With the lively debate that has now formed on the USMRA Yahoo site regarding training, I thought it may be interesting for members to find out how the law works in other countries, and then how it practically works. So, here we go with my overview of our UK legislation and advice on mine(s) rescue.

All workplace safety, rules and regulations here are drafted, legislated and enforced by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), the mining part done by the HSE Mines Inspectorate. They have the power to prosecute or even close mines down.

Our laws and recommendations for coal and miscellaneous mines (anything other than coal) were brought in during 1995, entitled "Escape and Rescue from Mines Regulations, 1995", and comprise of some 32 regulations, backed up by 60 pages of an ACOP, "Approved code of practice" or guidance. One thing it says about this guidance is that mines do not have to follow it, but if anything goes wrong and someone got injured or killed due to not following the guidance, the mine owner could face the courts.

Self rescuers must be carried by all coal miners. All miscellaneous miners have to carry self rescuers if risk assessment shows a fire, explosion or other irrespirable atmosphere could occur. The decision between filter or oxygen self rescuer is again on risk assessment. 95% of coal miners only have filter self rescuers.

All coal mines must be members of the approved Mines Rescue Service, and have to be able to provide at the top of the mine, 2 fully equipped rescue teams (6 persons per team) within 60 minutes of any incident. Their equipment is normally stored and transported from one of the 6 operational rescue stations in the country, however 1 coal mine has its own equipment and room at the mine, due to its geographical distance from the nearest rescue station.

All miscellaneous mines that could have a fire, explosion or other irrespirable atmosphere that could require breathing apparatus use below ground, have to either also be members of the Mines Rescue Service or provide their own equipment and teams at the mine.

A rescue team member must be medically fit (an extremely strict examination and fitness test annually), have not less than 2 years underground experience, and hold a first aid certificate. The initial rescue training course is 15 days long, followed by 6 days training every year, with at least 1 day in every quarter. 2 of these trainings have to be in hot and humid environments; All trainings have to be conducted and supervised by a qualified mines rescue officer. The training has to include;

• Repeated lifting / lowering of 25kg weights to a height of 2m by means of a rope & pulley.
• Walking continuously at a fair pace for 30 minutes
• Travelling through mines or galleries simulating confined and restricted roadways including access tubes (for fire seals).
• Transporting weighted stretchers
• Recovering casualties using appropriate resuscitation equipment
• Using communications equipment
• Setting roof supports
• Using equipment to take environmental readings
• Use of fire extinguishing equipment
• Clearing debris associated with roof and rock falls in confined spaces
• Dealing with team member casualties
• Constructing and removing stoppings (fire dams or seals)
• Establishing a fresh air base
• Dealing with a trapped casualty

All training sessions or operational use of teams has to be documented and this kept as a record for the inspectorate to view.

All breathing apparatus must be to the EN145 standard, or have been approved before this standard came in, and has to be of closed circuit oxygen type, and is currently either Sabre SEFA 2 hour set, now being replaced by the Drager BG4, also 1 potash mine has 20 BG4. This has to be examined and signed for every month and after use. The first practical use of Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus underground in the UK is now ongoing, with a group of 3 small limestone mines ("dimension" or building stone) participating in providing a team of 7 fully trained team members, and utilising the MSA / Auer BD96 breathing apparatus with twin 6.8 ltr x 300 bar cylinders. This gives a theoretical working duration of 72 minutes, backed up by a further 18 minute "whistle" time, or safety margin. This compressed air breathing apparatus was only allowed to be used after careful "risk assessment" of the mines and walking distances, times etc., permission being granted by the HSE Mines Inspectorate.

Equipment carried on a rescue vehicle;

• 12 sets of breathing apparatus
• 2 sets of automatic oxygen resuscitation apparatus, with at least 600 litres of O2
• 1 stretcher with blankets and carrying sheet
• 5 Oxygen self rescuers
• 2 first aid kits
• portable equipment for detection of CH4, CO, O2
• 7 cap lamps
• 7 filter self rescuers
• life line (guide rope)
• tape for fencing off
• Warning notices
• Route maps
• Log books for fresh air base & rescue room
• 1 set of Entonox analgesic gas equipment

This may be shared between 2 vehicles

Additional equipment kept at rescue stations;

• 20 sets of breathing apparatus (this includes the ones on vehicles)
• a store of oxygen and charging equipment
• additional O2 automatic resuscitation sets
• additional Entonox sets
• First aid boxes suitable for underground use
• A supply of stretchers, blankets and splints
• Additional cap lamps and charger
• Communications equipment for rescue use
• 2 sets of air sampling equipment and appropriate charts
• suitable stainless steel capsules and air sampling pumps
• portable equipment for monitoring the mine environment with particular attention to heat & humidity (whirling hygrometer / phsycrometer) and charts.
• Communication devices (minimum of 2) suitable for underground use
• 1 set of cutting and lifting equipment
• emergency lighting and portable generator to power it
• additional self contained self rescuers

In practice, what happens is this. There are 6 rescue stations staffed by officers and full time rescue men, with fully equipped fast vehicles.. There are about 14 large coal mines, another 10 or so small coal mines, and some 10 large non-coal mines. Our mining industry here has been hit hard over the last 20 years.

The part time rescue men from the coal mines get the 6 trainings per year. The full time brigadesmen normally have 12 per year. A refresher training day normally involves a lecture, then gallery (mine simulation) or underground mine training involving breathing apparatus.

The limestone mines rescue team have 8 trainings per year.

We have 1 salt mine very remote to all other areas that has its own rescue facility, and although it only has less than 50 miners, provides 2 rescue teams. They have 15 second hand BG174, that has never previously been used here. It will only be allowed to be used up to 2 hours. Because one team of rescue men is normally employed below ground, a small store of 5 apparatus and necessary ancillary equipment is kept in an underground store. The teams get an initial 10 days training, then 11 days per year. This rescue set up has only been going for two years, but is both well equipped and with an eager and capable set of rescue men..

There are very few prosecutions for legal violations, indicating an effective rescue set up.

So there you have it, our mines rescue service.

Brian Robinson
Mines Rescue Consultant
Email: Rescue1UK@aol.com