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Texas Worker Safety 2

March 28th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

There are more than half a million abandoned mines scattered across the nation. Every year, hundreds of people fall into mine shafts, including outdoor workers in almost every industry. Since 1999, more than 200 people have died in such accidents.

That’s the focus of a recent campaign focusing on Texas worker safety. That’s why the US Dept. of Labors Mine Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA, warns everyone to “Stay Out — Stay Alive.” That’s the name of a new public safety campaign designed to worn workers and outdoor enthusiasts about the dangers of trespassing on mine property.

The program includes public service announcements designed to warn people from accidentally trespassing on mine property, at work or play. As part of the program, federal mine safety and health professionals will visit schools, scouting groups and other organizations to talk to young people about the dangers of playing on mine property.

Outdoor workers in the roadwork, utility and landscaping industries need to be especially cautious. Be aware of no trespassing signs, and other signs indicating the presence of abandoned mines. Mineshafts are often covered with rotting wood, so be careful to step around such surfaces. If you’re in doubt, double check the location – it’s better than stumbling into a dark hole hundreds of feet deep.

The problem is not limited to outdoor workers, either. That’s why the program urges workers, hikers, swimmers bikers, and rock hounds alike to “Stay Out — Stay Alive.”With warmer weather, outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds face the same risk.

While they may look innocuous, water-filled quarries may contain hidden dangers as well. In addition to slippery slopes and unstable rock ledges, the water often conceals old machinery and sharp objects left behind after a mining operation shuts down. Even expert swimmers may encounter trouble in the dangerously cold and deceptively deep waters.

Old surface mines, often a popular spot for all-terrain vehicle enthusiasts, are characterized by hills of loose materials in stockpiles or refuse heaps that can easily collapse and cause deadly rollovers.