Training program teaches hand signals for miners during emergencies

Mining emergencies often require workers to don equipment that makes verbal communication impossible. Self-contained self rescuers include mouthpieces to prevent exposure to toxic gasses.

"However, in past mine emergencies, miners' need to communicate with one another resulted in them removing their SCSR mouthpieces and exposing them to toxic chemicals, often with negative consequences. Therefore, it is necessary for miners to have a set of nonverbal signals that they can use to communicate very basic information in the event of a mine emergency that necessitates the use of SCSRs," says a new training program.

Nonverbal Communication for Mine Emergencies includes an instructional presentation, several partner/group training activities, and a retention test. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has developed the program for underground coal miners at all skill levels.

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The program is designed for use by a group of miners rather than individuals. However, a modified version can be used by individual miners.

Through the presentation and practice exercises, miners learn 16 nonverbal signals such as:

Yes/good idea (thumbs up).
No/bad idea (thumbs down).
Stop/stay here (arm straight out, angled toward floor, palm facing forward).
Go this way (arm at side, extend outward from waist indicating direction, palm facing out).
Don't know/don't understand (hold both hands out with palms up, shrug).
Refuge chamber/barricade (touch fingertips to make triangle in front of chest).
Gas detector/gas readings (simulate holding gas detector up to the roof).
A problem (palm facing forward, move hand to and away from top of head).
Follow me/come this way (bend lower arm to bring hand up toward self; beckoning motion).
Slow down (slowly lower hand, palm facing down).
Evacuate (move bent arms back and forth next to body; running motion).
Lifeline/tether (arm at side with elbow bent 90 degrees to front, move hand as if grasping line).

Read more at the WorkersComp Forum homepage.

March 26, 2012

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