An Interactive Model among Potential Human Risk Factors: 331 Cases of Coal Mine Roof Accidents in China

Abstract

In order to explore optimal strategies for managing potential human risk factors, this paper developed an interactive model among potential human risk factors based on the development processes of accidents. This model was divided into four stages, i.e., risk latency stage, risk accumulation stage, risk explosion stage and risk residue stage. Based on this model, this paper analyzed risk management procedures and relevant personal’s responsibility in each stage, and then probed into the interactive mechanism among human risk factors in three aspects, i.e., knowledge, information and communication. The validity and feasibility of the model was validated by analyzing a coal mine roof accident in China. In addition, the contribution of different functional levels’ personnel in risk evolution was discussed. It showed that this model can effectively reveal the interactive mechanism of potential human risk factors, and can thus give significant insights into the development of risk management theories and practices. It also proves that the contribution of different functional levels’ personnel in the model is different. This can further help practitioners design enhanced Behavioral-Based Safety (BBS) intervention approaches which can have a more sustainable and persistent impact on corporate personnel’s safety behavior. Specific recommendations and suggestions are provided fundamentally for future BBS practices in the coal mine industry.

The Comprehensive Identification of Roof Risk in a Fully Mechanized Working Face Using the Cloud Model

“…Through summarizing and analyzing the reasons of loads of roof accident cases, the causing factors of risk accidents could mainly be divided into four levels of support conditions (e.g., support distances, the touch degree of the supports and roof, initial support force, the efficiency of a single support), roof conditions (e.g., hanging roof areas before the first weighting, hanging roof areas after the first weighting, hanging roof area during the movement of working faces equipment, roof separation distances, geological conditions, weighting intensity) [41,42], personnel working status (e.g., illegally moving the supports, moving the support in time, dealing with the hanging roof in time, the integrity of a single support) [43,44] and coal body status (e.g., rib spalling, soft coal seam and the stress concentration of coal body), including 17 indexes total. Table 2 describes the characteristics of each factor, and Figure 1 illustrates the comprehensive evaluation index system of the risk of roof accidents in a fully mechanized working face.…”

Experiment Study on Coal Roadways Roof Monitoring Based on the Pre-stretched Optical Fiber Lay out at Fixed-points

“…As shown by the solid black line in Figure 3, the fixed point of the optical cable is subject to the uneven and irregular settlement of the roof, the same type of settlement occurs at the fixed points of the optical cable. Because the optical cable between any adjacent fixed points is stretched in a straight line, due to the restriction of the fixed point, t the whole optical cables are deformed into polygon AB 1…”

“…Coal roadway roof collapse accidents are the most common and frequent accidents. According to statistics from the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety (SACMS) for more than ten years, coal mine roof accidents accounted for 51.2% of the total number of coal mine accidents, while the death toll caused by coal mine roof accidents accounted for 36.5% of the total death toll [1]. And the roof collapse of coal roadway is one of the main causes of casualties, equipment damage and production losses in coal mines [2].…”

Emerging Issues in Occupational Safety and Health

“…To identify factors affecting the risk-taking behaviour of workers, several studies have investigated the reasons why they conduct such behaviour [8,9,10,11,12,13]. Factors influencing the risk-taking propensity of workers include safety supervision and inspection, safety culture of working environments, social influence, workplace conditions, attitude of workers towards risk, risk perception, and self-perceived easiness of risk-taking behaviour [8,9].…”

“…Larsson et al [11] demonstrate that the safety perception of workers was influenced by safe working environments, leadership, prioritising safety at work, and provision of trust, and support by management. Tong et al [12] explore human risk factors affecting risk-taking behaviour through coal mining roof accidents in China; such factors include knowledge, information, communication, and performance and behaviour of senior managers. Thamrin et al [13] identify inadequate safety training, long working hours (more than 20 h per week), and insufficient confidence on the discussion of safety issues as the main factors resulting in injuries.…”