Current Controls to Reduce Respirable Dust Exposure for

Attachment D

Controls to Reduce Respirable Dust Exposure

Assessment Worksheet for Workers and Management

Form Approved

OMB No. 0920-xxxx

Exp. Date xx/xx/20xx

Current Controls to Reduce Respirable Dust Exposure:

Assessment Worksheet for Workers and Management

Week #: ___ / Date: _____

What do you/your organization already do to prevent overexposure to respirable dust? (Check all that you are aware of).

Controlling Respirable Dust on Longwall Mining Operations

Controlling respirable dust on intake roadways

Limit support activities during production shifts (e.g., delayed vehicle movement, removal of

stoppings, and delivering/unloading supplies during production shifts)

Apply water or hydroscopic compounds to control road haulage dust

Use surfactants (e.g., soap, detergents to maintain proper moisture in intake roadways)

Controlling respirable dust from the belt entry

Check belt for maintenance needs

Wet the coal product during transport

Scrape and wash belt

Use a rotary brush to clean the conveying side of the belt

Wet dry belts

Controlling respirable dust in the headgate entry, including the stageloader/crusher

Fully enclose the stageloader/crusher

Wet the coal in the crusher/stageloader area

Use scrubber technology in the stageholder/crusher area

Use a high-pressure water-powered scrubber

Maintain a gob curtain

Position shearer operators outby as the headgate drum cuts into the headgate entry

Install a wing or cutout curtain between the panel side rib and the stageloader

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Information Collection Review Office, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-74, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; ATTN: PRA (0920-xxxx).

Controlling shearer dust

Modify face ventilation as needed

Use drum-mounted water sprays

Maintain cutting drum bits

Use directional water spray systems

Keep the headgate splitter arm parallel to the top of the shearer

Use shearer deflector plates

Use crescent sprays to provide uniform wetting of the entire cutting zone

Position a spray manifold at the end of the lump breaker

Use tailgate-side sprays

Controlling shield dust

Use a canopy-mounted spray system

Use shield sprays on the underside of the canopy

Engage in a unidirectional, rather than bidirectional, cutting sequence

Alternate dust control techniques

Use ventilated cutting drums

Use foam discharge from the shearer drum

Use high-pressure inward-facing drum sprays to confine the dust

Use a personal respirator or other personal-protective equipment

Controlling Respirable Dust on Continuous Mining Operations

Continuous miner dust control

Use a water spray system (full cone, flat spray, hollow cone, solid stream, etc.)

Examine, clean, and/or replace sprays

Check water filtration system

Use a cut sequence so cut-throughs could be made from intake to returns

Use flooded-bed scrubbers to capture dust-laden air from the cutting face

Maintain the scrubber

Measure airflow in the scrubber

Check filter panel thickness

Use surfactants to increase wettability of dust

Inspect and/or replace dull, broken, or missing bits

Modify the cutting method

Reduce time working downwind of the bolter

Face ventilation dust control

Position operator in the mouth of the blowing line curtain with intake air sweeping from behind

Allow the dust-laden air to clear the entry before moving

Allow the dust-laden air to clear the entry before stopping the scrubber

Position the machine and then go to the end of the curtain before resuming coal cutting

Use blowing face ventilation system

Monitor brattice curtain, keep close to face

Place scrubber discharge on opposite side of the line brattice

Reduce air velocity by flaring out the line curtain at the end

Erect a short line curtain during the slab cut

Use exhausting ventilation system

Dust control for roof bolters

Maintain the dust collector system

Clean the dust box

Use dust collector bags

Remove and replace the canister filter

Clean the discharge side of the collector

Install a sock on pre-cleaners

Use “dust hog” bits

Position to avoid working downwind of continuous miner

Wet drill/mist drill

Use canopy air curtain

Route miner-generated dust to the return

Dust control for intake airways

Maintain good housekeeping to keep intake entries free of debris, equipment, and supplies

Perform supply delivery, scoop activity, stopping construction, and rock dusting during nonproduction shifts

If haulage activities do take place during production shifts, haulage roadways are kept damp

Equipment is parked in crosscuts

Feeder-breaker and shuttle cars

Use hollow or full-cone sprays at the feeder-break transfer point

Use automated sprays at the mouth of the feeder-breaker when shuttle cars unload

Throat sprays on the continuous miner wet coal when entering the conveyor

Shuttle cars are never in a waiting position behind check curtains

Shuttle car operators are not located in the direct discharge of the scrubber on the continuous miner

Configure shuttle car runs to minimize the amount of time spent in return air

Other (use box below to record other technique to reduce dust exposure)