Published in the August 2006 American Longwall Magazine

Weighing in at 15 pounds and compact in its design, the system – formally known as OX-GEN Model 6-OXSR-01 – is non-flammable and explosion-proof. While using a unique wet chemical reaction to establish a flow of oxygen for the closed-circuit rebreather pack, the company said it is intrinsically safe for use and storage.

Another innovative feature, the company said, is the unit’s ability to provide a constant flow of oxygen at a 99.97% concentration for a longer period at any breathing rate.

“The duration of oxygen production in other chemical-based rebreathers used as escape-only SCSRs depends on the user’s physical exertion, meaning that the user must limit movement for the oxygen to last the maximum time. The OX-GEN system will continuously produce [for] over two hours … regardless of the physical exertion of the user,” said company national distribution and marketing director Rob DesAulniers.

Established in 2003, OX-GEN has a few other products available for use in home, office or at public areas such as schools. It was the Sago explosion in January that was the impetus for moving into the mining industry, and the company began soliciting feedback from miners and experts in the gold and coal mining sectors.

From that input, OX-GEN then made a few design adjustments to ensure the most modern and efficient unit for use in the industry. One of those design changes that the company takes pride in with the current model is the face mask design, which includes a double seal (one for the head and neck, the other for the nose and mouth), as well as a double-hose design.

DesAulniers noted that the SCSR unit is for emergency use and is not intended or designed to be worn for entire shifts. “It’s not meant to replace the units out there currently that fit the one-hour requirement,” he said, adding that the system is meant for storage in caches to be used as needed or on mantrips and other machines with storage containment.

With communication also a priority in emergency situations, DesAulniers said that was taken into consideration with the current model. “Current escape-only SCSRs on the market today require the user to bite down securely onto a mouthpiece in order to use [the unit], thereby inhibiting the user’s ability to speak. The OX-GEN SCSR hood/mask apparatus allows the user to speak … for effective communication with fellow users, as well as mine personnel on the surface.” In its ongoing research and development efforts, the company is also reviewing the possibility of having an integrated communication device within the face mask.

The systems, made from a “ruggedized” plastic material, can be worn as a backpack or carried in one hand when in use, and has a short, three-step process to activate the oxygen – with proper initialization of the chemical reaction, in as little as 15 seconds. Much like the process for conventional SCSR set-up (don, pull down on the bag, then mouthpiece, then noseclips), the unit can be started from the bottom up, with clear indicators on the side indicating where and when to turn three independent knobs to initiate the flow.

OX-GEN’s generation system was also designed for easy, compact storage, with fire- and explosion-proof steel caches holding up to 48 units that can be accessed from the top or the side. The caches can be placed at intervals along an operation’s escape route, DesAulniers said, with each cache providing more than 96 hours of continuous oxygen.

Currently, said DesAulniers and operations vice president Mark Michaud, the company is working on the system’s final design before submitting the unit for Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) evaluation and approval, which they hope to apply for in the very near future.

The company is committed to checking every angle and feature of the unit before making it commercially available. “We’ve all heard reports of failed safety devices,” said Michaud. “Miners must know that life-saving equipment has been tested thoroughly. With this SCSR, underground miners facing an emergency can have the confidence of quickly donning a product that they know will be safe and reliable … [when] escaping the harsh environment of a mine fire or explosion.”