MINE RESCUE & SAFETY
The BioPak 240R is a four-hour self-contained breathing apparatus rebreather
A precautionary tale
Underground access , location , communication and personnel protection continue to be focus areas in the mine rescue and safety arena , Dan Gleeson reports
Unfortunately in the year that has passed , the need for equipment to carry out mine rescue missions has been highlighted once again . Several incidents from all over the globe – Africa , Latin America , Asia and Europe – have shown accidents happen in mining and , when they do , operations need to have made all necessary preparations to deal with them .
In this context , being able to notify of problems , equip personnel with support equipment and get underground to assess the next steps is paramount in terms of fatality prevention . This is why the mining supplier community continues to focus on improving its offering year-after-year . leverages the ability to offer customers a full portfolio of products from production needs to emergency response ,” Biomarine said . Tom Johnston , VP of Operations for Biomarine , said : “ Biomarine has been dedicated to emergency responders facing unique missions and challenging environments , and , along with Strata , our combined products and service will offer easier access and support to those responders .”
Biomarine will provide additional support to Strata and its customers through dedicated product specialists who have a combined 75 years of experience serving technical , tunnelling and underground rescue teams , it said , while Strata Worldwide will represent Biomarine throughout most of the US , Canada , and select Central and South American countries . General Manager of Strata ’ s Safety Products , David Maust , said : “ We are very excited to represent Biomarine and the BioPak 240R product line . The 240R is a high-quality , reliable unit , and it is already highly respected by first responders across multiple industries . It is a perfect complement to the existing family of safety products and services we offer . We look forward to supporting and expanding the Biomarine family of mining , tunnelling and technical rescue teams .”
Ukraine-based DEZEGA competes in the same market as Biomarine when it comes to selfcontained breathers – often referred to as selfcontained self-rescuers ( SCSRs ). The company achieved a major compliance landmark for one of its products earlier this year in a key mining market .
In April , its CARBO 60 SCSR received confirmation of compliance with the South African SANS 53794:2007 standard , paving the way for it to be used as an auxiliary device of respiratory protection for change-over points , collective protection chambers and rescue teams in South Africa and other countries accepting this standard .
CARBO 60 is a breakthrough in the field of SCSRs , according to the company , with the design carried out in cooperation with end users and factoring in industry feedback alongside regulatory requirements .
Breathe easy
Already a leader in mine rescue chamber and proximity detection solutions , Strata Worldwide has been adding to its offering of personnel safety equipment of late .
In 2020 , it expanded a partnership with Pennsylvania-based CSE Corp for the promotion and distribution of its line of mine safety products and , earlier this year , it signed a pact with Biomarine Inc to become an official distributor of the BioPak 240R . Through the agreement with CSE , Strata already had access to the BioPak 240R – a four-hour self-contained breathing apparatus rebreather – but the latest agreement with Biomarine will see it become a core part of Biomarine ’ s marketing , distribution and authorised service and support network for the product .
“ This collaborative distribution partnership
CARBO 60 , according to DEZEGA , has several advantages over other solutions on the market including a balanced weight distribution , low breathing resistance , low temperature inhaled gas , optimal placement of breathing bag , a quick-release buckle for change-over , and an automatic starter that activates after the lid is removed
24 International Mining | OCTOBER 2022