Could the story have been different? Perhaps, if the rule had been followed to the letter. But, as is often the case when an accident occurs, something went wrong. Something was not done as the procedure indicated.
Armando Alatorre, president of the College of Mining Engineers, Metallurgists and Geologists of Mexico, points out that due to the natural properties of coal, these tasks usually require different safety standards than most mining operations , due to the firedamp gas that is contained. in this mineral and that it is colorless, tasteless, odorless and explosive. “Those are conditions that you don’t have in other types of mining,” he highlights.
The ‘must be’ in the extraction of coal in the country is marked by NOM-032-STPS-2008 , which contains the safety standards for underground mines. Although the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) launched this rule almost 14 years ago, claims continue to occur in this type of mining activity. The last of them in “el pocito” Pinabete, in the municipality of Sabinas, Coahuila.
Two weeks ago, the coal mine collapse caused a flood in the complex, trapping 15 miners. Five managed to get out, but 10 are still trapped.
A flood that could be prevented?
The Government of Coahuila explained that the accident occurred when the miners ran into an adjoining area full of water, which caused a flood when it collapsed, leaving a group of miners trapped in a sinkhole.
Section 15 of NOM-032-STPS-2008 talks about floods, a latent risk in this activity. To mitigate it, companies must carry out a geohydrological study that, at least, contains the plans of the coal extraction operations with the location from aquifers near the site of the mining operation and from surface water deposits.
In addition, it is necessary to locate nearby old or abandoned mines, and the delimitation of how far the works can be extended, taking into account the existence of old or abandoned mines.
Based on the study, the company must determine the risk prevention and control measures that, among other things, must contain the characteristics of the barriers or protection pillars between the exploitation and the old mining or the body of water, as well as processes operations for their conservation.
José MartÃnez Gómez, former president of the Association of Mining Engineers, Metallurgists and Geologists of Mexico, stresses that the El Pinabete operation did not have such studies . “The lack of knowledge of those already exploited concessions and the lack of control of new operations, cause this type of accident to occur. (In the case of the mine) there was no information on how far away the old exploitation was, which was already it’s full of water… By not having a control, it was difficult for the miners to calculate the distance at which they had the risk,” he reiterates.
Alatorre also agrees that the lack of a study could have caused the mishap.
Protective equipment
Among the obligations established by NOM-032-STPS-2008 for employers is to verify that all persons entering the mines wear, at least, a protective helmet, a mining lamp with a rechargeable battery, a lamp holder belt, and rubber boots. o Protective footwear with toecaps, heels or earmuffs, safety glasses, gloves, particle respirator, cotton work clothes or materials that do not generate static electricity, self-rescuer and metal identification tag.
Most accidents in this sector are concentrated in underground operations . “There are security standards, but we will not know if the trapped miners had the necessary equipment and information at the time, until they manage to get out,” says Alatorre.
Was there a rescue plan?
Due to the nature of the activity, the rule on safety in underground coal operations establishes in section five that one of the employer’s obligations is to establish a written emergency care plan available to the workers, contemplating the integration of one or more brigades to combat any type of incident, from fires and explosions, to floods, landslides and flashovers of gas and coal.
Likewise, it asks to include in this plan the alert and alarm procedures in the event of an emergency, the attention to the event, evacuation of the mine, first aid, rescue and salvage , coordination of the mine brigades with other external brigades and the control of access and re-entry to the operation.
But the fact that 10 miners are still trapped shows that several of the emergency protocols, risk mitigation measures, and regulations on signage and equipment were not complied with.
On August 4, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador assured that the military, specialists and four dogs were already at the scene to participate in the rescue work, however, no information was ever released about whether the mine had a plan or brigades as stipulated by the norm.
Alatorre points out that the majority of coal extraction operations are small and are not registered with a chamber or association, a condition that favors the fact that they may not adhere to safety standards. In fact, the fact that the “pocitos” meet all the standards is usually the exception to the rule.
