What are the basic elements that a coal mine's Safety and Health Management System must cover?

The elements listed in the chosen answer focus on critical aspects of safety and health management systems within coal mining operations. A Safety and Health Management System (SHMS) is primarily concerned with identifying and mitigating risks associated with mining activities.

Hazard analysis is essential as it assists in identifying potential dangers that workers might face on-site, allowing for proactive measures to be implemented. Management of those hazards involves establishing guidelines and frameworks to effectively address the identified risks. Risk assessment evaluates the likelihood and consequences of hazardous events, which is crucial for prioritizing safety measures based on the level of risk. Safety reporting is an important component, allowing for the documentation and communication of safety incidents and near-misses, which ultimately helps in learning from past occurrences to improve workplace safety.

In contrast to the correct answer, the other options either incorporate elements that are not centered around safety and health or include aspects that are secondary to the primary focus of an SHMS, which is safeguarding the health and well-being of workers in a mining environment. For example, employee training and equipment maintenance, while important, are subsets of broader safety and operational procedures rather than foundational components of a Safety and Health Management System by themselves. Similarly, cost management and environmental protection, while critical in mining operations, do not