The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) Mining Program, in conjunction with the Industrial Minerals Association–North America, the National Mining Association and the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, recognized four organizations in their respective industry sectors for developing new safety tools and systems.
The organizations recognized others for instituting new health protocols to keep their workforce safe during the pandemic.
“This year’s awards attest to the mining industry’s ability to innovate in response to immediate global challenges while continuing to develop industry-specific health and safety solutions,” says Jessica Kogel, NIOSH associate director for mining.
Award recipients
In the stone, sand and gravel category, Lehigh Hanson’s Lowrys Quarry won for retrofitting a haul truck to comply with ISO 23875 and improve air quality in the cab.
Located in McConnells, South Carolina, the Lowrys Quarry installed a real-time carbon dioxide and pressure monitor, a recirculation filtration system and an air intake filter to reduce dust accumulation and manage carbon dioxide levels.
With the new technology in place, NIOSH says the air quality in the cab met or exceeded ISO 23875 requirements. And the measures the operation took resulted in a healthier work environment for haul truck operators.
In the industrial minerals category, Imerys Performance Minerals Americas’ North American Division won the award for introducing contact-tracing technology to manage social distancing and track exposures to COVID-19 at their worksites.
According to NIOSH, Imerys provided wearable contact-tracing badges to all personnel and used the data collected to improve social distancing measures or add exposure controls. The measures delivered additional capacity to contain the potential spread of COVID-19, NIOSH says.
Matrix Design Group, meanwhile, won the coal award while Coeur Mining won in the metal category for implementing a comprehensive pandemic response plan to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at its worksites.
