However, chamber manufacturer MineARC Systems – who are about to show the Australian coal industry an intrinsically safe, approved coal-refuge chamber with carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide scrubbers and cooling – says the chambers allow workers to step their way out of an emergency.

“The chamber is designed to assist in self-rescuer change-overs in a safe, contaminant-free environment as a primary function; allowing the workers to step their way out of the mine. In a secondary capacity, if evacuation is impossible due to a blockage – such as a rock-fall, fire or flooding in the mine, injury to personnel, or similar – the Coal-SAFE provides a safe place of refuge until the emergency response teams can be deployed,” MineARC told Australian Longwall Magazine.

In the US, new regulations state that all coal refuge chambers must provide up to 96 hours of life support and be located within 1000 feet (305m) of the closest working face. They must also be in outbye areas if a portal or surface escape route cannot be reached within 30 minutes. MSHA has also recognised internal cooling with regulations to ensure internal temperatures do not exceed 95F (35 degrees celcius) apparent temperature.

MineARC general manager Mike Lincoln says the US’s stance on refuge chambers has created a new world’s best practice.

“Although both countries [Australia and the US], through mine workers input, unions, mining companies, and government departments, all insist that miners’ safety is paramount in mine planning, the US have invested more time and resources into research, and setting of standards and regulations, in respect to underground refuge chambers,” Lincoln said.

“Refuge chambers have been discussed at the highest levels of government, even at senate hearings, with many a debate and papers on systems and processes – although this has been a reactive response to the major mine disaster at Sago where miners lost their lives. The MSHA refuge-alternative final rule is now regarded as world’s best practice.”

The chamber was manufactured, designed and tested in Australia to meet MSHA final rule and West Virginia regulations, which previously provided the legislative benchmark for US mines.

Lincoln said CSS-12 Coal-SAFE was developed over two years of testing various atmospheric scrubbing and air-conditioning systems. “After many trials and tribulations we perfected a powerless and intrinsically safe air-conditioning and air-scrubbing system and engaged an independent testing agency to verify our claims.”

MineARC will be showing its chamber at the NSW Minerals Council Annual OHS Conference on April 5-8 in an effort to generate market and regulator awareness that an intrinsically safe coal-refuge chamber was now available. It will also be on display at rescue stations in Singleton, Lithgow, Newcastle and Wollongong for about one week each.

MineARC also plans to spread its wings further, launching the chamber into South Africa through its regional distributor, Rolin Mining Supplies.

MineARC America is progressing with CoalSAFE in the US and has recently secured orders for more than 50 chambers from major contractors in the country’s south.