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Belt Air Federal Advisory Committee Briefing

Belt Air Federal Advisory Committee Briefing. Ronald Reagan Building Washington, DC January 9-10, 2007. Historical Background of Belt Air Rule. 1985 Ventilation Rule Pre-proposal included use of belt air 1988 Proposed Ventilation Rule included use of belt air – Six public hearings

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Belt Air Federal Advisory Committee Briefing

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  1. Belt Air Federal Advisory Committee Briefing Ronald Reagan Building Washington, DC January 9-10, 2007

  2. Historical Background of Belt Air Rule • 1985 Ventilation Rule Pre-proposal included use of belt air • 1988 Proposed Ventilation Rule included use of belt air – Six public hearings • 1989 MSHA Belt Entry Ventilation Review Committee reports Belt Air can be used safely with precautions • 1990 Belt- Air Hearing takes place in Reston, Virginia

  3. Historical Background of Belt Air Rule (cont.) • 1991 Secretary of Labor forms Federal Advisory Committee on Belt Air • 1992 Final ventilation rule excludes Belt Air, defers to Advisory committee which concludes that Belt Air can be used to safely ventilate working faces provided certain conditions are met • Belt-Air Rulemaking is placed on the Regulatory Agenda in 1992

  4. Advantages of Belt Air Use • It allows quicker detection of combustion • It represents a potential cost savings for new mines because fewer entries would be needed, resulting in lower mining and ventilation costs • Increases the efficiency of the ventilation system • It can allow for greater quantities of air at the face • When used to increase the total quantity of air, it dilutes methane and respirable dust

  5. Belt Air Course Ventilation – 75.350 • Belt air course cannot be used as a return air course. • Retains requirements for separation from intake and return entries with permanent ventilation controls. • Allows use of belt air to ventilate sections as long as certain requirements are met.

  6. Belt Air Usage Requirements • Install, operate, examine, and maintain Atmospheric Monitoring System (AMS) per requirements in 75.351 • Training requirements • Establish designated areas for dust monitoring • Monitor primary escapeway for CO or smoke • Sections must be developed with three or more entries

  7. Point Feeding – 75.350(c) Permitted with the following precautions: • Monitoring of point feed for CO or smoke • Monitoring belt air course for CO or smoke • Means to remotely close point-feed regulator • Minimum velocity through point feed • Location approved in mine ventilation plan • AMS installed, operated, examined, and maintained

  8. Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351 (a) AMS Operation Establishes when an AMS must be operated and when a designated AMS operator is on duty (b) Designated surface location and AMS operator 1. Requires mine operator to designate surface location 2. Specifies duties and location of AMS operator 3. Requires schematic (map) of sensor locations 4. Requires names and method to contact key personnel

  9. Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351 75.351 (c) minimum operating requirements 1. Requires automatic signals on surface for malfunctions 2. Requires automatic alert signal on surface 3. Requires automatic alarm signal on surface, at sections, and at other locations per approved program of instruction 4. Requires system to identify operational status of all AMS sensors

  10. Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351 75.351 (d) location and installation of AMS sensors 1. Addresses specific location within entry 75.351 (e) location of sensors – belt air course 1. Specific location and spacing requirements (1000 ft) 2. Permits lower velocities with reduced spacing (350 ft) 3. District manager may require additional sensors

  11. Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351 75.351 (f) location of sensors – primary escapeway 1. CO sensors required within 500 ft of section 2. CO sensors required within 500 ft of beginning of panel 75.351 (g) location of sensors – return air splits 1. Addresses location of methane sensors 75.351 (f) location of sensors – electrical installations 1. Requires specific locations for CO and smoke sensors installed to comply with 75.340

  12. Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351 75.351 (i) establishing alert and alarm levels 1. Establishes alert and alarm levels for methane, CO, and smoke sensors - for methane 1.0 and 1.5 percent - for CO 5 and 10 ppm - for smoke optical density of 0.022 per meter 75.351 (j) establishing CO ambient levels 1. Method and level approved in ventilation plan

  13. Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351 75.351 (k) installation and maintenance 1. Requires system to be installed and maintained by trained personnel and maintained in proper operating condition 75.351 (l) sensors 1. NRTL or Secretary Approval 75.351 (m) time delays 1. Permits time delays to be used up to three minutes if a demonstrated need exists 2. Approved in ventilation plan

  14. Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351 75.351 (n) examination, testing, and calibration 1. Visual exam of system required each shift 2. Functional test of alarms required every seven days 3. Calibration of sensors required every 31 days: - In accordance with manufacturer specs; - Concentration sufficient to activate alarms; - Cal gas certified traceable to NIST standard

  15. Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351 75.351 (o) recordkeeping 1. Records required for: - Alerts and alarms, malfunctions, seven-day test, calibrations, maintenance performed 2. Person entering record must include: - Name, title, date, and signature 3. Establishes “AMS Log” - Can be book or computer file 75.351 (p) retention period 1. One year available to miners and MSHA

  16. Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351 75.351 (q) training 1. AMS operators must be trained annually 2. Record must be maintained for one year including: - Content of training - Person conducting training - date of training 75.351 (r) communications 1. A voice communication system and the AMS system must be installed in separate entries

  17. Required Responses – 75.352 (a) 75.352 (a) (1) alerts 1. Notification of appropriate personnel by AMS operator 75.352 (a) (2) alarms 1. Notification of appropriate personnel including miners working on working sections and other locations

  18. Required Responses – 75.352 (b) 75.352 (b) (1) alerts 1. Identify sensor and initiate investigation 75.352 (b) (2) alarms 1. Identify sensor and initiate investigation; initiate fire fighting and evacuation procedures

  19. Required Responses – 75.352 (c) and (d) 75.352 (c) methane sensors 1. identify sensor 2. examination 3. actions required under 75.323 75.352 (d) 1. Immediate actions to return system to proper function 2. Establishes procedures to manually monitor belt air course while continuing belt operation

  20. Ventilation Plan Requirements – 75.371 Add six requirements subject to ventilation plan approval: • Designated area (DA) • Location of point-feed regulators • Additional CO sensors in belt air course if required • Time delays • Reduced alert and alarm settings • Alternate instrument; alert and alarm levels for monitoring under 75.352

  21. Mine Ventilation Map – 75.372 Location and type of all required AMS sensors

  22. Escapeways – 75.380 Addresses the use of point feeding

  23. Costs The belt air rule is an alternative means of compliance – as such, it is almost of necessity a cost savings to the mining industry Cost savings primarily from: • Reduced air horsepower requirements • Delaying some shaft sinking costs • Eliminating costs of filing and litigating petitions for modification of the existing standard

  24. Safety Benefit • This rule requires the use of technologically superior AMS • These systems provide early-warning fire detection • This capability will save lives and mine property Using belt air with AMS fire detection technology can provide mine operators with ultimate cost savings – the detection of fires before significant damage occurs; possibly avoiding costs of sealing and mine recovery; or permanent mine closure due to a serious fire.

  25. Overview of Compliance Guide Belt Air

  26. Introduction • The rule allows all mine operators the option of using belt air as intake air • As of June 1, 2004, all granted petitions for modification (except in mines using two entries) to use belt air were superceded by this rule

  27. Who can be an AMS operator? • The AMS operator must be properly trained and be knowledgeable about the operation of the AMS according to 75.351 (q) • The AMS operators performance is critical in safely using belt air to ventilate working sections and setup and removal areas

  28. Who are appropriate personnel? • Appropriate personnel will be different individuals depending on the type of signal and the location where the signal originates

  29. What is a belt air course? • The entry in which a belt is located and any adjacent entry not separated from the belt entry by permanent ventilation controls, including any entrees in series with the belt entry, terminating at a return regulator, a section loading point, or the surface

  30. What is the carbon monoxide ambient level? • The average concentration of carbon monoxide detected in an air course • This average is representative of the composition of the mine atmosphere over a period of mining activity during non-fire conditions • Separate ambient levels may be established for different areas

  31. What is point feeding? • The process of providing additional intake air to the belt air course from another intake air course through a regulator • A minimum air velocity of 300 fpm must be maintained through the point-feed regulator • The use and location of all point feeds must be approved in the ventilation plan

  32. Point Feed Example

  33. How are the detection systems and fire suppression systems treated in this rule? • 30 CFR 75.350 (a)(2) requires that air velocities must be compatible with all fire detection systems and fire suppression systems used in the belt entry

  34. Sensor Spacing

  35. Alert and Alarm Levels and Ambient Levels • All alert and alarm levels are set at 5 and 10 ppm above the ambient level • The MSHA District Manager may require lower levels depending upon local mine conditions • Use of diesel-discriminating sensors will reduce alerts and alarms caused by diesel equipment

  36. Time Delays • Time delays are permitted when a demonstrated need exists and the delay is approved in the mine ventilation plan • Determination of the length of time delays is dependent upon conditions at the mine • In any case, the maximum time delay allowed is three minutes

  37. AMS Sensors, Examination, Testing, and Calibration • Visual examinations once each shift • Records of hazardous conditions found must be kept • All alarms functionally tested once every seven days • Functional test requires calibration gas be applied to activate alarms • Any other method used must be equally effective • The AMS operator must be notified prior to testing, calibration, or alarm activation

  38. AMS Sensors, Examination, Testing, and Calibration • The AMS operator must notify miners on the affected sections • Calibration intervals not to exceed 31 days • Calibration gas must be traceable to NIST standards • Calibration gas must be within (+) or (-) 2.0 percent of the indicated gas concentration • Calibration and testing must be performed by properly trained persons

  39. Recordkeeping Requirements • Computer printouts • Hand-written notations • Pre-printed forms • Electronic records • Record must not be susceptible to alteration • Record must be kept separately from other records and identified as the “AMS Log” • Retain records for at least one year at a surface location at the mine and made available for inspection by miners and authorized representatives of the Secretary

  40. Actions in Response to AMS Signals • AMS operator must immediately respond to AMS signals and notify appropriate personnel • In addition, in the event of an alarm from a single sensor or an alert from two consecutive sensors, the AMS operator must immediately notify appropriate personnel which may include the responsible person • Affected underground personnel must be withdrawn to a safe location as identified in the program of instruction required under 75.1502 • Actions must be appropriate for the type of signal received

  41. Thank you Michael G Kalich Senior Mining Engineer MSHA

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