Blast Injuries from Mining Gas

Abstract

Compared with coal mine conditions in other coal-producing countries around the world, all coal mines in China are gaseous, with 44% classified as highly gaseous. Gas explosions result in a special type of blast injury. The shock waves generated by such explosions not only injure miners directly, with injury extent intensified due to the enclosed space of mines, but the high temperature and toxic gases produced instantaneously also inflict miners with burns and chemical gas poisoning. Gas explosions in mines are extremely detrimental to both financial loss and the lives of miners. According to relevant materials and statistics, miner death rate of downhole mining gas explosions may exceed 90%. Take for examples gas explosions in the mines of Zhengzhou Coal Industry of Henan, Pingmei Shenma Group and Shaanxi Tongchuan Coal Industry in 2004, each explosion could kill a hundred or more miners. The frequency of these disasters have shocked both the domestic and international communities. It would not be an understatement to claim that gas explosion is the number one threat to the lives of coal miner workers. To better serve the public and protect the lives of miners in a responsible manner, governments ought to organize experts to carry out exhaustive and earnest studies into mining gas blast injuries, including aspects from prevention of explosion on site to treatment, safe evacuation, hospital rescue and subsequent recuperation therapies for victims of such blast injuries. At the same time, it is urgent and important to establish a mine medical care support system at the national level. This section of the book is dedicated to explorations and studies with regard to the subject at hand.