Abstract: There have been tremendous efforts to minimize illnesses, injuries, and fatalities in surface and underground mines. Federal agencies, research institutions, technology developers, and mine operators have established health and safety regulations and practices to reduce the rate of injuries and deaths. Particularly, miners’ safety has been of paramount importance at the most surface and underground operations. Fortunately, the number of fatalities and compliance-based exposures have been significantly reduced. New mining technologies and practices (e.g., automation) have made mine operations safer and more efficient. However, there is still much to be done. Changes in mining technologies and practices will introduce new health and safety hazards to workplaces. Therefore, further research and development are needed to identify these hazards and propose techniques to eliminate the risks. This presentation discusses my research activities in the area of mine health and safety, dust control, and automation. I will illustrate the importance of interdisciplinary research to address current safety challenges in the mining industry.
Bio: Pedram Roghanchi is an assistant professor of Mineral Engineering at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. His research interests encompass several areas of mining engineering including occupational health, dust control, subsurface ventilation, and automation. His lab conducts several health and safety projects related to occupational health, application of unmanned aerial vehicles, respirable dust, particulate toxicity and respiratory deposition, dust suppression systems, and hazard mitigation. He is a co-author of over 40 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications.