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

Belt Air Federal Advisory Committee Briefing

Ronald Reagan BuildingRonald Reagan Building

Washington, DCWashington, DC

January 9-10, 2007January 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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Atmospheric Monitoring System – 75.351

(a) AMS OperationEstablishes when an AMS must be operated and when a designated AMS operator is on duty

(b) Designated surface location and AMS operator1. Requires mine operator to designate surface location2. Specifies duties and location of AMS operator3. Requires schematic (map) of sensor locations4. Requires names and method to contact key personnel


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

75.351 (d) location and installation of AMS sensors1. Addresses specific location within entry

75.351 (e) location of sensors – belt air course1. Specific location and spacing requirements (1000 ft)2. Permits lower velocities with reduced spacing (350 ft)3. District manager may require additional sensors



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


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


75.351 (k) installation and maintenance1. Requires system to be installed and maintained by trained personnel and maintained in proper operating condition

75.351 (l) sensors1. NRTL or Secretary Approval

75.351 (m) time delays1. Permits time delays to be used up to three minutes if a demonstrated need exists2. Approved in ventilation plan


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


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


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

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

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

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

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

Mine Ventilation Map – 75.372

Location and type of all required AMS sensors

Escapeways – 75.380

Addresses the use of point feeding

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

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.

Overview of Compliance Guide

Belt AirBelt Air

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

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

Who are appropriate personnel?

Appropriate personnel will be different individuals depending on the type of signal and the location where the signal originates

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

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

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

Point Feed Example

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

Sensor Spacing

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you

Michael G KalichMichael G Kalich

Senior Mining EngineerSenior Mining Engineer

MSHAMSHA

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

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