Bureau of Mine Safety July 2015 Newsletter 1

July 2015 Newsletter Guest Column

Sandra D Melman has a Mas-

ter's degree in Molecular Para-

sitology from the University of

New Mexico, and has been a

zoonotic diseases epidemiolo-

gist with the New Mexico De-

partment of Health since June of

2011. Her duties include zoono-

tic disease surveillance, preven-

tion and control for the state of

NM, including investigation of

all human and pet cases of

plague, all human cases of hantavirus, arboviral diseas-

es like West Nile virus, and tick-borne diseases. She

serves as a liaison between Department of Health and

public health stake holders in the state, and has done

numerous public presentations, public education and

community outreach activities, including television ap-

pearances and radio interviews. Ms. Melman has pub-

lished in numerous prestigious peer-reviewed scientific

journals, and has participated in national and interna-

tional conferences.

Insect and rodent borne diseases

in New Mexico

If you are working long hours outdoors in New

Mexico, chances are you will encounter insect bites

(mosquitoes and fleas) and rodents (or their feces) at

some point in your career. New Mexico has numerous

species of rodents and insects that can carry and trans-

mit diseases with serious health consequences.

One of the mosquito borne diseases to be aware of

in New Mexico is West Nile virus. Since 2003 there

have been between 4 and 209 human cases of West

Nile virus in the state each year. West Nile virus dis-

ease can cause mild illness (headache, fever, muscle

aches, nausea, and fatigue) that can last from weeks to

several months or more severe disease in a small per-

centage of people including neurologic illness

(meningitis, encephalitis, paralysis) and even death.

People 50 years of age or older and those with un-

derlying health conditions are at higher risk of develop-

ing severe disease. The virus is transmitted by several

species of mosquitoes in New Mexico that typically

bite at dusk and dawn. There is no specific treatment or

vaccine for humans for West Nile virus, hence preven-

tion is the key. Personal protective measures (use of an

appropriate insect repellent, wearing skin-protective

clothing with long sleeves, staying indoors during peak

hours of mosquito activity, eliminating standing water

where mosquitoes can lay their eggs from around your

home, and making sure all doors and windows have

screens in good working condition) go a long way in

protecting you and your family from mosquito bites

and the diseases they can carry.

Rodents in New Mexico play an important role in dis-

ease transmission of two very serious illnesses, hanta-

virus pulmonary syndrome and plague.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a disease caused by

a virus that is transmitted to humans by inhalation of

viral particles present in the feces and urine of the com-

mon deer mouse. Every year there are about 2-5 cases

of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in New Mexico.

This disease causes severe pneumonia and decreased

heart output. Up to 40% of those infected do not sur-

vive. There is no specific treatment or vaccine for han-

tavirus pulmonary syndrome. As with West Nile virus,

the best defense is prevention. When you have to enter

an enclosed area that is infested by rodents and their

(Continued on page 2)

Bureau of Mine Safety July 2015 Newsletter 2

July 2015 Newsletter

feces it is best to try and air out the space for at least 30

minutes before entering and then try to avoid stirring up

dirt or dust in order to avoid inhaling the excreted viral

particles.

Regular dust masks are not adequate protection. An N-95

rated mask or better should be used, but only after medi-

cal clearance and fit testing. Spraying down the soiled

area with a disinfectant (a 10% bleach solution or com-

mercial products will work) will help to kill the virus and

prevent infection.

Plague is a bacterial disease that circulates among rabbits

and rodents (including prairie dogs, squirrels, rats, and

mice) and their fleas. People usually get exposed to the

plague bacteria when they

are bitten by an infected

flea, or by direct contact

with the tissues of an in-

fected animal (such as a

hunter skinning an infect-

ed rabbit without wearing

gloves). Pet dogs and cats

that are allowed to roam

and hunt can also become

infected and pass the dis-

ease on to people or bring

infected fleas back into

the home.

Plague usually starts with

an acute onset of high fe-

ver, malaise, nausea, body aches and headaches. Some-

times there is an enlarged and very painful lymph node.

Antibiotics can be effective if administered early in the

course of the disease. The best prevention is to avoid flea

(Continued from page 1) bites and direct contact with sick animals.

When working or enjoying the outdoors in New Mexico

it’s always good to use an approved insect repellent

(products containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eu-

calyptus, and IR3535 can be bought over the counter)

and follow label instructions, avoid sick wildlife and

rodent burrows, eliminate rodent food and shelter

around your home, do not allow pets to freely roam and

hunt, and use a flea control product recommended by

your veterinarian on your pets.

Prevention is the key to good health. Be safe

out there.

More information of these and other diseases people can

get from animals and insects can be found on the New

Mexico Department of Health’s website at: http://

nmhealth.org/about/erd/ideb/zdp/

2016 New Mexico

Mine Health and Safety Conference

Planning meeting:

July 31st

Roswell, NM.

Exhibitor and

Publications Chair Needed.

The planning committee welcomes participa-

tion from all New Mexico miners. For direc-

tions to the meeting or for more information,

please call Randy Logsdon at 575-234-3622

Bureau of Mine Safety July 2015 Newsletter 3

July 2015 Newsletter

DESIGN A HARD HAT STICKER AND WIN A

WELSH MINER’S LAMP

OLD DESIGN

The New Mexico Bureau of Mine Safety certifies coal mine officials in New Mexico for Surface Foreman,

Underground Foreman and Underground Examiner. Successful candidates receive a certificate and a wallet

card. In addition, we like to give a hard hat sticker to certified officials.

We want one design to represent both surface and underground officials. It could show equipment used by

foremen/examiners, a person performing the task, equipment at both types of operations, etc.

The design must include the following words: NM State Mine Inspector Coal Mine Certified

Sticker shape: designer’s choice

Sticker size: must fit in an area approximately 2.125” x 2.125” and be clearly legible.

Submit design in JPG format to sbarteau@admin.nmt.edu, no later than July 15, 2015.

Call Suzanne at 575-835-5460 if you have any questions.

WIN THIS!

Your Winning

Design Here!

Bureau of Mine Safety July 2015 Newsletter 4

July 2015 Newsletter

NEW MEXICO MINING SAFETY BOARD

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING AND HEARING

The New Mexico Mining Safety Board (“MSB”) hereby

gives notice that the MSB will conduct a public meeting

and hearing in the Auditorium of the District 3 Offices of

the New Mexico Department of Transportation, 7500

Pan American Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico

87109, on Wednesday, September 9, beginning at 1:00

p.m. The purpose of the public hearing will be to obtain

input on proposed amendments to 19.6.2 NMAC

(Emergency Notification).

Interested individuals may provide comments at the pub-

lic hearing or submit written comments to Terence Fore-

back via email at tforeback@admin.nmt.edu, fax at (575)

835-5430, or directed to Terence Foreback, State Mine

Inspector, Bureau of Mine Safety, 801 Leroy Place, So-

corro, NM 87801. Written comments must be received

no later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the hearing. At the

conclusion of the hearing, the MSB may deliberate and

vote on the proposed amendments.

Copies of the proposed amendments are available on the

Bureau of Mine Safety website (http://bmi.state.nm.us)

under the “Mining Safety Board” menu or may be ob-

tained from Bureau of Mine Safety Records Liaison Of-

ficer Suzanne Barteau by calling (575) 835-5460 or

emailing sbarteau@admin.nmt.edu.

Individuals with disabilities who require this information

in an alternative format or need any form of auxiliary aid

to attend or participate in the public hearing are asked to

contact Terence Foreback at (575) 835-5460 as soon as

possible. The MSB requires at least 48 hours advance

notice to provide special accommodations.

Notes from the 2015

Joseph A. Holmes Assoc. National Meeting

Presentation on Task Training

In the 15-month period from October 2013 to January

2015, there were 37 Metal/Nonmetal fatalities. Of the 28

investigations into those deaths that have been complet-

ed so far, 11 have cited Lack of Adequate Task Training

as a root cause or contributing factor. From the presenta-

tion on Task Training by MSHA EFS Specialist Debbie

Combs, here is something to keep in mind: in an MSHA

investigation, the absence of written Safe Operating Pro-

cedures is like a red flag. If you don’t have written Safe

Operating Procedures, you can expect the investigator to

find that the requirement for Adequate Task Training has

not been met.

When Lack of Adequate Task Training is identified as a

contributing factor in a fatality, the causes can include: a

lack of understanding of requirements, a lack of written

instructions, a lack of a written training program, and

failure to provide training for the people who train on

tasks. Your training plan, Combs said, should include as

much detail as possible and should have a complete list

of task assignments, with the title of the person conduct-

ing the task training, a description of the training proce-

dures, a description of the evaluation methods, and a list

of instructional materials for use by the trainer as a

guide. The key takeaway here is: Document Everything.

Without a documented training plan and training materi-

als, what trainees typically get is unstructured time with

someone who’s done the job, also known as “following

Joe around,” Combs said. Even with the best of inten-

tions, this leads to a lot of variability on how a task is

performed. To be effective, you need to be aware of the

difference between structured and unstructured training.

Guidelines for effective task training also include doing

pre-assessments, breaking tasks down into steps, provid-

ing checklists, allowing sufficient time for learning, and

doing post-assessments to evaluate how well the trainee

learned the task.

To help with task training procedures, MSHA has creat-

ed an interactive online tool here. Also, the new MSHA

Training Center has samples of 50+ Job Task Analyses

(JTAs) for both coal and M/NM, On-the-Job training

modules that can be used as a starting point for your op-

eration, and Best Practices Cards.

~Suzanne Barteau

Bureau of Mine Safety July 2015 Newsletter 5

July 2015 Newsletter

ATTENTION MINE OPERATORS AND CONTRACTORS!

Now is your chance to recognize your hardworking employees for their outstanding safety performance! Nominations are now being accepted for the 2015 New Mexico Mine Safety Awards, which will be pre-sented jointly by the New Mexico Mining Association and the New Mexico Bureau of Mine Safety on Thursday, September 10, 2015, at the New Mexico Mining Association Convention.

The period for the awards is from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. There are four categories:

Safe Operator of the Year Zero Frequency Safety Innovator

Rescue Response Award

Click HERE for the 2015 Award Nomination Forms and Information. If you have questions or need more information, please contact Terence Foreback at (575) 835-5458 or Randy Logsdon at (575) 234-3622.

Forms must be completed and forwarded to the New Mexico Bureau of Mine Safety and to the Chair, NMMA Safe-ty Committee for receipt by August 7, 2015. The addresses are at the end of each form. A PDF of the applications is preferred and would be appreciated. Please send a separate PDF document for each award category.

Notification to the organizations receiving awards will be made before August 21, 2015, to ensure that a repre-sentative from that organization can be recognized at the Safety Award Luncheon on September 10, 2015. To reg-ister for the convention, you may contact the New Mexico Mining Association at (505) 820-6662 or via e-mail at nmma@comcast.net. Registration and a $50 fee are required for each person attending the awards luncheon.

Announcing the 2015 New Mexico Mine Safety Awards!

The New Mexico Bureau of Mine Safety

Wishes You and Your Family a

HAPPY 4th of JULY !!

Please remember to be SAFE,

especially with fireworks.

Toolbox Talks with your employees should be held

prior to the extended weekend.

RAPPING FIREFIGHTERS VIDEO NFPA FIREWORKS PSA