MINE RESCUE & SAFETY
Earlier this year , Strata Worldwide – South Africa performed the final inspection and official signoff of the first locally-built Strata ERCX chambers
On a mission
When the worst happens in mining , personnel , processes and equipment need to react in real time . Dan Gleeson looks at some of the technology and providers helping finetune frontline safety protocols
Unfortunately , not a year goes by without a reminder of the safety issues that come with working in the mining sector .
In the year to date , fatalities have already been reported in Australia , Canada , Mexico , Papua New Guinea , Peru , South Africa and USA , among others .
In 2020 , the 28 mining and metals company members of the International Council on Mining and Metals ( ICMM ) recorded 44 occupational fatalities . This compared with 287 fatalities in 2019 and 50 fatalities recorded in 2018 .
Commenting on this report , Rohitesh Dhawan , CEO of ICMM , said : “ As an industry we must do better . Fourty-four people lost their lives whilst at work in 2020 which is a stark reminder of the relentless efforts required to eliminate fatalities and achieve our goal of zero harm . Strong leadership , embedding a zero fatalities mindset , knowing what the biggest risks are and putting in place effective management and controls are vital steps towards this goal .”
One area of focus for the mine safety community throughout recent decades has been mine rescue .
When the worst happens , having a simple , effective and well-understood rescue plan can prove vital in locating affected personnel , keeping them alive and well , and evacuating them from the mine .
To the rescue
Quite often the first port of call for mine personnel should be the use of a self-contained self-rescuer ( SCSR ), with one of the specialists in this field being DEZEGA .
The Ukraine-based company has recently celebrated a win in South Africa , a major market for SCSRs , where its ROXY SCSRs have been certified for compliance with SANS 1737:2017 .
The ROXY 30 , a product designed specifically for the South African market taking into consideration the harsh working conditions found in gold , diamond and coal mines , is an ergonomic compact breathing apparatus with a metal case and a 30-minute nominal rated duration .
The apparatus is suitable for everyday carrying ( worn on the waist ) or for storage in rescue chambers and changeover stations , evacuation routes , as well as tunnels , DEZEGA said .
DEZEGA specialists have already completed all preliminary mine tests as well as certification laboratory tests for this product in the country . It has also carried out mine site tests with interested clients .
“ During the tests , end users of ROXY 30 will be able to estimate its small dimensions , since ROXY 30 is the most compact on the market among the devices of its class and an ergonomic SCSR , which massively simplifies the daily handling and carrying of the device ,” DEZEGA said . “ Based on our experience with the ROXY 40 ( which has a 40-minute nominal rated duration ), we have developed a small and easy-to-wear ROXY 30 self-rescuer with a 30-minute rated duration time especially for the South African market .”
Yuriy Spivak , Business Development Director of DEZEGA , said the company has recently changed its design approach for SCSRs , which benefitted the development of the ROXY 30 .
“ First , we satisfy customer requests , and then we adapt products to the requirements of the standards ,” he said . “ The South African standard
is quite complicated and , in a number of parameters , is even stricter than the requirements adopted in the European Union .”
Spivak added : “ Our R & D centre and design engineers have done a tremendous job . We have carried out a lot of preliminary laboratory and mine tests , which allowed us to create a selfrescuer that meets the needs of customers , as well as all regulatory requirements , and , at the same time , is suitable for extremely difficult operating conditions in the South African market .”
Back in Europe , DEZEGA recently began supplying SCSRs of a different type to the Sachtleben Bergbau GmbH & Co KG underground barite mine in Germany .
The underground workers at the mine will use DEZEGA 1PVM KS SCSRs with 60-minute nominal duration , certified to EU standards . The 1PVM KS SCSR is a reliable and easy-to-use device , according to DEZEGA , taking minimal time to fit during an emergency .
DEZEGA is also supplying the TRAINER selfrescuers and infrastructure for operating and testing the units .
“ With the help of training self-rescuers , the underground workers could train to don the equipment quickly and in a proper way , and to prepare them to the peculiarities of breathing conditions close to reality in case of emergency ,” the company said .
Safe havens
A common sight while travelling through any underground mine , rescue chambers have become more sophisticated in recent years as industry practice and recognition around mine safety has improved and communication networks have expanded into even the deepest mining areas .
Strata Worldwide ’ s ERCX steel-sided , walk-in refuge chamber for the hard-rock mining sector was introduced to the market last year , and the company has already sold many customised units to global customers .
The ERCX is the evolutionary successor to one of Strata ’ s first refuge chambers introduced more than a decade ago , with the new unit “ a truly global design ” that aids Strata ’ s worldwide manufacturers in building the chambers exactly to specification and tailoring them to meet local standards , the company said .
On May 28 , Strata Worldwide – South Africa performed the final inspection and official signoff of the first locally-built Strata ERCX chambers .
These first South African-built 12-person chambers were produced by steel fabricator Jewll
46 International Mining | OCTOBER 2021