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PPE CASE – Point-of-Use Assessment for Self-Contained Self-Rescuers Randomly Sampled from Mining Districts: First Phase
2017
NPPTL Report Number P2018-0101
NIOSH’s point-of-use assessments for self-contained self-rescuers (SCSRs) found that mine operators are largely compliant with SCSR manufacturer-specified requirements and the devices tested appear to be sufficiently designed for mining use conditions.
This report presents findings from the first phase of the SCSR Long-Term Field Evaluation Program (LTR1). The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) maintains a list of deployed SCSRs in the United States. From the MSHA list, NIOSH randomly selects 140 units each from four models to attempt a field collection of 100 SCSRs per model for laboratory testing. One hundred and forty units are chosen to allow for issues with obtaining specific units. The SCSRs that pass the manufacturer’s recommended visual inspection at the mine are collected and further evaluated by NPPTL including a second visual inspection, leak testing, gas flow testing, and breathing and metabolic simulation (BMS) testing. The tests performed in this study are not respirator approval tests; however, poor performance during testing led to the opening of a certified product investigation process (CPIP) on one SCSR model. The data obtained for the one model that underwent the CPIP investigation was reported in a Department of Health and Human Services numbered document that is posted on the NIOSH website.
Suggested Citation
NIOSH [2017]. PPE CASE: point-of-use assessment for self-contained self-rescuers randomly sampled from mining districts: first phase. By Coffey C, Murray D, Palya F. Pittsburgh PA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NPPTL Report Number P2018-0101.