In its endeavour to eliminate unnecessary deaths in the mining industry, Rescue One develops, manufactures and distributes evacuation systems for underground mines, assisting mineworkers to quickly reach a place of safety in the event of an emergency.
Established in 1996, Rescue One’s main products include Lifeline and Frontline, which are patented and registered trademark products. Developed by company owner Nigel Woodward, Lifeline was created as a result of several mining accidents which caused the deaths of miners. Woodward found that, in the event of an emergency, mineworkers became disorientated, lost their way to the refuge bay and ran out of oxygen a few metres from safety. Lifeline is a directional rope guidance system, moulded with directional cones and installed in underground tunnels along a mine wall or on the roof. The system guides mineworkers to a place of safety like a refuge bay.
The company’s second product, Frontline, is a revolutionary new concept that facilitates effective evacuation from mines. Developed in conjunction with Lifeline, Frontline is an early-warning detection system that detects smoke and other emissions from up to 1 000 m away, warning mineworkers about the danger through the release of a powerful fragrance into the mine’s intake airflow system.
Rescue One is a preferred supplier to several major mining groups, including diversified miners BHP Billiton, Exxaro, Glencore and Anglo American, as well as mining and petrochemicals major Sasol.
Other Rescue One products include refuge bay kits, Lifeline lanyard clips, emergency trailer units and Spilsorb, which absorbs oil and fuel spills.
With a staff complement of ten, the company manufactures its products in-house from its 200 m2 factory in Johannesburg.