3
• Overview of rockfall testing to be performed includ-
ing who is involved, what type of testing will occur,
where testing will occur, the dates NIOSH will be on
site, and the benefit of the testing to take place
• A planned schedule for each day NIOSH will be on
site
• Testing roster including NIOSH staff, mine staff,
and all collaborating partners involved
• Detailed photos and models outlining testing loca-
tions, rockfall trajectory, and observation points
• Safety considerations and potential hazard analysis
• Transportation and equipment used by NIOSH on
the mine site
• Data acquisition equipment list used by NIOSH on
the mine site
• Outline of both synthetic rocks and local/natural
rocks to be used for rockfall testing
• Procedures to follow pre-rockfall test, during rockfall
test, and post-rockfall test and
• Details of routes between hotel and collaborating
mine site as well as directions to nearest hospital
from both the hotel and mine site.
This testing proposal, developed by the NIOSH
Highwall Safety project team, will be provided to the col-
laborating mine staff prior to arrival on site to allow for
needed revisions and approval. Communication is key in
development of a successful rockfall testing program with
each individual mine site.
Equipment Requirements
Researchers on the Highwall Safety project recognize the
importance of mitigating the effect on mine production
during rockfall testing. Employees at NIOSH SMRD have
access to a fleet of trucks for field work purposes which
includes driving on mine sites. Additionally, project funds
were used to purchase a GTH Telehandler with a 10-foot
reach and 5,000 pounds lifting capacity as well as a bucket
attachment and trailers to transport both the NIOSH-
owned telehandler and synthetic rocks used for rockfall
testing.
With that, the NIOSH team has all the necessary
equipment for transportation of materials from the Spokane
Research Lab to mine sites and conducting rockfall testing,
meaning that the mine does not need to provide any equip-
ment or operators. However, it is understood that some
mines may prefer to provide equipment and operators due
to mine policy not allowing outside contractors to operate
on site. Table 1 outlines the minimum equipment provided
by NIOSH that is required for successful rockfall testing.
Table 1. Equipment needed for NIOSH rockfall testing
program, provided by the Highwall Safety project team.
Equipment Use
Chevy 2500 Hauling of project materials and
synthetic rock trailer
Chevy 3500 Hauling of project materials, personnel,
and telehandler trailer
Ford F450 Hauling of project materials and
additional synthetic rocks
GTH Telehandler
with Bucket
Attachment
Loading/unloading of synthetic and local
rocks for transportation and rockfall
testing
Trailer 1 Used to transport GTH telehandler
Trailer 2 Used to transport synthetic rocks
Synthetic Rock Development
While the main goal in the rockfall program is to under-
stand the runout distance of rocks local to the participating
mine site, NIOSH researchers decided there was also a need
to test a set of synthetic rocks of controlled size and shape
across all mine sites for uniform runout comparison across
varying bench configurations and conditions. Table 2 out-
lines details of the synthetic rocks developed for the rockfall
testing program. All molds were either developed in-house
at the Spokane Research Lab or through a local sheet
metal fabrication specialist. All synthetic rocks are cast by
NIOSH researchers at the Spokane Research Lab out of
Figure 1. Example of rockfall test safety planning schematic
developed after small-scale 6-inch rockfall testing using
aerial drone photo.
• Overview of rockfall testing to be performed includ-
ing who is involved, what type of testing will occur,
where testing will occur, the dates NIOSH will be on
site, and the benefit of the testing to take place
• A planned schedule for each day NIOSH will be on
site
• Testing roster including NIOSH staff, mine staff,
and all collaborating partners involved
• Detailed photos and models outlining testing loca-
tions, rockfall trajectory, and observation points
• Safety considerations and potential hazard analysis
• Transportation and equipment used by NIOSH on
the mine site
• Data acquisition equipment list used by NIOSH on
the mine site
• Outline of both synthetic rocks and local/natural
rocks to be used for rockfall testing
• Procedures to follow pre-rockfall test, during rockfall
test, and post-rockfall test and
• Details of routes between hotel and collaborating
mine site as well as directions to nearest hospital
from both the hotel and mine site.
This testing proposal, developed by the NIOSH
Highwall Safety project team, will be provided to the col-
laborating mine staff prior to arrival on site to allow for
needed revisions and approval. Communication is key in
development of a successful rockfall testing program with
each individual mine site.
Equipment Requirements
Researchers on the Highwall Safety project recognize the
importance of mitigating the effect on mine production
during rockfall testing. Employees at NIOSH SMRD have
access to a fleet of trucks for field work purposes which
includes driving on mine sites. Additionally, project funds
were used to purchase a GTH Telehandler with a 10-foot
reach and 5,000 pounds lifting capacity as well as a bucket
attachment and trailers to transport both the NIOSH-
owned telehandler and synthetic rocks used for rockfall
testing.
With that, the NIOSH team has all the necessary
equipment for transportation of materials from the Spokane
Research Lab to mine sites and conducting rockfall testing,
meaning that the mine does not need to provide any equip-
ment or operators. However, it is understood that some
mines may prefer to provide equipment and operators due
to mine policy not allowing outside contractors to operate
on site. Table 1 outlines the minimum equipment provided
by NIOSH that is required for successful rockfall testing.
Table 1. Equipment needed for NIOSH rockfall testing
program, provided by the Highwall Safety project team.
Equipment Use
Chevy 2500 Hauling of project materials and
synthetic rock trailer
Chevy 3500 Hauling of project materials, personnel,
and telehandler trailer
Ford F450 Hauling of project materials and
additional synthetic rocks
GTH Telehandler
with Bucket
Attachment
Loading/unloading of synthetic and local
rocks for transportation and rockfall
testing
Trailer 1 Used to transport GTH telehandler
Trailer 2 Used to transport synthetic rocks
Synthetic Rock Development
While the main goal in the rockfall program is to under-
stand the runout distance of rocks local to the participating
mine site, NIOSH researchers decided there was also a need
to test a set of synthetic rocks of controlled size and shape
across all mine sites for uniform runout comparison across
varying bench configurations and conditions. Table 2 out-
lines details of the synthetic rocks developed for the rockfall
testing program. All molds were either developed in-house
at the Spokane Research Lab or through a local sheet
metal fabrication specialist. All synthetic rocks are cast by
NIOSH researchers at the Spokane Research Lab out of
Figure 1. Example of rockfall test safety planning schematic
developed after small-scale 6-inch rockfall testing using
aerial drone photo.