STC Serves the Mining Industry of Georgia

We see it every day – kaolin. It’s a driving force in our community – bringing jobs both directly and indirectly to Sandersville – and in our state.

So how does Sandersville Technical College serve the mining industry statewide? To answer this question we need to contemplate mining in general and mining in Georgia.

The Basics

Mining is a process whereby natural mineral resources (like kaolin) are excavated from the earth and processed for use by all industries.  Without this supply of natural mineral resources, all industry would come to a halt.  We would have no energy production, schools, modern medicine, modern agriculture, computers, footballs, cars, etc.  Every person in the United States uses 23 tons of minerals each year.  With no minerals we would be living like the cavemen.

Mining in Georgia plays a large role in providing these natural mineral resources. 
In 2006 Georgia ranked 11th in the value of non fuel minerals mined.  The value of these minerals totaled $1.97 billion in the United States Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries for 2007.

The majority of minerals mined in Georgia include kaolin, barite, ochre, granite, marble, feldspar, sand and gravel, muscovite, fuller’s earth, and limestone.  These minerals are used in the production of many products, some of which are paper, plastic, rubber, cement, concrete, brick, ceramics, and fiberglass.

Mining’s Most Valuable Resource

Mining is essential and subsequently the U.S. government, in their consideration of mining, has established that “the miner is the most valuable resource to the mining industry.”  Miner’s jobs are numerous to include laboratory workers, heavy equipment operators, carpenters, welders, geologists, and many more.  Our industrialized world relies heavily on mining.

Training is essential, for all future miners, which establishes a well trained quality workforce for the mining industry.  Training that focuses on safety is vital.  Mining is and always has been a dangerous industry due to the many hazards that exist on the job.  These hazards include, but are not limited to, huge mining equipment, unstable ground, unsure footing, and dangerous processing equipment. There is a need to provide for miner safety due to the important role they play in producing natural mineral resources. 

Mine safety has been on our U.S. legislators agenda for the past 100 years.  Significant improvement has occurred, during this time, with the accident and subsequent fatality rates.  In 1977, with the fatality rate at approximately 250 miners per year, Congress enacted the Federal Mine Safety and Heath Act of 1977.  This Act established federal mine Safety and Health regulations, and developed the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). MSHA is a federal agency that regulates the mining industry in the safety and health area.  The fatality rate has dropped, since 1977, to the present level of 55-65 fatalities per year.

STC’s Role in Georgia Mine Safety

MSHA is composed of three branches which are technical support, enforcement, and education/training. The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 clearly establishes training as an important tool for preventing accidents and avoiding unsafe and unhealthful working conditions. The Act authorizes MSHA to "expand programs of education and training of operators...and miners..."

In expanding the education and training programs MSHA developed a “state grants program.”  This program awards federal grants to all states to fund MSHA safety and health training for miners in the state.  Georgia’s state grants program is managed by Sandersville Technical College. 

The program at STC, with assistance from Appalachian Technical College, offers safety and health training to all miners in the state of Georgia.  STC trains approximately 5,000 miners per year while Appalachian Tech trains approximately 350.  Our training satisfies MSHA’s requirements that each U.S. mine operator shall have an approved plan for miner training.  This plan shall include the following: 

• 24 hours of basic safety and health training for new miners who have no surface mining experience, before they begin work at surface mining operations.
• Eight hours of refresher safety and health training for all miners, each year.
• First Aid/CPR/AED training

At STC we have three trained MSHA trainers with a total of 64 years of experience working in the mining industry.  The training we provide has been developed with an understanding of our student’s demographics.  Our training is always upbeat and we try to make it interesting in order to improve retention.  Our training facility is located at STC’s Main Campus in Sandersville with 3 classrooms, all of which are equipped with “high technology” computer, audio, and visual equipment.  Our training materials are supplied by MSHA, purchased from safety training material vendors, and materials that we develop in house.  We like to use our own “real life” experiences in the class room.

We have a complete understanding that our miners are the most precious resource to the mining industry and we are here to help them with their safety and health.  We let them know that we do care for them, and we want them to go home to their family at the end of every shift in a healthy and safe condition.

Georgia has not had a fatality since 2004 and the accident rate has been declining over the past 3 years. 

More Training Options with STC

STC also provides training involved with the safe operation of forklifts, confined space entry, and MSHA contractor compliance programs.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is MSHA’s counterpart for all industry in the U.S. other then mining.  OSHA does not require the same strict training requirements that MSHA does.  STC is developing OSHA training for needs in our area. 

For more information about MSHA or OSHA training at STC, please contact John Grosshans, STC’s Directory of Mine Safety, at 478-553-2444.

(2008, August 27). The Sandersville Progress, p11C.