Basic Fire Safety

for the Mining Industry

Presented
By

Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental
Protection
Bureau of Deep Mine Safety
Revised 8/00
Costs in Lives and property
damage

• Fire kills more Americans than all natural

disasters combined
• Every year more than 5000 people die in fires
and over 25,000 are injured
• Estimated property loss of over 9 billion
dollars.
• Example, at a surface stone crushing facility,
a fire in the motor and bearing area causing
4 production shifts to be lost would cost
$93,000 in lost time and production.
• What would your losses be?
Underground coal fires reported to
MSHA-164
•Material burned (represents a combination of fire reported)
Wood Rubber hose/tires Coal/dust Electrical Belts/rollers
Oil/grease Other
19 25 75 50 27
30 17

•Equipment Involved
• Welding/cutting 23 Battery vehicle/charger 8
•Air compressor 12 Electrical
14
•Trolley 15 Continuous miner 6
•Shuttle car/scoop 6 None 29

•Roof bolter 6 Not reported 1

•Cutting machine 4 Other 3
•Conveyors 33 Unknown 2
History of Mining Fires in Pennsylvania

•Between 1980 and 1990, there have been 5

major underground mine fires lasting more
than 48 hours and required mine rescue
teams.
•Pennsylvania has gone ten years without a
major mine fire incident.
•However, from 1998 to present, there have
been 15 “reportable” fires at underground
operations, which include the surface
facilities.
•It is estimated that fire lasting 24 hours
requiring mine rescue teams would cost in
excess of 1 million dollars.
Fire prevention
• Through proper safety training
• Good maintenance of electrical and
mobile equipment
• Good housekeeping
• Proper storage and clean up of
combustible and flammable liquids
• Good communications between
management, labor, state and federal
agencies
• Basically “all fires” in the mining
industry can be avoided
Good housekeeping
You can prevent a fire incident by using “common sense”.
HOUSEKEEPING
No person shall smoke or use an open flame where flammable
or combustible liquids, including greases, or flammable gases
are--
(a) Used or transported in a manner that could create a fire
hazard; or
(b) Stored or handled.
Diesel fuel precautions
Flammable or combustible liquid spillage or leakage shall be
removed in a timely manner or controlled to prevent a fire
hazard.

All diesel-powered machines are required to have at least one

10A:60B:C portable fire extinguisher
Two portable fire extinguishers must be installed when a 5
gallon diesel fuel safety can is carried on the vehicle
Gasoline precautions
Underground-Industrial Minerals
Gasoline should not be stored underground. Storage for this purpose
means quantity in excess of the amount that will used in a 24 hour
period.
A fire extinguisher should be installed on any internal

Solid Combustible precautions

Waste or rags containing flammable or combustible liquids that
could create a fire hazard shall be placed in the following
containers until disposed of properly
A program for regular cleanup and removal of accumulations of
coal and float coal dusts, loose coal, and other combustibles shall
be established and maintained.
Coal dust, including float coal dust deposited on rock-dusted
surfaces, loose coal, and other combustible materials, shall be
cleaned up and not be permitted to accumulate in active
workings, or on diesel- powered and electric equipment therein.
Maintenance and Inspection of Electrical Equipment

Underground- Coal
All electric equipment shall be frequently examined,
tested, and properly maintained by a qualified person to
assure safe operating conditions
The examinations and tests required by shall be made at
least weekly.
Circuit breakers providing short circuit protection for
trailing cables shall be set so as not to exceed the
maximum allowable instantaneous settings
Circuit breakers and their auxiliary devices protecting
underground high-voltage circuits shall be tested and
examined at least once each month by a person qualified
as provided in
Circuit breakers protecting low- and medium-voltage
alternating current circuits serving three-phase
alternating current equipment and their auxiliary
devices shall be tested and examined at least once each
Maintenance and Inspection of Electrical Equipment

Surface -Coal
Electric equipment shall be frequently examined,
tested, and properly maintained by a qualified person
to assure safe operating conditions.
Surface & Underground –Industrial Minerals
Circuits shall be protected against excessive overload
by fuses or circuit breakers of the correct type and
capacity.
Fire Drills

Familiarize yourself on the fire

alarm system.
• Fire alarm procedures or systems
shall be established to promptly warn
every person who could be
endangered by a fire.
• Fire alarm systems shall be
maintained in operable condition.
• Mine operators shall establish
emergency firefighting, evacuation,
and rescue procedures.
Escapeway drills- what is required?

Industrial Minerals-Surface
Mine operators shall establish emergency
firefighting, evacuation, and rescue procedures.
These procedures shall be coordinated in advance
with available firefighting organizations.

Industrial Minerals-Underground
At least once every six months, mine evacuation
drills shall be held to assess the ability of all
persons underground to reach the surface or
other designated points of safety within the time
limits of the self-rescue devices that would be
used during an actual emergency
Escapeway drills- what is required?

Coal–Underground
At least once every 90 days, each miner,
including miners with working stations located between
working sections and main escapeways, shall
participate in a practice escapeway drill.
At least once every 6 weeks and for each shift, at
least two miners on each coal producing working
section who work on that section, accompanied by the
section supervisor, shall participate in a practice
escape drill and shall travel the primary or alternate
escapeway to the surface

Coal-Surface
Plans for escape and evacuation shall include the
designation and proper maintenance of adequate
means for exit from all areas where persons are
required to work or travel including buildings and
What happens if a fire occurs?
• Not all materials burn the same way.
• That is why all materials are grouped into the
Classification of Fire.
• This determines how you can extinguish the fire.
• Where are the fire extinguishers located and how
many
• Where are the fire hoses, fire valves, nozzles
• Is there enough pressure to extinguish the fire
• It is required that the Pennsylvania Bureau of
Deep Mine Safety be notified of any unplanned fire
requiring more than 5 minutes to extinguish

Remember
• To be forewarned is to be forearmed
 The Fire Triangle
Three things are needed for conditions to be
right for a fire to get started.

Now represents the “smoldering” mode of

combustion.
 The Fire Tetrahedron
Represents the “flaming” mode of
combustion
The chemical
chain reaction
has been
added to
properly
represent a
“burning” fire.
If one of these
four items are
taken away,
the fire will
extinguish
 What about the By-products of the
Fire?

• Carbon Monoxide-Incomplete
combustion-poisonous
• Carbon Dioxide-Complete combustion-
displaces oxygen
• Diesel Particulate Matter-unburned diesel
fuel-carcinogen(cancer causing)
• Carcinogen products-products from the
chemicals to treat belts and cables to be
flame resistant, however will be releases
at high temperatures of a fire.
• Smoke-unburned materials-can contain
all of the above
Use ventilation to control by-products and heat

•Make sure that all persons inby fire area are

notified
•Keep the ventilation at your back, don’t
expose yourself to the heat and the by-
products of the fire
•If applicable, short circuit the air inby the
fire into the return , this prevents the inby
areas from receiving the by-products
•If you are inby and suspect or have been
notified of a fire outby, use your self rescuer
device until you are in known fresh air.
Class A
Materials are:

Solids
• Wood
• Paper
• Plastic Rubber
• Coal

“A” stands for “ash”

How does a
solid burn?

Takes place as wood, coal, conveyor

belts or any carbon based products
decomposes from the action of the heat
Remember, it is the vapors that burn,
not the solid.
 How to extinguish a Class A fire
Limit
Adding material
water burning
Class A Shovel away
fires only material
Add rock
dust to
remaining
Pit a lid on it,
fuel
Use a fire
Usually oily extinguish
rags or paper er
in a waste
Usually
container
Class A, B
& C fires
Examples

• Reported fires since 1998

– 3 fires due to use of stoves near
combustible materials
– Shaft fire set deliberately by
outside persons
– 5 belt fires
– 1 Coal float dust fire at tail roller
resulting in injury to employee
 Class B
Materials are:

Liquids
• Gasoline, Oil, Diesel fuel
• Greases, Hydraulic fluid
• Gases; i.e.
Acetylene, Propane
Natural Gas

“B” stands for “boil”

Special care when using flammable and combustible
liquids

The “ flash point” is when at

the right temperature,
vapors are released that will ignite

Flammable Combustible Liquids

Liquids Flash point over 100oF & under
Flash point under 164oF
100oF •Diesel fuel(110oF)
•Gasoline(-42oF) •Kerosene(102oF)
•Toluene(73oF •Home heating fuel(120oF)
•Benzene(12oF) •Hydraulic fluids
 How to extinguish a Class B fire

Remove
Not excess liquid
recommended fuel or shut off
Water can bottled gas
cause the fire cylinders
to spread

Put a lid on it Use a BC or

ABC fire
No oxygen, no extinguisher
fire
Examples

• Reported fires since 1998

– 2 from gasoline engine
– 1 from hot oil around beltline
 Class C
Materials are:

“Energized” Electrical
Equipment & Cables

Always treat “C” fires as though power is still on!

Once the power has been removed, you can
probably treat it like a Class A or B fire , but
remember that cables & equipment can hold
electricity even after the power is off!

“C” stands for “current”

 How to extinguish a Class C fire

Not Shut off the

recommended power
Water can May still have
conduct A or B fire
electricity remaining

May not work

because of the
Use a BC or
high
ABC fire
temperature
extinguisher
of the electric
arc
Examples

• Reported fires since 1998

– 5 from battery operated
equipment
 Class D
materials include
Combustible Metals
• Magnesium
• Titanium
• Zirconium
• Sodium
• Potassium
• Lithium
• Calcium
• Zinc

D stands for “ding”

 Class D materials are usually in alloy type metals

They are usually started by a Class A-B-C fire,

and will burn at extremely high temperatures

Not Shovel away all

recommended- materials that can
be ignite by the
The O2 and H2 high heat
in the water generated
will accelerate
the fire

Not
recommended-
Attempt to
isolate the fire Unsure if ABC
by covering extinguisher will
with sand or put out
rock dust Unsure of
dangerous by-
product from the
reaction of the
chemicals
 Class K
This covers the new synthetic oils
& greases that are the market &
the new ones being developed
New synthetic oils &
greases for industry

Problem… ABC type fire extinguishers may not

work on these fires, a special Class K
extinguisher may be needed!
Inquire about what new products that are
available on mine sites that would fall into this
new category
Fire Extinguighers

Dry Chemical
•Ordinary Base “BC”
•Sodium Bicarbonate
•Potassium Bicarbonate
•Potassium Chloride
Do not use on “A” fires, will put out
only surface area, heated core may
re-ignite

•Multipurpose “ABC”
•Monoammonium
Phosphate
•Ammonium Phosphate
•Barium Sulfate
When are fire extinguishers to be examined?

Industrial Minerals-Surface
Fire extinguishers shall be inspected visually at least once a month to
determine that they are fully charged and operable.

At least once every twelve months, maintenance checks shall be

made of mechanical parts, the amount and condition of
extinguishing agent and expellant, and the condition of the hose,
nozzle, and vessel to determine that the fire extinguishers will
operate effectively.

Industrial Minerals-Underground
Fire extinguishers shall be inspected visually at least once a month to
determine that they are fully charged and operable.

At least once every twelve months, maintenance checks shall be

made of mechanical parts, the amount and condition of
extinguishing agent and expellant, and the condition of the hose,
nozzle, and vessel to determine that the fire extinguishers will
operate effectively
When are fire extinguishers to be examined?

Coal-Underground
All firefighting equipment shall be maintained in a
usable and operative condition. Chemical extinguishers
shall be examined every 6 months and the date of the
examination shall be written on a permanent tag
attached to the extinguisher.

Coal-Surface
Fire extinguishers shall be examined at least once
every 6 months and the date of such examination shall
be recorded on a permanent tag attached to the
extinguisher.
 Classification of extinguishers

Type(s) of
fire it can
put out

How much
fire a “lay
person” can
put out

For example, a 5:A will put out five square foot surface area
of Class A fire
A 20:BC will put out a twenty square foot surface area of
Class B or C fire.
A properly trained person can extinguish 2 to 3 times the
amount listed on the rating.
When using a fire extinguisher, remember the
the phrase “P.A.S.S.”

•P. Pull the pin

•A. Aim low
•S. Squeeze the trigger/handle
•S. Sweep side to side
It is important that you should attend
an actual “hands on” fire
extinguisher class to be proficient in
their use
What should you do once the fire is extinguished?

• Check the area closely for any signs of

reignition
• Clean up all unburned and burned
materials
• Report the incident to the proper officials
• What caused the fire, and determine any
safety precautions to prevent future
incidents
• Be careful the fire fighter or persons
themselves did not expose themselves to
any noxious, toxic or carcinogen products.
Some final thoughts
Training tips
Rule of thumb; we hear-we tend to forget
we see- we remember
we do- we understand
The key is interactive-hands on training on a
continual basis
If miners are kept in a classroom all day,
Remember, the mind can only absorb what the
butt can endure
Thank you and be careful