SURFACE MINE SAFETY Surface mine inspections include checking
company log books, powder magazines, safety items on equipment,
and review of work areas for safety. This review includes
inspection of conveyor belts, buildings, and highwalls. All
haulage ways and ponds are checked to make sure safety berms
have been properly installed. The inspector also reviews the
credentials of the foreman responsible for employee safety and
first aid supplies, and ensures that all communication systems
are in place. Additionally, this section is responsible for oil
and gas well plugging in the coal-bearing townships of Ohio,
monitoring gas storage reservoirs throughout the state, and
conducting safety training classes for the mining industry.
UNDERGROUND MINE SAFETY Ohio has some of the best trained mine
rescue teams in the country. The rescue teams utilize state
maintained mine rescue equipment. For example, the mine team has
at its disposal a mobile laboratory that can be used to analyze
air samples at the mine site during