Rate My Professor Pat Foster

Foster's academic interests focus on mine safety management, health and safety, risk assessment, accident analysis, ergonomics, and disaster risk reduction. His research addresses environmental and social dimensions of mining, including climate change impacts on facilities such as groundwater control in colliery spoil tip failures, gas emissions from closed shafts, flooding from spoil heaps during heavy rainfall, and sustainability of switch-on/switch-off mining operations. Notable publications include 'Using a Safety Maturity Model for Safety Planning and Performance Measurement in the Mining Industry' (2013, Minerals), 'TEXMIN HANDBOOK: A Guide to Managing the Risks Posed to Working and Abandoned Mining Facilities, and to the Surrounding Environment, Caused by Climate Change' (2022), 'Low-cost leaky feeder communication for mines rescue' (2020), 'Modelling the Control of Groundwater on the Development of Colliery Spoil Tip Failures in Wales' (2024, Land), and 'Criteria-driven socio-environmental maturity modelling for mining: driving positive sustainability attitudes and perceptions at diverse operational scales' (2025, Resources Policy). With over 600 citations, his work influences safety practices, sustainable resource production, and education in the global mining sector. Foster delivers plenary sessions at conferences such as Materials, Minerals & Mining for People, Places, Planet.