Dozens of mine safety professionals shared ideas on mine emergency rescue and response during last month’sMine Safety and Emergency Management Summit in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. John Urosek, chief of mine emergency operations for the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA),  delivered a  presentation entitled, “Mitigating Risk through Effective Evaluation.”

“You’ve got to plan for the worst, but keep looking at all the options,” he told the conference participants.

MSHA Chief of Scientific Development Jeffery Kravitz discussed two topics during the two-day summit, including one on command systems. “The Mine Emergency Command System establishes a common framework and practical procedures for controlling all aspects of a mine emergency,” he explained. In his second presentation, Kravitz discussed “Risk-Based Decision-Making for Mining Operations.”

His central theme? “Preparation is the key,” he said.