The U.S. mining industry has a reputation of implementing safety protections in response to current events and mine disasters. Recent events in the underground coal mining industry led to the adoption of refuge chambers at all working faces and at additional locations outby the face. NIOSH addressed the engineering issues associated with the construction and application of the various refuge alternatives through contract and in-house research efforts. These efforts are vital to the successful implementation and use of refuge alternatives following a mine disaster. The knowledge gained through these efforts was used to develop a recommended practices document and other practical guidelines for mines. In addition, recommendations were made and used by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to establish regulations and criteria for approval and certification of refuge chambers.
Current efforts primarily involve interaction with MSHA as it implements the recently developed and published refuge alternatives regulations. As questions from industry and chamber manufacturers arise in response to meeting the regulations, MSHA has been soliciting NIOSH's assistance. The areas where assistance was provided include space requirements, heat and humidity, location guidance, and explosion pressures. An ongoing contract is providing additional information on CO2 exhalation and scrubbing methods, CO scrubbing methods, and heat transfer from chambers as the ambient mine conditions change either before or during a mine disaster.
NIOSH Projects and Activities
Project
Objective
Refuge Chamber Training
Enhance miners' knowledge of rescue chambers and how they can best be used
Contracts and Grants
Title
Contractor/Agency
Objective
Development and Demonstration of the Battelle Barrier Survival System (200-2007-22067)
Battelle Memorial Institute
Develop a prototype advanced mine barrier survival system
Refuge Alternatives in Underground Coal Mines (200-2007-20276)
Foster-Miller, Inc.
Develop guidelines for the location, construction, and application of refuge alternatives
Atmospheric Analysis of Refuge Alternatives (08FED898354)
NASA Ames Research Center
Provide an evaluation of CO2 and CO scrubbing and thermal modeling of refuge chambers
Barricading Makes a Comeback? Brnich-MJ Jr.; Vaught-C | Falls Church, VA: U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Holmes Safety Association Bulletin, 1997 Nov; :14
Harry's Hard Choices: Mine Refuge Chamber Training(Training exercise) Vaught-C; Hall-EE; Klein-KA | Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2009-122, Information Circular 9511, 2009 Mar; 16 pp.
Guidelines for Instructional Materials on Refuge Chamber Setup, Use, and Maintenance Klein-KA; Hall-EE | Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2009-148, Information Circular 9514, 2009 July; :1-33