Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/841719
AGGREGATES MANAGER / July 2017 37 Working alone at a surface operation is regulated under 30 C.F.R. § 56.18020, which states: "No employee shall be assigned, or allowed, or be required to perform work alone in any area where hazardous conditions exist that would endanger his safety unless he can communicate with others, can be heard, or can be seen." Miners in surface operations are not barred from working alone under the standard. This regulation is violated when 1) an employee was required to work in an area where hazardous conditions existed, and 2) the miner was not able to communicate, be heard, or be seen as required. A finding that a hazard was present is necessary for the assessment of a violation of the standard. Cell phone coverage at the mine site in all working places can satisfy the requirement that the miner be able to com- municate with other mine employees. Working alone in an underground operation is regulated under a separate, but substantially similar, regulation, 30 C.F.R. § 57.18025. This regulation states: "No employee shall be assigned, or allowed, or be required to perform work alone in any area where hazardous conditions exist that would endanger his safety unless his cries for help can be heard or he can be seen." Similar to 30 C.F.R. § 56.18020, the underground standard does not prohibit miners from working alone. To establish a violation, it must be shown that a miner was working alone where a hazardous condi- tion existed, and the miner could not be seen or heard. To be held liable, a mine operator must have been aware of the hazardous condition at the time the miner was working alone. Constant contact between the miner working alone and other mine workers is not required by the standard, the ability to communicate when necessary is sufficient to achieve compliance. Given the number of fatalities that have already occurred in 2017, and MSHA's recently announced initiative focusing on the hazards of working alone, mine operators should prioritize ensuring compliance with the applicable working alone regulation and best practices. Doing so will both help ensure a safer workplace and reduce mine operators' expo- sure to liability under mine safety regulations. Compliance with regulation and adherence to best practices will give operators and miners the greatest ability to prevent acci- dents from occurring when miners work alone. AM RR Recruiting_AGRM0417_PG.indd 1 3/15/17 9:47 AM Be a cool operator Be a cool operator 1-800-267-2665 • sales@hammondac.com • www.hammondac.com When you work hard in small spaces, you need AC big time! With over 1200 different kits engineered and developed, count on Arctic Wolf™ for factory-style integrated air conditioning systems in ready-to-fit kits. Loaders. Dozers. Excavators. Graders. Tractors. If your equipment has an engine and a cab on it, we can put cool air into it. Call today. 1-800-2 MR COOL or go online at www.hammondac.com and order your system and parts today. 081-178 Equip World 4.5x4.5.indd 1 2016-06-01 2:18 PM Untitled-7 1 6/6/16 2:14 PM