Closing Down Dead Mines: What You Should Remember From Your MSHA Training

Mines are only as good as what you can get out of them. When you cannot get anything else of value from them, you have to close them. The problem is that if you do not close them effectively and safely, members of the overly curious public tend to wander into the mines because they think of it as an adventure. This is exceedingly dangerous, since the public does not have the MSHA safety training that you and other miners have. If a mine in which you have been working needs to be closed down, remember the following from your safety training.

Block All Tunnels

Carefully placed explosives are the most effective at blocking all of the tunnels. Make sure your team's demolition expert assesses each tunnel individually to make sure the explosives are placed in areas where a tunnel collapse would be the imminent result. Clear out all equipment and make sure everyone is accounted for before blowing up the tunnels. No one should be able to re-enter and navigate the mine at all.

Close the Mine Shaft Openings

Despite the fact that you will take precautions to close and block all tunnels, it does not stop people from attempting to enter the mine through the shaft openings. Wood paneling is not an effective deterrent on its own. MSHA recommends that locked gates be installed on all openings.

If you installed these just after opening thee mine, then the only thing that needs to be done is to wall up the openings, close the gates, and lock them up. Without a blow torch, bolt cutters, and a few other tools to remove wood planking from the openings, the public cannot get through. More importantly, small children cannot wander in or fall into the mine because there is no opening big enough for them to do that.

Post Plenty of Warning Signs

It is MSHA regulation that requires the posting of warning signs. Even after the mine is officially and completely closed, you need to leave these warning signs behind and in full view of anyone that approaches a prior opening into the mine. People still looking for a "souvenir" from the mine may try to gain entry. By posting warning signs and keeping them in place, you have done your civic duty to keep people safe. Ergo, anyone who ignores those warning signs and becomes injured because he/she managed to gain illegal entry cannot sue your mining company under the guise of negligence.

Contact a company, like Eagle Mine Safety, for more help.