Author Archives: Tom Barczak

AFC518-10_Connecticut_FinalReport

By Tom BarczakMay 20, 2019Final Reports, Health and Safety Interventions, Personal Protective Equipment

Improving Communication in Noise for Miners Wearing Hearing Protection Solicitation and Call For Proposals for Technology Development Grants (AFC518) University of Connecticut Health (AFC518-10)

ACF518-17_OregonState_FinalReport

By Tom BarczakMay 20, 2019Final Reports, Health and Safety Interventions, Machine Design

Simple and Accurate Positioning to Enable Vehicle Autonomy in Underground Mines Solicitation and Call For Proposals for Technology Development Grants (AFC518) Oregon State University (AFC518-17)

AFC518-2_Oakland_FinalReport

By Tom BarczakMay 20, 2019Final Reports, Health and Safety Interventions, Monitoring Systems

Miniaturized and Real Time Gas Sensors for Mine Safety and Health Solicitation and Call for Proposals for Technology Development Grants (AFC518) Oakland University (Grant AFC518-2)

AFC518-16_ColoradoState_FinalReport

By Tom BarczakMay 20, 2019Final Reports, Health and Safety Interventions, Personal Protective Equipment

Development of a direct sensing sampler for submicron mining particles including coal, silica and nano-sized diesel particulates Solicitation and Call for Proposals for Technology Development Grants (AFC518) Colorado State (Grant AFC518-16)

AFC518-48 Concept Summary

By Tom BarczakApril 19, 2019Grants, Health and Safety Interventions, Monitoring Systems

Flying Underground Colorado School of Mines (Grant AFC518-48)

AFC518-23_UMWA_FnlRpt

By Tom BarczakMarch 23, 2019Final Reports, Mine Escape, Rescue and Training, Rescue Strategies and Techniques

Intrinsically Safe Underground Aerial Reconnaissance Platform Development Solicitation and Call for Proposals for Technology Development Grants (AFC518) United Mine Workers of America Career Centers, Inc (Grant AFC518-23)

AFC518-67_MontanaTech_FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakMarch 23, 2019Final Reports, Health and Safety Interventions, Monitoring Systems

Demonstration of a UAV-based Digital Photogrammetry System for Geological Mapping and Geotechnical Characterization of Fractured Rock Masses at Hazardous Underground Sites Solicitation and Call for Proposals for Technology Development Grants (AFC518) Montana Technological University (Grant AFC518-67)

AFC518-25_VirgTech_FinalRpt

By Tom BarczakMarch 23, 2019Dust and Toxic Substance Control, Final Reports, Health and Safety Interventions

Collecting Mine Dust Particles with Liquid-Coated Vibrating Meshes Solicitation and Call for Proposals for Technology Development Grants (AFC518) Virginia Tech (Grant AFC518-25)

AFC316-54_Berkeley_ExtPub_AmericanJournalEpidemiology

By Tom BarczakMarch 23, 2019Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Other Publications, Respiratory Disease

Ischemic Heart Disease Mortality and Diesel Exhaust and Respirable Dust Exposure in the Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study Published in American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 187, No. 12., August 2018, Costello, Sadie et al.

AFC316-53_Illinois_FinalRpt_Apprv

By Tom BarczakFebruary 22, 2019Final Reports, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Surveillance and Epidemiology Methods

 Linkage of Active Miner Surveillance, Former Miner Disability Evaluations, and Mortality Data Sets to Evaluate and Prevent Lifetime Risk of Cardiopulmonary Disease in U.S. Miners  3rd Solicitation and Call for Concept Papers University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health (Grant AFC316-53)

AFC618SP-88_Cal SF_Summary

By Tom BarczakDecember 30, 2018Grants, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Musculoskeletal Disorders

Coal Mining Employment as a Risk Factor for Rheumatoid Arthritis University of California, San Francisco (Second Phase Funding Grant AFC618SP-88)

Presentation highlighting Alpha research accomplishments at the SME/PCMIA

By Tom BarczakNovember 2, 2018General News

Dr. Thomas Barczak, Foundation Technical Director, gave a presentation at the Joint Meeting of SME and the Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America on October 19, 2018. The presentation is available here.

AFC215-42_VirginiaTech_FinalRpt_Apprv

By Tom BarczakNovember 1, 2018Final Reports, Safety and Health Management and Training, Training

Free and Open Source Professional Development for the Mine Ventilation Community: An Innovative Approach to Improving Competence 2nd Solicitation for Single Investigator Research Grants Virginia Tech, Final Technical Report (AFC215-42)

AFC215-31_VirginiaTech_FinalRpt_Apprv

By Tom BarczakOctober 29, 2018Final Reports, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Respiratory Disease

Revisiting Lung Cancer Risk from Silica Exposure in Miners: Proposed Standards, Prevailing Biases, and Modern Methodology 2nd Solicitation for Single Investigator Research Grants University of California, Final Technical Report (AFC215-31)

AFC215F0-73_Maryland_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 22, 2018Fire and Explosion Prevention, Grants, Health and Safety Interventions

Numerical Analysis of Gas Explosions in Coal Mines University of Maryland (Follow-Up Grant AFC215FO-73)

AFC215F0-71_VirgTech_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 22, 2018Grants, Health and Safety Interventions, Machine Design

Advanced Low Noise Fan Array System Virginia Tech (Follow-Up Grant Number AFC215FO-71)

ASTI14F0-82_WVU_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 22, 2018Fire and Explosion Prevention, Grants, Health and Safety Interventions

Validation of the Gas and Dust Explosion Model West Virginia University (Follow-Up Grant Number ASTI14FO-82)

ASTI14F0-81_Nevada_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 22, 2018Grants, Health and Safety Interventions, Monitoring Systems

Early-Warning System Prototype Tests for Real-Time Safety Intervention and Optimum Ventilation Control Assistance University of Nevada, Reno (Follow-Up Grant Number ASTI14-81)

ASTI14F0-69_CSM_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakOctober 22, 2018Grants, Health and Safety Interventions

Investigating the Impact of Rock Rubble on Methane-Air Explosions: High-speed Turbulent Deflagrations and Transition to Detonations Colorado School of Mines (Follow-Up Grant Number ASTI14-69)

AFC113-13_FinalRpt_Approved

By Tom BarczakSeptember 30, 2018Final Reports, Safety and Health Management, Safety and Health Management and Training

Improved Safety through Application of Risk Management in U.S. Underground Coal Mines: A RISKGATE Approach 1st Solicitation for Single Investigator Research Grants (AFC113) Virginia Tech (Grant AFC113-13)

AFC215-21_FinalRpt_Approved

By Tom BarczakSeptember 29, 2018Final Reports, Health and Safety Interventions, Machine Design

Low Noise Efficient Rim Driven Auxiliary Ventilation Fans 2nd Solicitation for Single Investigator Research Grants Virginia Tech (Grant AFC215-21)

AFC215-54_Michigan_FinalRptApproved

By Tom BarczakSeptember 23, 2018Communications and Tracking, Final Reports, Mine Escape, Rescue and Training

Full-Wave Electromagnetic Solver for Statistical Characterization, Optimal Deployment, and On-the-Fly Reconfiguration of Wireless and Through-the-Earth Communication and Tracking Systems 2nd Solicitation for Single Investigator Research Grants University of Michigan (Grant  AFC215-54)

AFC618-04_CaliforniaSF_FinalRptAppr_App

By Tom BarczakAugust 20, 2018Final Reports, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Surveillance and Epidemiology Methods

Coal Mining Risk of Arthritis,Including Auto-Immune Rheumatologic Disease Exploratory Research Projects Regarding Mining-Related Health Problems (AFC618) University of California, San Francisco (Grant AFC618-04)

AFC316_17_VirgTech_Final_Report_Approved

By Tom BarczakAugust 13, 2018Final Reports, Injury and Disease Exposure and Risk Factors, Respiratory Disease

Further Characterizing Respirable Coal Mine Particulates: Submicron Particles, Metals and Diesel Exhaust 3rd Solicitation for Research Grants (AFC316) Virginia Tech (Grant Number AFC316-17)

AFC719-15_WVU_Synopsis

By Tom BarczakJune 11, 2018Grants, Ground Control, Health and Safety Interventions

A Practical, Mechanics-Based Approach to Pillar Design West Virginia University (Grant number AFC719-15)