| Show standardizing mi mine e ne rescue the modern mine rescue breathing apparatus is a self contained device the function of which is to permit the wearer to penetrate gases formed by mine fires or mine explosions there are several types of breathing apparatus pa ratus one of which depends on liquid air for the breathing supply a second depends upon the generation of oxygen from a chemical compound a third depends upon normal air under pressure and a fourth which is most widely known in abercia depends upon pure oxygen under high pressure for its air supply the history of breathing apparatus dates from the year 1868 when a device was used similar to the submarine divers helmet practically all succeeding forms were built along similar lines until 1896 when the present portable self contained type was devised and used abroad the first self contained apparatus to be used in the united states were four sets imported in 1907 by the anaconda copper mining company of butte montana in september 1908 breathing apparatus was purchased by the technologic branch of the united states geological survey for use in mine rescue and recovery work which at that time was in charge of that branch today the bureau of mines has ten rescue cars five rescue trucks and eight safety stations distributed throughout the mining regions of the united states equipped with some complete sets of such apparatus while several thousand sets are owned by state mining departments and mining companies having rescue crews trained in their use breathing apparatus may be divided into two types as regards the length of time the apparatus will furnish pure air on one charging these are the half hour type principally used on vessels 0 or where men are only exposed to dangerous atmospheres for short periods of time and the two hour type which is the kind used in mines in mine rescue and recovery work the apparatus wearer may have to travel considerable distances from his base and two hours has been adopted as the maximum period of service compatible with lightness and convenience veni ence of portability only the two hour type is considered in this paper in the united states there has been a steady growth in the use of breathing apparatus by the mining industry As with many other new devices when they first appear mine operators and owners were at first decidedly skeptical as to the merits of the apparatus however owing to the progressive gres sive spirit of numerous operators both coal and metal the ingenuity of 0 apparatus manufacturers and persistent effort of the bureau of mines a more intelligent understanding of the use and limitations of the apparatus has been attained As a result of the combined efforts of those appreciating the necessity for such a device for safely penetrating noxious atmospheres a tremendous impetus has been given to its use in the mining industry especially within the last three or four years I 1 believe that all of you will agree that the apparatus occupies an essential and permanent position in the mining industry so it does not seem necessary at this time to point out instances where lives have been saved directly by the use of the apparatus pa ratus or to give even approximately aPproximate lythe the figures showing the value of the vast amount of property saved to the nation annually today there is not a mining district in the united states that cannot on short notice in time of disaster obtain the services of trained men equipped with apparatus either from state or privately owned rescue stations or from the bureau of mines also most of the larger companies have rescue equipment and organized safety crews on account of the constantly increasing demand for apparatus training the bureau of mines has for some time appreciated the necessity for a standardized course of such training thorough and systematic training are essential to insure the safe and economic use of the apparatus such training can best be insured through standardization of training methods As a result of a standardized course it is believed that more attention will be paid to the selection of the proper type of men for rescue crews efficiency will be increased and higher appreciation of the value of the apparatus will result the reasons for standardization tre are in fact so obvious that it hardly seems necessary to dwell further on this phase of the subject it might be mentioned however that there are two essential reasons in addition to those already mentioned for such standardization 1 it is the policy of the bureau of mines upon request to give a thorough examination amanati lon to men trained either at privately or state owned rescue stations with a view of qualifying them for mine rescue certificates as issued by the federal government A standard course of training would most assuredly be tremendously advantageous to both the examiner and the examined 2 trained men going from one mine to eo 1 another mine would be decidedly at a disadvantage when cal called led upon to wear ap pa ratus assuming that the men at each mine had haa received a different course of instruction st this would woula hold true evan even though their training had been with the same type of apparatus As an illustration it has been known to occur that where one instructor tor would require evacuation of the apparatus of all normal air another would require the inflation of the breathing bag with exhaled air while another would permit the wearer to don the same type of apparatus containing normal air such diversity of instruction may result in serious difficulty for the wearer it is believed that a course similar to that pursued by the bureau of mines in the standardization of first aid instruction should be followed in this case i 1 e by the wide dissemination of a publication on the subject I 1 will now attempt without going into details to give a few of the fundamental principles that might form a basis for such a publication on account of the extremely hazardous work of wearing rescue rescue apparatus in deadly atmospheres too much attention cannot be given to the selection of an apparatus and the training of the wearer many of us are inclined to think of a course in apparatus train training ing as so many I 1 hours under oxygen is an atmosphere in reality this phase of the course though essential is second in importance to a thorough and scientific knowledge of the use and the mechanical and physiological physiology f eal limitations of the apparatus no one should be accepted for training without first receiving a thorough physical examination by a competent physician or surgeon the length of the course should not be less than five periods of four hours each at least eight hours should be spent under oxygen and in an atmos atmosphere pher e wherever possible the apparatus work should be given underground the course should include standard lectures on each of the several types of apparatus now in use in this country such lectures should dwell at length on the various tests of the apparatus pa ratus in order that the wearer may know to a certainty that his apparatus is functioning properly before erit entering ering a zone of poisonous gases A person to be skilled in the use of apparatus should not only have a thorough knowledge of the use and care of the apparatus and oxygen pump but he must have a working knowledge of mine gases that is he should be familiar with their methods of occurrence physical properties effects on man and methods of testing for their presence particularly those gases encountered after mine fires and explosions plo knowledge of at least two types of flame safety lamps is desirable on the part of the apparatus man trained for work in coal mines this is not so e essential in the training of metal miners the stand course should specify the purity and method of manufacture of oxygen to be used in the apparatus oxygen manufactured by the alie electrolytic process may contain a certain percentage of hydrogen the bureau of mines has therefore tentatively specified to manufacturers who supply oxygen for use in mine rescue apparatus that the oxygen shall not contain more than 25 per cent nitrogen nor more than 02 per cent hydrogen also the purity of the regenerating material should be specified in addition the course should deal at some length with the method of procedure following mine fires and explosions include ing the duties of the captain of the rescue squad publication regarding garding te such course of standardization is now contemplated by this the bureau of mines the necessity for such standardization is now I 1 believe universally recognized among the manufacturers and users of breathing apparatus by the whole hearted operation cooperation co of apparatus manufacturers safety engineers and the mining public such standardized training will be established and oxygen breathing apparatus made a safer and more efficient agent for the help of mine owner 1 and miner in times of trouble and disaster |
