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Respiratory Protection Resources for Mine Workers
Current regulations and guidelines require coal mine operators in the United States to provide respirators to each miner. Each underground coal miner must have a self-contained self-rescuer (SCSR), also referred to as closed-circuit escape respirator (CCER) unit. Title 30, Code of Federal Regulations (30 CFR) §75.1714 provides safety standards for underground coal mines. The regulation requires that each person in an underground coal mine wear, carry, or have ready access to a unit. Coal mine operators should only provide units approved by NIOSH and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). NIOSH NPPTL, in cooperation with MSHA, conducts an ongoing, long-term field evaluation of SCSR and CCER units. This evaluation assesses the units’ reliability and performance while deployed in underground coal mines.
View the results of NIOSH’s study of SCSR and CCER units deployed in U.S. underground coal mines. The ongoing study provides performance, reliability, and user maintenance compliance data on field-deployed SCSR units. View the mining PPE CASE reports to learn more.
Use the NIOSH Certified Equipment List to search for NIOSH-approved respirators approved for use in mine settings.
NIOSH Mining Program
This webpage provides information on the program’s aim to eliminate mining fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through research.
Mining Topics
This webpage allows users to explore areas where NIOSH has conducted or is currently conducting research and producing publications.
NIOSH Science Blog – Mining
This page provides a collection of blogs relevant to the mining industry.
The following resources provide information on self-contained self-rescuers and closed-circuit escape respirators. These resources have been archived and are no longer being updated.