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Mass Casualty Incidents in the Underground Mining Industry: Applying the Haddon Matrix on an Integrative Literature Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2017

Karl Gunnar Engström Open the ORCID record for Karl Gunnar Engström [Opens in a new window] ,
John Angrén ,
Ulf Björnstig  and
Britt-Inger Saveman
Karl Gunnar Engström*
Affiliation:
Center for Disaster Medicine, Section of Surgery, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
John Angrén
Affiliation:
Center for Disaster Medicine, Section of Surgery, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Ulf Björnstig
Affiliation:
Center for Disaster Medicine, Section of Surgery, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Britt-Inger Saveman
Affiliation:
Center for Disaster Medicine, Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Karl Gunnar Engström, Disaster Medicine, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Section of Surgery, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden (e-mail: gunnar.engstrom@umu.se).
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Abstract

Objective

Underground mining is associated with obvious risks that can lead to mass casualty incidents. Information about such incidents was analyzed in an integrated literature review.

Methods

A literature search (1980-2015) identified 564 modern-era underground mining reports from countries sharing similar occupational health legislation. These reports were condensed to 31 reports after consideration of quality grading and appropriateness to the aim. The Haddon matrix was used for structure, separating human factors from technical and environmental details, and timing.

Results

Most of the reports were descriptive regarding injury-creating technical and environmental factors. The influence of rock characteristics was an important pre-event environmental factor. The organic nature of coal adds risks not shared in hard-rock mines. A sequence of mechanisms is commonly described, often initiated by a human factor in interaction with technology and step-wise escalation to involve environmental circumstances. Socioeconomic factors introduce heterogeneity. In the Haddon matrix, emergency medical services are mainly a post-event environmental issue, which were not well described in the available literature. The US Quecreek Coal Mine incident of 2002 stands out as a well-planned rescue mission.

Conclusion

Evaluation of the preparedness to handle underground mining incidents deserves further scientific attention. Preparedness must include the medical aspects of rescue operations. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:138–146)

Keywords

underground miningmass casualty incidentrescuemedical emergencypreparedness
Type
Systematic Review
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , February 2018 , pp. 138 - 146
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

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