Investigation of Drilling and Blasting Operations in Underground Mining by Fine-Kinney Risk Assessment Method

Abstract

The mining industry is a sector where work accidents and occupational diseases are experienced due to basic reasons such as harsh natural conditions, faulty production methods, non-compliance with minimum occupational health and safety requirements, lack of organization and infrastructure, poor equipment selection, insufficient use of technology, and insufficient and qualified personnel. In this challenging sector where every process carries serious risks, employers, permanent supervisors, responsible engineers, occupational safety experts, workers and other members of the sector have great responsibilities in ensuring occupational safety. In order to create a safe production environment in terms of occupational health and safety, it is important to determine possible hazards by making a risk assessment in advance, and to provide collective protection by taking protective and preventive measures. More than half of the occupational accidents that occur in underground mines occur during the drilling and blasting operations, which is the first step of the production process. These accidents can only be prevented or minimized by taking the necessary precautions. In this study, the precautions to be taken before, after and during the drilling and blasting operations were examined by using the Fine-Kinney risk assessment method. 101 different hazard, damage, risk score, planned measure and post-precaution risk score explanations related to the transactions listed in a total of 20 different work steps are given one by one. Thus, an example is presented that allows underground mining enterprises to determine their own risk scores and levels in the risk assessment process and to create their own roadmap to help predict potential risks that may arise in the future.