Update on Refuge Alternatives: Research, Recommendations, and Underground Deployment

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bauer, Eric R. ; Kohler, Jeffrey L.
• Description:
  In response to the mandates in the MINER Act of 2006, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted refuge alternatives research that included characterizing the utility, practicality and survivability of refuge chambers and outby safe havens. NIOSH also prepared and delivered a report to Congress in late December 2007 that summarized the findings of the research, included recommendations concerning the design and performance specifications for refuge alternatives, and focused on specific information that could inform the regulatory process on refuge alternatives. This paper highlights NIOSH's research and recommendations concerning refuge alternatives, survivability evaluations of refuge chambers and presents a brief review of the current deployment of refuge chambers in underground coal mines in the U.S. The research has led to the conclusion that refuge alternatives have the potential for saving the lives of mine workers if they are part of a comprehensive escape and rescue plan and if appropriate training is provided. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Environmental Monitoring Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Mining Mortality Occupational Health Safety Software
• Keywords:
  Coal-mining Mine-disasters Mine-escapes Mine-rescue Mining-industry Underground-mining
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  0026-5187
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PRL - Pittsburgh Research Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  51-57
• Volume:
  61
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20036223
• Citation:
  Min Eng 2009 Dec; 61(12):51-57
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2010
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Mining Engineering
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d418011dbfb5006c131f60c168f0accdf91b06c49e9aa6007ae7dc7fa9635ef427fbd1f437434af123d3cf701ef12102fadf190b7c1877a847a8272af0b393f3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227152/cdc_227152_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 578.82 KB ]