https://www.miningweekly.com

Adequate ventilation flow pivotal to safety at mines

23rd November 2018

     

Font size: - +

Safely operating a mine is a fundamental principle, where all procedures and code of practices should be carefully adhered to, with ventilation flow and the positioning of refuge bays and early detection and monitoring systems being carefully considered, says deaths elimination product developer Rescue One Equipment director Nigel Woodward.

“Underground incidents such as fires can have dire consequences, especially the loss of lives and damage to infrastructure, which can lead to production losses. Prompt detection, timely and accurate warnings to miners affected by an underground fire is of critical importance to save lives and avoid economic impacts to the mine."

Early detection systems can help miners to get to a place of safety without having to use Lifeline or self-contained self-rescuers (SCSRs). He adds that Rescue One Equipment developed a fragrance system called Frontline. Frontline is different from the typical stench gas systems as it releases a very strong, nontoxic grape or citrus fragrance in the intake.

Research has shown that grape or citrus fragrance can be detected in smoke, depending on the ventilation flow in the mine and miners could have a 20 to 30 minute head start.

Further, the deployment of SCSRs has been an integral part of emergency escape and rescue procedures from areas affected by irrespirable atmospheres.

Davida van der Walt a consultant at Rescue One, busy with the development of emergency evacuation training, says Lifeline is operational in most coal mines in South Africa.

Edited by Zandile Mavuso
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION