Mining Risks and Hazards

The mining industry is fraught with dangers, risks and hazards, and all too often we are alerted to another fatality or severe injury as a result of a mining operation that has gone wrong.

There are many known risks and hazards in the mining industry, but there are also many that are only discovered due to a catastrophic event. Mining operations are responsible to their employees to ensure safe practices are in place and adhered to.

Health and safety professionals are required to carry out frequent risk assessments and health and safety inspections across all areas of the mine, and all applications within them, to identify any potential risks and hazards and to ensure that processes and procedures are put in place to safeguard personnel against the dangers they face throughout their working day. However, it is also the responsibility of employees to be vigilant, to inspect the areas they are working in, and to report any unsafe working conditions or practices they come across.

Preventing mining hazards and mitigating risks

With over 40 years of experience in supplying safety products and solutions to the mining industry in the United States and Canada, we at Carroll Technologies Group have experienced first-hand the difficulties that mines face when it comes to not only identifying risks but how to mitigate them. For this reason, we have put together a list of the most widely recognized hazards within the mining industry, the risks associated with them, and available solutions to help mines identify risks within their own operations, and to provide a valuable resource that will help in the prevention and mitigation of serious health issues, injuries and fatalities in the industry.

Table of risks in the mining industry by hazard category

Please note that the hazards, risks, and available solutions contained within this table are not exhaustive. We will endeavor to update the table as and when we become aware of newly identified hazards, risks, or solutions. We understand that different operations may have unique health and safety requirements, and our highly experienced and knowledgeable team is available to provide expert advice at any stage of your mining operation.

Information sources for the mining hazards and risks table include the Mine Safety and Health Materials section of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) website, the MSHA Miner Safety & Health mobile application, extensive internet research, and of course, our own knowledge and expertise in the mining industry.