W. Virginia's Mine Safety Agency Uncertain If Thousands Of Air Packs Will Work

[hatrack]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - West Virginia's mine safety office warned coal companies Tuesday that some emergency air packs have suffered heat damage and that it cannot say for certain whether thousands of others will work. After conducting tests and taking a complete inventory of the air packs, the Office of Miners' Health Safety and Training cautioned mining companies to make sure the air packs are not exposed to heat sources such as hydraulic lines and heavy equipment.

Emergency air packs typically provide miners with one hour of clean air in the event of a fire, explosion or other accident. Heat can make rubber parts such as hoses and seals deteriorate and also reduce the devices' ability to generate oxygen.

The testing and inventory were conducted in reaction to the Sago Mine disaster that killed 12 miners in January. Survivor Randal McCloy Jr., who has sued air pack maker CSE Corp., has said four members of his 12-man team could not get their CSE packs to work. Federal testing showed the devices were able to generate oxygen.

On Tuesday, the mine agency instructed mine operators to remove any air packs suspected of exposure to high temperatures. "I wouldn't think that there would be a high percentage, but I would think that there may be some out there. If you happen to need one and you happen to get one of those that had been exposed, then you would not be in the best situation," mine safety chief Ron Wooten said.

EDIT

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/state/15893980.htm

[MountainLaurel]

1. Understatement of the week

If you happen to need one and you happen to get one of those that had been exposed, then you would not be in the best situation," mine safety chief Ron Wooten said.

I don't trust the state mine safety agency any more than I do the mining companies themselves, since the former has been on its knees in front of the latter since its inception.