Fortunately, technological advances have made it possible for mining companies to enhance their worker's safety, while the workers are deep in the mines. Power generators supply electricity to ventilation fans that bring fresh air into the mineshaft, to test equipment, and to transportation into and out of the mineshaft. If the mining company did not have an onsite and reliable power supply, many of these safety advances in the mining industry simply would not exist.
One of the greatest safety concerns when mining beneath the earth is the release of toxic gases. These gases include methane, carbon dioxide, and any number of other harmful types of gases found within the depths of the earth. One of the ways to prevent injuries and even fatalities from such gases is through the use of air monitoring equipment. The era of the "canary in the coal mine" is dead. These days, mines use electrical devices that monitor the quality of the air in the mineshafts. The equipment alerts those who are around the units, when there is not enough oxygen for workers or when harmful gases have become too plentiful. It is incredibly important that these monitors not fail and that requires a constant supply of reliable energy. Power generators are responsible for generating the electricity needed to keep these devices running at all times, when miners are within the mine shaft. Without these monitoring devices, coal miners face many potential hazards. Fortunately for the miners, electric power generators are able to provide them a better and safer working environment, which frequently allows them to go home to their families each night.Power generators help control the airflow within the deep mine shafts by providing energy to the large ventilation fans required in all underground mining operations.
Mining regulations require these ventilation fans, so that the miners working within the shaft have a constant supply of fresh air as they mine the coal deep within the earth. Without these ventilation fans, the working conditions within the mineshafts would be horrendous. There would be dramatic temperature increases and stale airflow if the ventilation fans failed to operate. That is why redundant power generators are so important to the miners within the shaft. They are able to power these fans so that there is a constant one-way flow of clean air into the shaft, and the fans help to push any hazardous air out of the shaft. This increases the safety of the working conditions for all the miners that work in the shaft and would not be possible without power generators.The coal mining industry is unique in that many of its workers are required to stay underground for the entirety of their shifts. All breaks and meals are usually taken underground, because it would take too much time to travel to the surface to do these things. One way that corporations help their workers get out from the depths of the earth is to include transportation into and out of the mineshaft, using equipment such as trams or other types of electrical trains. These trams are powered by electricity that is generated through the power generators located at the surface. They are able to bring the miners to the surface quickly and safely and are a major benefit, if there should be a safety hazard found within the shaft. Such a mode of transportation could not be possible if power generators were not available to provide electricity to the mineshaft. These trams are also a major reason that the coal mining industry has garnered such high safety ratings from OSHA, namely because they can get injured or potentially injured people out of danger quickly.
Power generators are an invaluable piece of machinery to a coal mining operation. The power generators at a mining site are able to provide many safety benefits by simply supplying electricity to the mineshaft. Electricity powers the air quality control devices that keep miners breathing safe air. Power generators provide the necessary electricity to run the large ventilation fans that keep fresh air coming into the deep mine shafts and also serve to help control temperature within the area. Power generators also generate the electricity to run the trams that bring workers to the surface and take new workers down to the end of the mineshaft. Without power generators, the coal mining industry would be very inefficient and an even more hazardous venue to work in than it is currently. In 2002, mining was the most deadly industry that year, as tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although mining is still a dangerous occupation, the industry's track record is improving. In 2006, mining had reduced their number of deaths and dropped in the "most dangerous occupations" list, down to the #2 position on the list. As technology improves and more mining companies employ more efficient and reliable power generators, it is our hope that mining could eventually escape this most dreaded top ten list.