Technical trip at 230 meters below ground surface
Students of Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Izmir University of Economics (IUE) visited TUPRAG (Mining Company) Efemçukuru Gold Mine at Menderes 230 meters below ground surface and examined the area. IUE students got a chance to see all kinds of measures taken against possible mining accidents, and ensuring safety of miners’ onsite. Lecturer Burçin Önder, Director of IUE Vocational School, said, “We don’t stop at providing theoretical information to our students. With such technical trips, we want our students to improve themselves and gain experience by examining the onsite applications.”
Students of Department of Occupational Health and Safety used all the necessary equipment before going underground. They put on mining gear, gloves, coveralls, boots, safety goggles, helmet, hearing protection and headsets, and oxygen masks. Students visited the rescue chamber in which miners can survive for 72 hours, and they examined the emergency exit routes. Students, who experienced going meters and meters under the ground for the first time, talked to the officials and workers and asked questions about topics they were curious about.
STARTED WITH A VIDEO PRESENTATION
Director Burçin Önder gave information about the visit and said that the technical trip started with a video presentation on rules and procedures of the company. Önder said, “Students first visited the high-security machinery park for maintenance and repair of underground mining machines. They reviewed the occupational safety measures for not only mining but for the workshop also. Later, students visited the rescue chambers where miners can escape to safety in case of a landslide and fire. They examined the equipment and tools that bring oxygen to the chamber, and asked questions. They also saw the ‘lifeline’, which is an emergency escape line designed to help evacuate an underground mine in the event of fire or explosion.”
VISITED THE ‘MIRROR’ ZONE
Önder stated the following: “Students also visited the gold mine 230 meters below the ground, the production zone which is called the ‘mirror’ by the mine workers. They examined the machinery which drills holes on rocks that enables the placement of explosives. We would like to thank the officials of TUPRAG for making the technical trip happen, which attracted great attention of students, and to Göksel Alpaslan, Manager of Employees Health Occupational Safety, Environment and Risk Management, who accompanied our students and provided information in every step of the trip.”