Abstract:The rapid rate of introducing new technology leads to the issue of staff awareness in operating the latest equipment. Many users do not understand how new devices work and how to use the new machines and gadgets. This article presents the results of research aimed at determining the influence of new technology on the technological awareness of mining workers. Surveys and advanced expert interviews have shown that the lack of technical knowledge means the introduced changes are often perceived negatively by staff and that the main reason for this outcome is the absence of effective education. Lack of knowledge means that frequently the effectiveness of the new and technologically advanced machines is marginal. Presented problems due to the high competition in the energy market have a crucial practical significance. The results of this research may be valuable as a source of information and knowledge for companies.UDC Classification: 622.8; DOI: http://dx

Abstract:Harsh working conditions and the introduction of technologically advanced machines are placing growing demands on the qualifications of mine workers, forcing mine workers to undergo continuous training. This article presents the results of research concerning the evaluation of training and expectations of workers in a mining plant to identify further actions in this area. The results indicate that workers negatively evaluate previous training. Based on advanced expert interviews and panel discussions, the directions and recommendations regarding the necessary changes to training are set out. Employees suggest broadening the subject of occupational health and safety training. Their concerns relate to the operation and maintenance of new machines, telecommunication equipment, mining support, ventilation, and interpersonal communication. The results indicate a growing awareness among employees of the role and importance of training and the acceptance of upgrading skills as an investment in the future.UDC Classification: 622.8; DOI: http://dx

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies had to adapt quickly to survive in the market. During this time, employers played a key role, along with employees involved in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) activities, as they were responsible for implementing the recommendations of the European Commission. There is no unambiguous definition of OHS in Polish legislation. It is assumed that it is a set of rules defining the manner of performing work, and above all, a method of providing employees with working conditions so that their performance is safe and hygienic. Responsibility for the health and safety in the workplace is imposed on the employer by the legislature. Thus, effective health and safety training is an essential element of the success of any properly operating company. In the literature, no studies have been identified that evaluate the effectiveness of actions during the COVID-19 outbreak. The aim of the article is to present the actions of Polish employers along with their effectiveness assessment related to the protection of employees during the COVID-19 outbreak. The article presents a proposal for conducting remote OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) training using the platform Moodle. The created course was implemented during OHS training conducted in a selected manufacturing company. At its end, an evaluation of the course was carried out, and the collected opinions of training participants allowed the formulation of interesting conclusions, which became the contribution of this paper. The authors pay special attention to three main points of the work. The first is the form of training, which gives the possibility to conduct training at a distance while maintaining its effectiveness. The second important point is the mandatory feedback of the trainees, ensuring the possibility of continuous improvement and quality enhancement of both the program and the form of training. The evaluation was developed on the basis of the extended Kirkpatrick model, which is a completely new approach to OHS training evaluation. The third point emphasized by the authors is the possibility of precise adaptation of the training to other plants and even industries. Therefore, it can be concluded that the course developed by the authors is a very interesting and practical didactic tool with great implementation potential.

Production enterprises mainly focus on activities concerning tangible resources. In recent years, however, this focus has shifted increasingly towards intangible resources such as knowledge as a key resource. Knowledge plays a crucial role in building an enterprise's competitive advantage, including that of mining entities involved in coal extraction. This article presents results of research into the causes of unplanned stoppages in the operation of longwall shearers. An examination of the parameters of the longwall shearer operation reveals an oversight in recording the causes of many unplanned machinery stoppages. Using informatics tools, the authors determine the reasons for most stoppages. The knowledge gained in this research has practical significance in providing a basis for implementing actions to limit the number of stoppages and improve the effectiveness of the machinery. IntroductionProduction companies mainly base their activities on tangible resources. Fixed assets, finances, and stores are essential elements for the industry to function and operate. In recent years, however, the role of intangible resources has increased. These resources are no longer perceived as additional elements of business and have become a key factor in achieving a competitive advantage for many organizations. The intangible resources consist of competencies, knowledge, relations, attitudes, opportunities, brands, and functional systems (Stankiewicz, 2005). In addition, these resources include internal knowledge about technology, employees' skills and procedures of behavior (Wernerfelt, 1984). The effective use of intangible resources also concerns the mining industry. The optimization of production costs (Loska, 2013; Loska 2017) means that intangible resources can determine the competitive advantage in this industry. In recent years, the increasing trend among varying industrial companies regarding the importance of these resources has reached the mining industry. Mining companies have started to increasingly appreciate the competencies of their employees, whose knowledge, skills, involvement, and identification with the company are among its greatest elements and thus, its influential capital (Kaźmierczak, 2014). The research results presented in this paper are a positive example of the application of knowledge in the mining industry. The authors, using informatics tools, have identified the causes of breaks during the operation of mining machinery. The paper focuses on determining the causes of the breaks in the operation of a longwall shearer. However, it should be noted that the methodology developed from this research will help determine the reasons for breaks in the operation of most mining machinery. This identification refers to unplanned breaks that have been registered by the industrial automation system. Past procedures allowed for the identification of only about 25% of the causes for such breaks. The developed and applied new system identified on average about 70% of the causes. Therefore, the resu...

The aim of the article is to present the perspective of maintenance development in the context of the 4.0 industry concept. One of the factors that determine the safe and effective use of machines and devices is the properly maintained maintenance process. Correct performance of activities as part of this process requires the use of appropriate knowledge and experience from people implementing this process. Very important in this process is, above all, good organization of work and technical knowledge. The very rapid development of technology causes that teams dealing with the maintenance of traffic in enterprises must systematically acquire knowledge and optimize their activities. Effective exploitation of all types of devices is a set of rules, rules, procedures and actions, the main aspect of which is a human being. Knowledge resources should have appropriate substantive content adapted to the recipient. The article presents a modern solution supporting the maintenance process, taking into account the tools supporting the activities of human teams. The basic principles of maintenance in the enterprise covering machine monitoring systems, production management and management of information on the state of the machine park are discussed. There are also examples of the use of selected tools in the mining industry. Reference was also made to the prospects and directions of the development of maintenance in relation to the fourth industrial revolution.

The article presents the results of literature research in the field of Technology Assessment (TA). In particular, the attention was focused on searching for trends determining the directions of development of this research area. Research gaps constituting the basis for undertaking new cognitive challenges were identified. As a research method, a systematic review of literature was adopted, the methodology of which was described in the first part of the article. The analysis includes a total of 1788 TA-related scientific articles available in Google Scholar and BazTech databases. The practical part of the article presents fragments of literature research and an attempt to define the concepts of Technology Assessment on their basis. The collected research material showed a high degree of variation in the scope of definitions and the research area covered by TA. This indicates the need to conduct further research in this area for the purpose of clarifying the research area which TA deals with. It is legitimate to say that the development of research in this area is necessary due to the increasing impact of technology on society.

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