ASSESSMENT OF DRILLING RIG VIBRATION AT IRON ORE MINING IN THE ARCTIC ZONE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
The mining industry is one of the leading sectors of Russian economy. Meanwhile, miners are exposed to a range of workplace hazards, including vibration. The purpose of this study was to conduct a hygienic assessment of local and general vibration on drilling equipment during open cast iron ore mining in the European part of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. The research was performed at Olenegorsk Mining and Processing Plant (Murmansk Region). Vibration (local and general) was measured at workplaces of SBSh-250MN drilling rig operators using Algoritm-02 vibration meter and spectrum analyser. It was established that the parameters of local vibration (logarithmic levels of vibration acceleration in the normalized frequency range, corrected and equivalent corrected levels of vibration acceleration) on the control panel levers did not exceed the permissible exposure limits; however, general workplace vibration of the drilling rigs exceeded the permissible exposure limits. The most pronounced excess of the general technological vibration (category 3a) was detected in the low-frequency range: at the frequencies of 2, 4 and 8 Hz. According to the results of evaluating the parameters of general workplace vibration (cabin floor and seat), the working conditions of drilling rig operators are considered to be hazardous (class 3, 1st - 3rd degree). Thus, the results of the study indicate the need to develop preventive measures in order to reduce the effects of general vibration on drilling rig operators.