Coal Mine Health and Safety - "Project"

Occupational health and safety issues associated with coal mining must be managed
appropriately to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries associated with the industry
to levels as low as possible.  While the current situation in each country differs as mining
conditions, workforce training, legislation and regulations which govern health and safety
and enforcement policies are not the same, all agree the ultimate goal for each Partner is
to have a world class mining industry achieving a zero fatality and injury rate.  All
Partner coal producing countries (China, India, Australia and the United States) also
agree that as coal production is expected to increase significantly in the future the goal of
reducing the injury and fatality rate to zero will become an increasingly greater challenge.
Interest has been expressed on the part of all Partner countries to work together to
advance coal mining health and safety in a number of areas including application of
advanced rescue equipment and associated services; procedures and techniques for
locating and rescuing trapped miners; procedures for rescue mobilization, and in other
areas.  The Partner countries believe that their respective experiences and problems in
each of these areas can be shared to common advantage.
It is important to establish emergency response and rescue procedures for use once an
accident has occurred.  However, prevention of accidents must take equal priority and
both areas must be addressed simultaneously.  All fatalities and injuries should be
preventable and although there are many causes, a significant number are the results of
fire and explosions from gas releases, inrush and rock falls.  These health and safety risks
can be controlled by developing and implementing new technologies, education and
training, sharing leading practice procedures and through the development and
implementation of sound legislative, regulatory and enforcement frameworks.
The project will involve all three key areas necessary for a sound occupational health and
safety program for mining: people, equipment and systems.  These areas can address all
major hazards and risks for health and safety in conjunction with effective and efficient
legislative and regulatory systems.  All branches of government in the Partner countries
concerned with mine health and safety will be part of the project.