Mining Feature: NIOSH Honored with Inaugural Award

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

The Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) selected NIOSH to receive the inaugural Robert E. Murray Innovation Award at SME’s Annual Conference and Expo in Denver this February. The Robert E. Murray Innovation Award was established to “recognize individuals or organizations who advance the mining industry through the implementation of technical innovation.” NIOSH was specifically recognized “for leadership in the application of new and innovative technologies in mining for the benefit of miner health and safety.” The award was given to NIOSH for two innovative technologies that are currently used in U.S. mines to improve mine worker health and safety.

One was the Helmet-CAM video recording technology and EVADE assessment software, which allows miners and mine operators to identify areas of greatest exposure in their workplaces. The other was the continuous personal dust monitor (CPDM) which is used in underground coal mines to measure respirable coal mine dust exposure in near-real-time. The use of the CPDM in coal mines—paired with stricter regulations for allowable respirable dust exposures—has resulted in a downward trend in reported overexposures in the past three years.

The Associate Director for Mining, Dr. Jessica Kogel, accepted the award on behalf of NIOSH.

“It is a great honor for NIOSH to receive this prestigious award which recognizes the work that we do to improve mine worker health and safety. Both of these technologies empower miners and mine operators to make the work environment safer and healthier.”