EQUIPMENT OF MINE RESCUE STATIONS IN ROMANIA

At present the mining activity in Romania develops in 5 companies and 2 national companies with 60 subsidiaries and mine workings in subordination where the rescue operations are organized. The number of employees engaged in rescues activity is of 1012 peoples and 75 mechanics for maintenance and verification of apparatus.

The Technical Prescriptions, annex to the Norms of Labor Protection for the mining industry stipulate that "all the units who carry out underground mine working shall have their own mine rescue stations".

Accordingly, the equipment of these mine rescue stations shall be in compliance with their rank that is settled depending on the number of personnel that operates within the station.

Different types of apparatus have been used throughout the years:

• Dräger Auer - from Germany
• Ural - From the ex USSR
• Chirane - from the ex Czechoslovakia
• Faser W 70. - from Poland

but MEDIZIN TECHNIC in Leipzig has been the traditional supplier of rescue apparatus for the mining industry for 30 years. Now all the mine rescue stations in Romania are equipped with the following MEDI-type apparatus:

494 B/400 Medi type apparatus manufactured in the sixties and still put to work in some mines.

This apparatus weighs approx. 18 kg with a working period of 2-4 hours. It uses compressed oxygen in steel bottles who can store 300 - 400 l of oxygen and regenerative cartridges for 2-4 hours to keep the carbon bioxide from the exhaled air.

In spite of the fact that the weight of the apparatus is pretty high compared to the latest models, the structure of the apparatus offers the user a feeling of safeness during the operating period. That's the reason why it is highly appreciated today and is prefered to other models.

17.108 Medi type apparatus manufactured in the seventies. It is lighter than the above-mentioned model - it weighs approx.. 14 kg and its size is also smaller. It works on the same principle, i.e. the exhaled air is brought to a normal concentration of O₂ after the CO₂ is kept by the filtering cartridge. The working period of the apparatus is of 2-4 hours depending on the O₂ reserve and on the type of the filtering cartridge employed.

17.128 Medi type apparatus manufactued in the eighties and represents a variation of the previous model.

These models can supply a flow of 1,5 l O₂ / min., value that may vary depending on the pressure of oxygen in the bottle. Their housing is made of polyester and glassfiber and the fastenings are made of textiles.

These models use a nozzle, nasal clamps and goggles or face mask equipped with a speaking membrane to facilitate communication among the members of the rescue team.

None of the models shown above uses the positive pressure system and they don't have an additional system for cooling the exhaled air. This process takes place through diffusion in the breathing bag and through the O₂ contribution from the bottle.

16.005 ¸ 16216 Medi type apparatus works on compressed air and is used in underground by those units who extract oil through underground mine workings or in environments where fat substances occur.

The apparatus weighs approx. 16 kg and is equipped with 2 bottles who can store 1600 l of air; they have a working period of 40'.

These models don't use the positive pressure system; the air supply is carried out through the under depression created by the breathe in process when the values are within -5 -25 mm column of H₂O and they may be used without any restrictions at temperatures situated between -30⁰ and +70⁰C and at a relative air humidity of max. 90% at 40⁰C.

All the models that run on compressed air are equipped with a warning system that starts working then the value of 45 atm is reached. The supplying tube has a coupling device for the connection of 2 face masks employed when persons are evacuated from the accident areas.

The disinfection of these apparatus is carried out in SPASCIANI or Dräger disinfecting chambers. The oxygen bottles are loaded with the help of MEDI 521A, DRAGER U200 or FASER S.P.2 transfer pumps.

The filtering cartridges are made in Romania, the regenerating substance being sodium hydroxide (NaOH).

The rescuers examine the apparatus before going into operation with the help of universal examination and control devices: MEDI 8805, MEDI 51018 or Dräger R2-22.

The rescue teams are equipped with stretchers made of plastic or light alloys for the transportation of injured people, first aid kits and apparatus for MEDI 437 and MEDI 42006 pulmotors may be used with those injured people who can't breathe by themselves. They supply 12 - 16 inspirations / min. depending on the lung capacity of the injured person. The lungs of the injured person are supplied with air with 38% O₂.

These models of apparatus cannot be used in toxic environments.

OXILOG pulmotor is produced by Dräger and it runs on compressed oxygen. It has the possibility to regulate the concentration of O₂ in the inhaled air; this model may also be used in toxic environments when 100% O₂ is supplied; thus we have so up to 35 breaths / min.

AWG pulmotor produced by AUER has a reserve of 500 l of O₂. There is am option between 2 breathing rythms and it supplies oxygen in a concentration of 50% or 100% when this model is used in a toxic environment.

MEDI 43012 inhaler is a device that may be used in a toxic environment if we mount filtering cartridges to keep off the toxic gases. It is equipped with a 7 l bottle and a reserve of 1400 l of O₂. In case of emergency, first aid is given simultaneously to 4 injured people, each one receiving around 12 l O₂ / min, amount that can be supplimented.

Communication between the rescue team that operates in the damaged area and the undergrounded base is carried out with the help of wire telephones or through Morse-type signals.

The thermoinsulating overalls, the fireman hoses, the winches and the tool kits are part of equipment used in mining rescue stations.

During the operation each rescuer is equipped with a protective equipment and an electric lamp. Each rescue team has at least one electronic gas detector working on calorimetric vials and one wind-gauge.

The air balloons used for temporary insulation of the damaged areas are produced in Romania. This are made of a material resistant to acids who become electrostatically charged.

The rescue stations are equipped with light probes for the drilling of long holes viewing the mud silting of the burning deposits or of those deposits with tendency to self ignition or viewing connecting the persons who are trapped in the damaged area.

At the end of year 2000 there was analysed the situation of the rescue station from the point of view of their equipment. As a result, it was concluded that there were lacks of equipments or the existing equipments are aged both moral and physic. Accordingly, the purchase of new equipments should become an important target, as these equipments must register a high efficiency, small overall sizes, low weight and reliability to facilitate the work of the rescuers.