About
The primary function of a refuge alternative (RA) is to provide safe refuge for miners unable to escape their work area immediately after a disaster due to toxic gases or a blocked escapeway. The usage of bult-in-place (BIP) RAs that can be advanced with the working face will only be practical if three issues can be addressed: (1) locating BIP RAs further from the face; (2) providing a consistent process for the design and approval of RA stoppings; (3) delivering a reliable supply of clean, breathable air to a BIP RA. In this Report of Investigations, these three issues are explored in detail.
Suggested citation
NIOSH [2015]. Facilitating the use of built-in-place refuge alternatives in mines. By Trackemas JD, Thimons ED, Bauer ER, Sapko MJ, Zipf RK Jr., Schall J, Rubinstein E, Finfinger GL, Patts LD, LaBranche N. Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2015-114.