Evaluation of Devices to Enhance Miner Self-Escape in Smoke-Filled Entries

Details

• Personal Author:
  Alexander, Danrick W. ; Chasko, Linda L. ; Harteis, Samuel P. ; Slaughter CJ
• Description:
  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR), with the assistance of cooperating underground mining operations and state agencies, has conducted research exploring devices and technologies that could be used to assist miners navigating through smoke and dust resulting from a fire or explosion. Recent events in mines confirm that smoke and dust can enter and contaminate mine escapeways creating an atmosphere with severely reduced visibility. This reduced visibility results in substantially increased escape times, possible disorientation or confusion, and increased stress levels, and may prevent evacuation altogether. Tools or devices that assist miners in navigating through smoke-filled areas void of lifelines could make the difference in successful escape from the mine. This paper presents the results of OMSHR research to identify and evaluate tools and devices that could provide meaningful information to evacuating miners in areas with limited visibility and without the benefit of a lifeline. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Control-technology Dust-control Emergency-equipment Emergency-responders Emergency-response Engineering-controls Escape-systems Explosions Eyesight Fire-fighting Mine-escapes Mine-rescue Miners Mining-industry Rescue-measures Rescue-workers Smoke-control Underground-mining Visual-aids

  More +
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 8 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OMSHR - Office of Mine Safety and Health Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20039307
• Citation:
  2011 SME Annual Meeting, February 27 - March 2, Denver, Colorado, Preprint 11-001. Englewood, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., Preprint 11-001, 2011 Feb; :1-9
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2011
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  2011 SME Annual Meeting, February 27 - March 2, Denver, Colorado, Preprint 11-001
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:eccd219c9b47b1b1d599342a7549bab5179a101d8339cb0dfe1dcc395da99081d2da208749ce1b4f6fdfbb1f09bcc03563d47dea371a5c0ae1f2512c5114f119
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227334/cdc_227334_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 98.08 KB ]