Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1988. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-145). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 226 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 214-225).

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 106 p. : ill. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-105).

M.Phil. / There has been considerable debate amongst specialists as how to minimise accidents in dangerous working environments. Irrespective of many contributions from a variety of studies, inputs and attempts, safety in dangerous working environments still remain a problem of great concern. This is equally true in especially the mining sector in South Africa. To this extent this study was conducted in an underground hard rock mine in the North West Province. Leadership may play an important role in the behaviour of employees in the work place, and may therefore have a direct impact in minimising workplace related accidents and incidents. Analysis indicated that it would be beneficial to focus on the real reasons for accidents in the mining industry i.e. the human factor. It was calculated that the human factor could be blamed for 87% of injuries in the South African mining industry, with 11% where a direct link exists with the physical working environment. This study is not an attempt to provide an answer that will solve all mining related incidents and accidents. It is an attempt to use Personal and Professional Leadership (PPL) as framework in order to establish if PPL may be a contributing factor in solving accidents and fatalities. Einstein once said, "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them". Suffice to say that our present problems are a product and consequence of our past and present paradigms.

Thesis (doctoral)--Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn.

在中国，绝大多数煤矿事故主要是由煤矿瓦斯和煤矿突水造成。统计数据显示，目前煤矿水灾引起的直接经济损失已经排在了所有煤矿灾害之前，煤矿水灾已经日益成为最危险的一种煤矿灾害。现阶段在煤矿完全方面主要目标就是尽量减少发生煤矿瓦斯爆炸和水灾的隐患。因此，对于预防和处理煤矿水灾来说，设计一种快速且准确的煤矿水灾的风险评价方法是非常急需的。传统的风险评价方法需要进行大量的广泛的地质调查来寻找地表裂隙等引起煤矿水灾的分险源。这些裂隙主要是因为地面形变造成，这种地面形变在煤矿区一般是由于地下采矿活动或者煤火造成塌陷引起的，或者两者共同作用引起的。一般情况下，煤矿区地处偏远，高海拔，不宜居住的地方，尤其是有煤火的地方，更加不易进行全面地调查。因此，我们认为使用卫星遥感数据对煤矿区大范围周期性的监测，并及时提取与煤矿水灾相关的信息进行风险分析的方法相对与传统方式来说更为便捷，更为及时。经过对乌达煤矿区的野外调查，我们确定了一些会引起乌达煤矿水灾的致灾因素，例如煤火，剥挖坑，渣堆等特有的因素。 / 本论文提出一个利用遥感，地理信息技术以及水文模型相结合的煤矿区水灾分险评估模型。在这个模型中，首先根据地质和水文数据确定了14个引起该地区水灾灾害的主要影响因素。通过野外调查，专家组一致认为降雨，特别是大暴雨，剥挖坑和地表裂隙是乌达煤矿区最重要的几个因素。分析野外调查成果，可以发现煤火和沉降与试验区地表裂隙有着正相关性。因此在这个模型中，引入煤火和沉降信息来代替实际地表裂隙情况。煤火和沉降信息可以通过多种遥感数据获得。在获得所有致灾因素的信息后，结合专家组的意见，通过层次分析法（AHP）来建立致灾因素的层次并通过成对比较矩阵计算各个致灾因素的权重。最后，通过模型计算得到最终的煤矿区风险评估图。本文得到的结果与神华（北京）遥感勘查有限责任公司实地调查后形成的风险评估图进行对比，结果显示风险分布基本相同。本文也探讨了可能造成两者差异的原因。最后，针对某一高风险区进行实地的钻孔和地震探测验证，结果显示该地区的致灾因素特征明显，具备高风险特性。 / 验证结果表明，本文提出的方法是具有可操作性的且准确高效，具有一定的煤矿水灾预测作用。我们希望该方法通过进一步的改进，能够应用到实际的煤矿水灾风险评价预测中去。 / In China, coal mine accidents were mainly caused by gas and water inrush. Recently, the direct economic loss caused by coal mine flood has been ranked the first among all kinds of coal mine disasters. Reducing water inrush accidents become the main direction and aiming of coal mine security control. From the statistics of coal mine disasters, we learned that the coal mine flood disasters have become the most dangerous mine disaster. There is, therefore, an urgent need to design and provide a coal mine flood risk assessment timely and accurately for mine companies to prevent and deal with the coal mine flood. Traditional approaches investigate the geological condition and find out the exactly numbers and width of fissures caused by coal mining or coal fires burnt. However, the shortcomings of these methods are time consuming, difficult to repeat, and costly to apply over large areas, especially, for many coal mine area located in isolated region, high up in the mountains, in dense forests, and other inhospitable terrains. Hence the use of GIS technology and remote sensing data, particularly satellite remote sensing with a capability of repeated observation of the earth surface, was considered as a very effective approach to detect, analyze and monitor information of mine flood in coal mine area over a large areas. / In this research a risk assessment model was proposed to assess the mine flood risk in Wuda coal mine area using RS, GIS techniques and basic hydrological model. First of all, we analyzed the major factors causing coal mine flood in Wuda coal field, based on the geological and hydrological data. According to the investigated material and the experiences from geologists and coal mining experts, four main criteria including water sources, surface condition, water conductors and water containers as well as fourteen factors were selected to participate the assessment, among which, rainfall, stripping digging pits and fissures were considered as the three main factors to cause mine flood in Wuda coal mine area. The rainfall and sinks information were easily to derive. However, the fissures information was difficult to obtain. Based on the analysis of investigation, the positive correlation between fissures and coal fires or subsidence was obtained. Therefore, the coal fire factor and ground subsidence factor were imported to indicate the fissures information. Then, a method for deriving these impact factors was proposed for coal mine flood risk assessment model. After obtaining the all factors related information, the weights of these factors were calculated by pair-wise comparison method, which depend on the specialists’ opinions. A risk assessment analysis approach based on AHP was created for combining these factors and calculating the results. / Finally, based on the result from risk assessment model, a risk assessment indication map was generated using GIS software. By comparing our assessment result with the Wuda coal flood risk map from Shenhua Group, we noticed that the distribution and levels of coal mine flood risk are similar. Some other auxiliary techniques, for instance, the geological drilling and geological radar detection, were used to validate the result of our study. These techniques also proved the final result is reasonable and acceptable. After the investigation and evaluation, some conclusions and suggestions, were proposed for coal mine companies to avoid or reduce the risk from coal mine flood. / The results indicate that the methodology is effective and practical; thus, it has the potential to forecast the ood risk for coal mine ood risk management. Therefore, it can be used as a final risk assessment model for mine flooding in coal fire area. In the future, we will conduct such risk analysis to mitigate the impact from coal mine flood disasters. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Wang, Shengxiao. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-174). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / TABLE OF CONTENT --- p.vi / LIST OF TABLES --- p.ix / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.x / Acknowledgements --- p.xiii / Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Coal mine disasters in China --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Coal mine flood in China --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Background of Wuda coal mine area --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4 --- Research objectives --- p.9 / Chapter 1.5 --- Structure of the thesis --- p.11 / Chapter 2. --- Background --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1 --- Coal mine flood --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Classification of coal mine flood --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Current rescuing situation of coal mine flood --- p.13 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Longwall coal mining --- p.14 / Chapter 2.3 --- Coal mining Subsidence --- p.19 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Subsidence Mechanisms --- p.19 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Subsidence and Fissures --- p.20 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Previous investigations --- p.22 / Chapter 2.4 --- Coal fire and fissures --- p.24 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Definition and Classification --- p.24 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Combustionmechanism --- p.27 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Production of coal fire - Minerals and Burnt rock --- p.29 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Ground temperature related to the coal fire --- p.31 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Fissures caused by Coal fire --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4.6 --- Detecting Coal Fires Using Remote Sensing --- p.34 / Chapter 2.5 --- Assessment methods review --- p.37 / Chapter 3. --- Description of the study areas & data sets --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1 --- Study area --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2 --- Geography --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Geographical position --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Climate --- p.41 / Chapter 3.3 --- Geology --- p.42 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Geology structure --- p.42 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- The stratigraphy of coal --- p.43 / Chapter 3.4 --- Hydrology --- p.46 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Hydrogeological characteristics --- p.46 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Surface hydrological characteristics --- p.46 / Chapter 3.5 --- Three major coal mine overviews of the assessment area --- p.48 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Suhaitu coal mine --- p.48 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Huangbaici coal --- p.51 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Wuhushan coal --- p.53 / Chapter 3.6 --- Data available --- p.55 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Data available for this research --- p.55 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Collection materials and data for reference --- p.55 / Chapter 4. --- Investigation and Analysis of Risk Factors --- p.57 / Chapter 4.1 --- Currentstatus of Wuda Coalfield --- p.57 / Chapter 4.2 --- Water source --- p.58 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Rain fall --- p.58 / Chapter 4.3 --- Surface Condition --- p.59 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Flood ditches and surfacerunoff --- p.59 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Stripping digging pits --- p.61 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Slag heap --- p.67 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Water yield of three main coal mine --- p.71 / Chapter 4.4 --- Water conductors investigation --- p.72 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Faults --- p.73 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Fissures investigation --- p.75 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Investigation and analysis of fissures --- p.81 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Abandoned tunnel and (illegal) private coal mine --- p.83 / Chapter 4.4.5 --- Subsurface Detection- Geological radar --- p.84 / Chapter 5. --- Methodology and Information acquisition --- p.87 / Chapter 5.1 --- Evaluation Index System --- p.87 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Methodologies in Establishing the Evaluation Index System --- p.87 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Principles for Establishing Evaluation Index System --- p.88 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Method in Establishing Evaluation Index System --- p.89 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Flow chart --- p.90 / Chapter 5.2 --- Storm Rainfall Design --- p.91 / Chapter 5.3 --- Drainage network and fill sinks extraction --- p.94 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Surfacerunoff model --- p.94 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Fill Sinks (peaks) --- p.96 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Flow Direction --- p.97 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- Flow accumulation --- p.98 / Chapter 5.4 --- Traditional methods of derived Fissures area and depth --- p.101 / Chapter 5.5 --- The method of obtaining coal fire information --- p.103 / Chapter 5.5.1 --- Remote sensing data --- p.105 / Chapter 5.5.2 --- Land use classification --- p.105 / Chapter 5.5.3 --- Temperatureretrieval based on TM/ETM+ --- p.107 / Chapter 5.5.4 --- Results of coal fire retrieval --- p.110 / Chapter 5.6 --- The method of obtaining coal mine subsidence area --- p.113 / Chapter 5.7 --- Illegal private coal mine detecting --- p.115 / Chapter 5.8 --- The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) --- p.118 / Chapter 5.8.1 --- Introduction of AHP --- p.118 / Chapter 5.8.2 --- The procedure of AHP --- p.120 / Chapter 6. --- Evaluation and validation --- p.122 / Chapter 6.1 --- Workflow --- p.122 / Chapter 6.2 --- Develop a decision hierarchy structure --- p.122 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Choosing evaluation indicator --- p.123 / Chapter 6.3 --- Weights distribution --- p.124 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Establishment of comparison matrix --- p.125 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Weight Calculation and Consistency Check --- p.127 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- Global weight calculation and global consistency check --- p.131 / Chapter 6.4 --- Data Preparation and Classification --- p.133 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Rainfall classification --- p.134 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Classification of surface condition --- p.135 / Chapter 6.4.3 --- Classification of conductor --- p.138 / Chapter 6.5 --- Result of Factor weight overlay --- p.140 / Chapter 6.4.1. --- Results --- p.140 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Compare with Risk Map from Shenhua Group --- p.143 / Chapter 6.4.3 --- Fieldwork Validation --- p.145 / Chapter 7. --- Conclusions and suggestions --- p.150 / Chapter 7.1 --- Results and conclusions --- p.150 / Chapter 7.2 --- Eliminate potentialdangerous source --- p.152 / Chapter 7.3 --- Flood prevention measures recommended --- p.153 / Chapter 7.3.1 --- Mainly measures for flood prevention --- p.154 / Chapter 7.3.2 --- General prevention and control of surface water --- p.155 / Chapter 7.3.3 --- Establish mechanisms and systems to prevent coal mine flood --- p.156 / Chapter 7.3.4 --- Strengthen the basic work to prevent coal mine accidents --- p.158 / Chapter 7.3.5 --- Investigation and remediation work to prevent coal mine accidents --- p.159 / Chapter 7.4 --- Future work --- p.160 / References --- p.162

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Statistics from mining accidents expose that the potential for injury or death to employees from occupational accidents is relatively high. This study attempts to contribute to the on-going efforts to improve occupational safety in the mining industry by creating a model capable of predicting the continuous risk of occupational accidents occurring. Model inputs include the time of day, time into shift, temperatures, humidity, rainfall and production rate. The approach includes using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to identify patterns between the input attributes and to predict the continuous risk of accidents occurring. As a predecessor to the development of the model, a comprehensive literature study was conducted. The objectives of the study were to understand occupational safety, explore various forecasting techniques and identify contributing factors that influence the occurrence of accidents and in so doing recognise any gaps in the current knowledge. Another objective was to quantify the contributing factors identified, as well as detect the sensitivity amongst these factors and in so doing deliver a groundwork for the present model. After the literature was studied, the model design and construction was performed as well as the model training and validation. The training and validation took the form of a case study with data from a platinum mine near Rustenburg in South Africa. The data was split into three sections, namely, underground, engineering and other. Then the model was trained and validated separately for the three sections on a yearly basis. This resulted in meaningful correlation between the predicted continuous risk and actual accidents as well as the majority of the actual accidents only occurring while the continuous risk was estimated to be above 80%. However, the underground section has so many accidents, that the risk is permanently very high. Yet, the engineering and other sections produced results useful for managerial decisions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mynbou ongeluk statistieke dui aan dat die potensiaal vir besering of dood as gevolg van beroepsongelukke relatief hoog is. Die studie poog om by te dra tot die voortdurende verbetering van beroepsveiligheid in die mynbedryf deur middel van ’n model wat die risiko van beroepsongelukke voorspel. Die model vereis die tyd, tyd verstreke in die skof, temperatuur, humiditeit, reënval en produksie tydens die ongeluk as inset. Die benadering tot hierdie model maak gebruik van ’n Kunsmatige Neurale Netwerk (KNN) om patrone tussen die insette te erken en om die risiko van ’n voorval te beraam. As ’n voorloper tot die model ontwikkeling, is ’n omvattende literatuurstudie onderneem. Die doelwitte van die literatuur studie was om beroepsveiligheid beter te verstaan, verskeie voorspellings tegnieke te ondersoek en kennis van bydraende faktore wat lei tot voorvalle te ondersoek. Nog ’n doelwit sluit die kwantifisering in van geidentifiseerde bydraende faktore, asook die opsporing van die sensitiwiteit tussen hierdie faktore en hierdeur ’n fondasie vir die voorgestelde model te skep. Na afloop van die literatuurstudie is die model ontwikkel, opgelei en gevalideer. Die opleiding en validasie is deur middel van ’n gevallestudie in ’n platinummyn naby Rustenburg in Suid Afrika gedoen. Die data is verdeel in drie afdelings, d.i. ondergronds, ingenieurswese en ander. Die model is vir elke afdeling apart opgelei en gevalideer op ’n jaarlikse basis. Hierdie het gelei tot ’n betekenisvolle korrelasie tussen die voorspelde risiko en die werklike ongelukke met die meerderheid van die werklike ongevalle wat voorgekom het terwyl die risiko 80% oorskry het. In die ondergrondse afdeling is so baie voorvalle waarneem dat die risiko permanent hoog is. Die ander afdelings het wel resultate verskaf wat sinvol gebruik kan word in bestuursbesluite.

The underground hard rock mining industry in South Africa is faced with the challenge of simultaneously delivering both safety and productivity excellence. Frontline supervisors need to manage the inherent trade-off between safety and productivity to achieve excellence in both. Previous research suggests that supervisors with a transformational leadership style have delivered safety and productivity in separate studies. This study examined the relationship between the transformational leadership style of underground mining supervisors at Impala and the simultaneous delivery of both safety and productivity. It also investigated the mediating effect of group safety climate on the relationship between transformational leadership and injury rate, and the mediating effect of group cohesiveness on the relationship between transformational leadership and productivity. The relationship between transformational leadership and the perception of leader effectiveness was also investigated in the study context. The research design was a case study using mixed methods in the form of a sequential explanatory design. In the first quantitative main phase of the study, survey questionnaires were completed by respondents to determine the leadership style of the mine overseers who were the unit of analysis. Data was also collected using survey questionnaires for group safety climate and group cohesiveness. The injury rate and productivity data for the mine overseer sections was recorded for a one year period prior to the survey. In the second qualitative phase of the study selected mine overseers were interviewed and a focus group of mine overseers was conducted. Also, underground observations were carried out and documents were scrutinised. The focus of the qualitative research was to interpret and explain the results that were obtained in the quantitative first phase of the study. The results indicate that transformational leadership is related to the perception of supervisors’ effectiveness. This relationship is partially mediated by group safety climate and group cohesiveness. The relationship between transformational leadership and the objective measures of injury vi rate and productivity were not supported in the quantitative results. This may indicate that these measures were too narrow to determine supervisors’ leadership effectiveness, and/or were contaminated by confounding variables as was suggested in the qualitative phase of the study. The qualitative findings indicated that supervisors’ perception was that transformational leadership style is effective in delivering safety and productivity excellence. The overall conclusion of this study is that in the context of Impala or similar operations, that the effective supervisor should employ the full range of leadership. This behaviour includes maintaining discipline and using contingent reward to motivate the achievement of goals. The effective supervisor also uses the transformational leadership style giving meaning to work and creating a feeling of team membership. Transformational leadership inspires the diverse workforce to deliver safety and productivity excellence in the difficult and risky mining conditions. Furthermore, supervisors’ behaviour is greatly influenced by management’s priorities. / Business Management / D. B. L.

The underground hard rock mining industry in South Africa is faced with the challenge of simultaneously delivering both safety and productivity excellence. Frontline supervisors need to manage the inherent trade-off between safety and productivity to achieve excellence in both. Previous research suggests that supervisors with a transformational leadership style have delivered safety and productivity in separate studies. This study examined the relationship between the transformational leadership style of underground mining supervisors at Impala and the simultaneous delivery of both safety and productivity. It also investigated the mediating effect of group safety climate on the relationship between transformational leadership and injury rate, and the mediating effect of group cohesiveness on the relationship between transformational leadership and productivity. The relationship between transformational leadership and the perception of leader effectiveness was also investigated in the study context. The research design was a case study using mixed methods in the form of a sequential explanatory design. In the first quantitative main phase of the study, survey questionnaires were completed by respondents to determine the leadership style of the mine overseers who were the unit of analysis. Data was also collected using survey questionnaires for group safety climate and group cohesiveness. The injury rate and productivity data for the mine overseer sections was recorded for a one year period prior to the survey. In the second qualitative phase of the study selected mine overseers were interviewed and a focus group of mine overseers was conducted. Also, underground observations were carried out and documents were scrutinised. The focus of the qualitative research was to interpret and explain the results that were obtained in the quantitative first phase of the study. The results indicate that transformational leadership is related to the perception of supervisors’ effectiveness. This relationship is partially mediated by group safety climate and group cohesiveness. The relationship between transformational leadership and the objective measures of injury vi rate and productivity were not supported in the quantitative results. This may indicate that these measures were too narrow to determine supervisors’ leadership effectiveness, and/or were contaminated by confounding variables as was suggested in the qualitative phase of the study. The qualitative findings indicated that supervisors’ perception was that transformational leadership style is effective in delivering safety and productivity excellence. The overall conclusion of this study is that in the context of Impala or similar operations, that the effective supervisor should employ the full range of leadership. This behaviour includes maintaining discipline and using contingent reward to motivate the achievement of goals. The effective supervisor also uses the transformational leadership style giving meaning to work and creating a feeling of team membership. Transformational leadership inspires the diverse workforce to deliver safety and productivity excellence in the difficult and risky mining conditions. Furthermore, supervisors’ behaviour is greatly influenced by management’s priorities. / Business Management / D. B. L.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2009. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 82 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-66).