Author Archives: Tom Barczak

AFC215-01_PSU_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakDecember 20, 2020Grants, Health and Safety Interventions, Monitoring Systems

Development of Guidance for the Selection and Use of Atmospheric Monitoring Systems to Improve Decision-Making During Routine and Post-Accident Operations Penn State University (Grant AFC215-01)

Solicitation AFCRFP21

By Tom BarczakNovember 24, 2020General News

The Alpha Foundation announces a solicitation (AFCRFP21) for requesting proposals on two specific topics: 1) Assessing Mining Industry Readiness for Exoskeletons and 2) Health and Safety Management Predictive Data Analytics Study. This is a follow up effort to the previous AFCRFP20 solicitation in which proposals that were submitted in this area failed to meet the Foundation expectations. The

AFCRFP20-131_Kentucky_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 19, 2020Fire and Explosion Prevention, Grants, Health and Safety Interventions

Study of the Impact of Macro-Seal Fractures on Seal Integrity University of Kentucky (Grant number AFCRFP20-131)

AFCRFP20-130_NewMexicoTech_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 19, 2020Grants, Mine Escape, Rescue and Training, Rescue Strategies and Techniques

Demonstration of An Intrinsically Safe Drone Propulsion System for Underground Coal Mining Applications New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (Grant number AFCRFP20-130)

AFCRFP20-123_Arizona_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 19, 2020Grants, Ground Control, Health and Safety Interventions

Time Dependent Pumpable Roof Support Assessment University of Arizona (Grant number AFCRFP20-123)

AFCRFP20-112_MST_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 19, 2020Grants, Ground Control, Health and Safety Interventions

Towards Reducing Rib Hazards in Underground Coal Mines by Improvement of the Coal Pillar Rib Rating (CPRR) System Missouri University of Science & Technology (Grant number AFCRFP20-112)

AFCRFP20-111_CSM_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 19, 2020Grants, Ground Control, Health and Safety Interventions

Minimizing Rib Failure Hazard: Mapping Tool and Demonstration for Low Cost, High Resolution Rib Monitoring Colorado School of Mines (Grant number AFCRFP20-111)

AFCTG20-104_VirginiaTech_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakJuly 21, 2020Grants, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Respiratory Disease

Exploration of Temporal Changes in Respirable Coal Mine Dust Characteristics Virginia Tech (Grant Number AFCTG104)

AFCTG20-103_Kentucky_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakJuly 21, 2020Grants, Health and Safety Interventions, Monitoring Systems

Comprehensive Atmospheric Monitoring in Underground Coal Mines: Long Term Critical Trend Analysis and Tablet-Based Communication University of Kentucky (Grant Number AFCTG20-103)

AFCTG20-102_Illinois_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakJuly 21, 2020Grants, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Surveillance and Epidemiology Methods

Continued Epidemiologic Analyses of Large Data Sets of Health Data on US Coal Miners University of Illinois, Chicago (Grant Number AFCTG20-102)

AFCTG20-98_UCSF_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakJuly 21, 2020Grants, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Musculoskeletal Disorders

Rheumatoid Arthritis in Hard Rock Underground Miners University of California, San Francisco (Grant Number AFCTG20-98)

AFC719FO-101_WVU_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakJuly 21, 2020Grants, Ground Control, Health and Safety Interventions

Mine-Specific, Geology-Dependent Pillar and Standing-Support Design Tools West Virginia University (Grant Number AFC719FO-101)

AFC719FO-100_WVU_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakJuly 21, 2020Fire and Explosion Prevention, Grants, Health and Safety Interventions

Research and Refinement of a Methane Watchdog System to Improve Longwall Mine Safety West Virginia University (Grant Number AFC719FO-100)

AFC215-30_Utah_FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakJune 21, 2020Final Reports, Safety and Health Management, Safety and Health Management and Training

Characterization and Effectiveness of Safety and Health Management Systems in the U.S. Mining Industry 2nd Solicitation for Single Investigator Research Grants University of Utah (Grant AFC215-30)

AFC719-20_Michigan_FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakJune 7, 2020Final Reports, Hearing Loss, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors

Assessing Noise Exposures, Hearing, and Risk of Injuries Among Miners Solicitation and Call for Proposals AFC719 University of Michigan (AFC719-20)

AFC719-68_WVU_ FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakMay 13, 2020Final Reports, Fire and Explosion Prevention, Health and Safety Interventions

Methane Watchdog System – A Cost Effective Approach to Longwall Methane Monitoring and Control Solicitation and Call for Proposals (AFC719) West Virginia University (Grant AFC719-68)

AFC719-67_CSM_FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakMay 13, 2020Final Reports, Ground Control, Health and Safety Interventions

Numerical Modeling of Overburden and Pillar Mechanics for Determination of Global Ground Stability in Underground Coal Mines Solicitation and Call for Proposals (AFC719) Colorado School of Mines (Grant AFC719-67)

AFC719-14_NewMexico_FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakMay 13, 2020Final Reports, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Respiratory Disease

Evaluating a Virtual ‘Community of Practice’ in Pneumoconiosis Mortality Hotspots in the United States Solicitation and Call for Proposal (AFC719) University of New Mexico (Grant AFC719-14)

AFC719-27_PSU_FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakMay 13, 2020Final Reports, Fire and Explosion Prevention, Health and Safety Interventions

Control of Hazardous Gas Emissions to Longwall Face and Bleeder System: Laboratory Experiments, Modeling and Field Monitoring Solicitation and Call for Proposals (AFC719) Penn State University (Grant AFC719-27)

AFC719-15_WVU_ FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakMay 13, 2020Final Reports, Ground Control, Health and Safety Interventions

A Practical, Mechanics Based Approach to Pillar Design Solicitation and Call for Proposals (AFC719) West Virginia University (Grant AFC719-15)

AFC719-12_Pacific_FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakMay 13, 2020Final Reports, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Respiratory Disease

Asthma-and COPD-Associated Inflammasome Activation Induced by Rock Dust Solicitation and Call for Proposals (AFC719) University of the Pacific (Grant AFC719-12)

AFC316-42_Clemson_FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakMay 13, 2020Dust and Toxic Substance Control, Final Reports, Health and Safety Interventions

Removal of DPM, Silica, and Coal Dust Using High Volume Fog Generation 3rd Solicitation for Research Grants (AFC316) Clemson University (Grant AFC316-42)

AFC215-15_Kentucky_FinalRptReport

By Tom BarczakMay 13, 2020Dust and Toxic Substance Control, Final Reports, Health and Safety Interventions

Improved Face Ventilation for Extended-Cut Continuous Mining Using a Wing Regulator and Scrubber Control System 2nd Solicitation for Single Investigator Research Grants University of Kentucky (Grant AFC215-15)

AFC719-15_WVU_ExtPub_ICGCM38

By Tom BarczakApril 29, 2020Ground Control, Health and Safety Interventions, Other Publications

Application of the Ground Response Curve for Understanding the Overburden Load Transfer Mechanism Published in 38th International Conference on Ground Control in Mining West Virginia University (Grant AFC719-15)

AFC719-57_RebuildingFuture_ExtPres_2020SME

By Tom BarczakApril 29, 2020Mine Escape, Rescue and Training, Presentations, Rescue Strategies and Techniques

Investigation of Improved Communication from Portable Refuge Alternatives to Facilitate Mine Escape and Rescue SME Presentation 2020 Rebuilding Their Future Foundation, Inc (AFC719-57 Grant)