The Development of Buy Quiet Options for the Mining Equipment Industry

The ambient sound level in many underground mining operations is well above allowable exposures defined by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) permissible exposure limits (PEL) or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure levels (REL). Studies have shown long-term, regular-shift levels to exceed 100 dB(A) in operating mines. NIOSH has worked for over 15 years to help the mining industry reduce these levels and find noise control solutions that effectively protect miner hearing. Looking to the future it is important that mining companies have options to purchase quieter equipment - "Buy Quiet" options. The lessons learned from experience reducing mining equipment noise are discussed in this paper. Using this experience, proposals are made for how quieter machines might be specified in a manner that alleviates overexposure of the miner and supports manufacturing feasibility for mining equipment suppliers. Both a generic and a more particular specifications are provide for mining equipment that can serve as prototypes for mining operations purchasing equipment with the desire to protect miner hearing.