Coal dust abatement at the Richards Bay Coal Terminal, South Africa

How does limestone rock dust prevent coal dust explosions in coal mines?

Coal dust explosions in underground coal mines are pre­ vented by a generous application of rock dust (usually lime­ stone). If an explosion should occur, the rock dust disperses, mixes with the coal dust and prevents fl ame propagation by acting as a thermal inhibitor or heat sink. To investigate this process in more detail, a number of ex­ plosion experiments using various coal dust and limes...

Cross-shift peak expiratory flow changes are unassociated with respirable coal dust exposure among South African coal miners.

BACKGROUND The objectives of this study were to determine whether cross-shift changes in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were related to respirable dust exposure in South African coalminers. METHODS Fifty workers were randomly selected from a cohort of 684 miners from 3 bituminous coalmines in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Peak expiratory efforts were measured prior to the commencement of the sh...

A 5-year analysis of the helicopter air mercy service in Richards Bay, South Africa.

BACKGROUND A helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) was established in 2005 in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to provide primary response and inter-facility transfers to a largely rural area with a population of 3.4 million people. OBJECTIVE To describe the first 5 years of operation of the HEMS. METHODS A chart review of all flights from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010 ...

Airborne Dust Liberation During Coal Crushing

Reality at the COAL FACE

Online and blended learning modalities have made education accessible to those whose lifestyle, work obligations or geographical location would otherwise deny them such opportunities. The enthusiasm with which such approaches to learning have been embraced has often overlooked those factors within physical and virtual learning spaces that impact on the educational experience. This paper reports...