Analysis of the Interaction Mechanism of the Risk Factors of Gas Explosions in Chinese Underground Coal Mines

Jinjia Zhang, Yiping Zeng, Genserik Reniers and Jie Liu
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Jinjia Zhang: School of Public Administration, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
Yiping Zeng: Department of Statistics and Data Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
Genserik Reniers: Faculty of Applied Economic Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
Jie Liu: Faculty of Public Security and Emergency Management, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 2, 1-18

Abstract: Gas explosion accidents easily cause severe casualties in Chinese underground coal mines. Systematic analysis of accident causation is crucial for the prevention of gas explosions. This study identifies the representative risk factors of gas explosions and determines the interrelationship among these risk factors to highlight weak links and develop countermeasures. A total of 21 representative risk factors of gas explosions were identified through 128 case studies and front-line investigations. On this basis, a five-level hierarchical structure model of gas explosions was established to explore the complex interrelationships among the representative risk factors based on a combination of the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) methods. Moreover, the Matrix of Cross Impact Multiplications Applied to Classification (MICMAC) method was applied to achieve risk factor classification into four clusters, namely, driving factors, linkage factors, dependent factors and autonomous factors. The results indicated that the interrelationships and emergence properties among the risk factors may cause gas explosions, which should give more attention to the interrelationships among multiple factors and multiple subsystems for coal enterprises. Meanwhile, the complex geological conditions, poor safety supervision, inadequate safety education and training, incomplete execution safety regulations and poor safety technology and input are the long-term focus of risk management for coal enterprises. Finally, 10 countermeasures were proposed to control these representative risk factors and interrelationships. The results are helpful to the development of gas explosion risk management policies and to the preferential allocation of limited resources to resolve these issues.

Keywords: coal mine; gas explosion accidents; risk factors; interaction relationship; risk management; DEMATEL–ISM–MICMAC (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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