The Definition of Quarry Safety

Definition of Quarry Safety

Quarry safety is the set of practices, controls and legal requirements that protect people working at quarries and pits where stone, sand, gravel and other aggregates are extracted and processed. Quarries combine many high-risk activities on one site: drilling and blasting, large mobile plant, conveyors and crushers, unstable rock faces, steep edges, water-filled pits and heavy dust and noise.

In the United States, quarries are mines and are regulated by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) under 30 CFR Part 56 for surface metal and nonmetal mines, with training requirements in Part 46 for most aggregate operations. In Great Britain, quarries fall under the Quarries Regulations 1999. Australian states regulate quarries under mining or WHS laws.

Key Facts About Quarry Safety

• Powered haulage and mobile equipment, such as haul trucks, loaders and conveyors, are leading causes of fatal accidents at surface mines and quarries.
• Faces and benches must be designed and inspected to prevent rock falls and collapses, and edges need berms or barriers.
• Respirable crystalline silica from drilling, crushing and screening is a major long-term health risk.
• Under MSHA Part 46, new miners at most aggregate operations need at least 24 hours of training and all miners need 8 hours of annual refresher training.
• Water-filled pits create drowning hazards for workers and trespassers alike.

Example of Quarry Safety Controls

Before each shift at a limestone quarry, a competent examiner inspects the working faces and haul roads and records findings. Haul trucks have collision avoidance systems and the road edges have berms at least mid-axle height of the largest vehicle. Drillers use water suppression to control silica dust, and a blasting exclusion zone is cleared and guarded before every shot.

How to Manage Quarry Safety

1. Carry out a site-wide hazard identification covering faces, roads, plant, explosives, dust, noise and water.
2. Inspect working places before and during each shift and record what you find.
3. Separate vehicles from pedestrians and control traffic with clear routes, berms and signage.
4. Lock out conveyors, crushers and screens before maintenance and guard moving parts.
5. Provide required training, monitor dust and noise exposure and track corrective actions to closure.

Related Terms

• MSHA
• Silica Exposure
• Quick Coupler Safety
• Struck-By Hazard
• Machine Guarding

Quarry Safety Frequently Asked Questions

Who regulates quarry safety in the United States?

MSHA regulates quarries, sand and gravel pits and other surface mines. OSHA generally does not cover activities on mine property, although some ancillary operations may fall under OSHA.

What are the biggest hazards at a quarry?

The main hazards are mobile equipment and haul roads, falls of rock from faces, falls from edges, conveyors and crushers, explosives, silica dust, noise and water-filled pits.

What is a workplace examination at a quarry?

MSHA requires a competent person to examine each working place for hazards before work begins or as miners begin work, and to record the examination and any corrective actions.

How can technology improve quarry safety?

Mobile inspection apps, vehicle collision avoidance systems, lone worker monitoring for remote areas and digital corrective action tracking all help catch hazards earlier and keep records ready for inspections.