"Life stations" in mines

[JohnnyRingo]

I have no experience in mining, but it seems that mining disasters usually leave surviving workers trapped in a mine. They're able to further enter the mine, but unable to exit. It's always a race against time to reach them before the supplies carried on their back run out.

It would make sense to me to have stations at strategic locations every two or three hundred yards or so cut into alcoves along the horizontal shafts containing first aid, compressed air, food, and water. Communication equipment would be a plus too, if possible.

I'm sure mine workers would make it their business to commit the locations of these survival stations to memory before the long ride in, though a large chart could be posted at the entrance. Battery powered lighting and sound could be automatically triggered when air quality reaches a dangerous level to aid in location during the expected low visibility and confusion.

It's very rare that workers are trapped in an area that prevents ingress and egress. As it is, workers have no reason to go further in when disaster strikes, but with these stations rescue crews would have a good idea where to find the stranded men.

I hope profit and the expandability of workers aren't the only factors that caused the loss of twelve hourly workers this week, but I know mine owners won't do this on a voluntary basis.

Can anyone here think of why this would not be practical?

[FSogol]

1. It would cost a few bucks.

Not much money is spent on mine safety these days.

Mechanical rooms with large chillers are required by code to have scuba-like air tanks at each exit in case of refrigerant leakage. I doubt mines have this same level of safety.

[Caoimhe]

2. Extra safety controls eat at the mine's bottom line

Sadly, it takes tragic accidents with foreseeable events to force a corporation's hand when it comes to making sure their workers are safe. Since Bush has gutted OSHA and made it "voluntary" for companies to meet ongoing safety concerns, there is no real incentive to make any changes until something bad happens and the bad press forces them to.

What is that old quote.. An ounce of prevention...is worth a pound of cure

It's the same mentality these greedy GOPers have about health care. PREVENTING disease and PREVENTING unwanted pregnancies and PREVENTING accidents, keeps people alive and keeps cost down for EVERYONE in the long run.

[Xithras]

3. You don't even need to go that far.

The mine car was undamaged. A simple trunk filled with survival gear strapped to its hood could have saved them all.

[baby_mouse]

4. An excellent proposal

The only limiting factor being money... but otherwise a very neat idea.

:toast:

[applegrove]

5. They can build an atom bomb. They can do much to warn & be

carefull of gas release in mines. Why they choose not is because it costs money. These yahoos obviously found paying fines more productive than following guidelines.

It is an old story. Mines in towns where people are chronically underemployed can get away with alot. Or at least they tried to until perhaps now.

These men were being paid $39,000. That means $18 an hour. No danger pay in that. Obviously the employment danger pay market has totally vanished in that town.

Why the corporation likely did what they did.

Should mines that will kill a dozen men every generation be open? George Bush & neocons say yes. I disagree.

[3waygeek]

6. Apparently such stations do exist

according to this dKos diarist.

[JohnnyRingo]

12. Good link....Thanx

I had no idea, this is a great article.

[spinbaby]

7. Mines are really big places

I just asked DH who used to work in the mines and he says that permanent stations aren't practical because the work areas keep moving. Miners go in with something called a self rescuer which is--depending on type--good for an hour to as many as seven hours in bad air. Miners customarily carry water and food as well as light with them. A certain percentage of miners have to have EMT training and there are first aid kits.

[boston bean]

8. How about every miner uses a GPS unit that is attached to them.

that way they can figure out where they are fast.

[3waygeek]

9. GPS doesn't work too well

underground. Hell, most GPS units (except for the newest ones) don't even work inside the average house.

[boston bean]

10. Well they use GPS units for the equipment in the mines. It works for

the machines, why not humans?

[leftofthedial]

11. corporations own mines

repukes and dem traitors have deregulated mining industries

cost of paying off any lawsuits or survivors when a batch of working class serfs die is a pittance next to the profits these corporations earn

why fix it if it isn't broke? miners are expendable. they're just labor.

[JohnnyRingo]

13. Sadly, I that's the crux of it n/t

[JohnnyRingo]

14. Oops...I ironically left out the word "think" in my reply.