packaging for proper processing while at port, while less waste will suggest they have been dumping their solid waste out at sea which is bad for marine life.

The discount incentives being offered by the Canadian ports have seen many of the regular shipping vessel owners taking the necessary steps to improve the energy efficiency of their ships. This is because being able to pass the test on just 10 visits will result in the company having saved full trip dues at the harbour.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Proper Welding Safety for Miners

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welding safety for minersProper Welding Safety for Miners

Mining is a hazardous work environment. There is a risk of death, which is why miners must wear protective gear and follow safety guidelines. One of the most dangerous activities for miners is welding in a closed environment – especially underground. Even if all the safety rules are followed, the welder is in constant danger, because a spark could set off an explosion. Therefore, welding is usually done in locations where there is ample space.

However, when the mine is being built, welded metal arcs hold the entire structure of the mine together. They keep the ground overhead from collapsing down into the mine. That is when miners face the dangers of welding in a cramped enclosed area. In order to protect oneself while welding, safety must be a priority.

A number of accident scenarios may occur if proper precautions are not taken. These scenarios can include:

Electrocution

An electric shock can occur if you touch two metal objects that have a current between them. High voltages of electricity can cause major injuries, or even death. This is why it is important to avoid touching any metallic object directly, while welding within a mine. It is also necessary to insulate yourself from the ground, to help reduce the risk of suffering from an electric shock. Additionally, since water conducts electricity, you must remember to wear dry clothing that will help protect you from electrocution.

Extreme Inhalation of Fumes and Gases

Welding fumes can be extremely dangerous when inhaled in large quantities. Since mines usually have an air shortage, the gases emitted from welding procedures can become twice as dangerous in the small confined spaces. To help protect you from inhaling excessive fumes while welding, there have been exposure limits set by various agencies. Based on these limits, there should never be an overexposure to hazardous gases, because it can be injurious to your health. Furthermore, proper ventilation should be provided within your work area such as an exhaust system or fan.

Explosions or Fires

Welding creates high temperatures conditions, which may lead to fires or explosions. To avoid any chance of fires, it is best to remove all flammable materials from the welding area. As a rule, every workplace is required to have fire extinguishers and alarms on site. This requirement ensures worker safety in the case of a fire. If the mine contains flammable materials that cannot be removed, a second person should be appointed to watch the procedure to watch the welding sparks.

Injuries from Lack of Protective Gear

Wearing the proper gear is important for miners due to their high risk work environment. While welding, you should be fully clothed and avoid rolling up your pant cuffs or sleeves. You should wear a welding helmet and safety goggles, which prevent sparks and debris from injuring your face or eyes. Thick leather boots and gloves should be worn to protect your hands and feet from the welding heat.  Additionally, it is best to wear protective earmuffs to avoid hearing loss caused by the loud noises in the mines.

The right safety procedures can help protect you from severe welding related injuries or death. Therefore, miners and their employers must make safety a priority. If safety guidelines are followed, the risks of welding underground in the mines can be reduced.