Temperature and Humidity Tests for Mobile Refuge Alternatives

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bissert P ; Yan L ; Yantek D
• Description:
  Federal regulations require refuge alternatives (RAs) in underground coal mines to sustain life for 96 hours while maintaining an apparent temperature (AT) below 35 degrees C (95 degrees F). NIOSH research has shown that heat and humidity buildup is a major concern with RAs because they have a limited ability to dissipate heat, and high internal air temperature and relative humidity (RH) may expose occupants to heat stress. The heat transfer process within and surrounding an RA is very complex and is not easily defined analytically nor experimentally. To investigate heat and humidity buildup in RAs, NIOSH conducted multiple in-mine 96-hour tests on a 6-person metal-type RA, a 23-person tent-type RA, and a 10-person tent-type RA. The test results show that when moisture was introduced into the tests to represent perspiration and respiration from miners (wet tests), the average measured internal air temperature at midheight increased by 7.7 degrees C, 9.4 degrees C, and 10.5 degrees C, and the RH approached 95%, 94%, and 88%, respectively. For the dry tests when no moisture was introduced, the average internal temperature increased by 8.4 degrees C, 10.3 degrees C, and 12.6 degrees C, respectively. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Emergencies Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Humidity Mining Occupational Health Respiratory System Safety Temperature

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• Keywords:
  Air Temperature Coal Miners Emergency Equipment Emergency Shelters Equipment Testing Heat Heat Regulation Heat Stress Humans Miners Mining-industry Perspiration Refuge Chambers Regulations Relative Humidity Respiration Temperature Control Temperature Effects Temperature Measurement Temperature Regulation Thermal Properties Underground Mines

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISBN:
  9781510836471
• 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:
  PMRD - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20050061
• Citation:
  Creating value in a cyclical environment, SME annual conference and expo 2017, February 19-22, 2017, Denver, Colorado. Englewood, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 2017 May; :578-582
• Contact Point Address:
  L. Yan, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Pittsburgh, PA
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Creating value in a cyclical environment, SME annual conference and expo 2017, February 19-22, 2017, Denver, Colorado
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:00e595d55100f2b39065a5f02c67de8115f376960cf3a3c51dde2230659eb3e1a7f3e63dce0e826eacc55d3d1f7bb14df9ef0b5fc41987e64a9517d1ae034871
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/228447/cdc_228447_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 133.67 KB ]