Institute of Mine Surveyors of South Africa

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Institute of Mine Surveyors of South Africa

• NEW TECHNOLOGY IN MINE SURVEYING AND ITS
  IMPACT ON SAFETY IN THE UNDERGROUND WORKINGS OF
  A MINE

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Before Tripods, staves and ladders were made
of non-hazardous material i.e. wood
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Before Theodolites were optical/mechanical(po
wered by hand) and measurements by steel chains
and tapes
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Before Holes in the roof/hangingwall
underground for survey stations and points were
made by hammer and rawl tool/tungsten moil
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Before the only possible cause of ignition of
flammable gas was from the hammer and chisel
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NowTripods, staves and ladders are made of
Light Metalsi.e. Aluminium, Titanium
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Now Theodolites are electronic (Battery
powered) and measurements are by means of laser
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Now Holes in the roof/hangingwall in
underground mines for survey stations and points,
in most cases, are being made by battery powered
drills
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Now the possible cause of ignition of
flammable gas is from (a) power tools
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(b) electronic equipment
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(c) Light Metal equipment causing sparks from
rusty wires underground
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• ELIMINATION OF RISK
• Remove equipment from the hazardous location
• Remove (dilute) the flammable gas from the
  hazardous location
• Make the equipment safe for use in the hazardous
  location.

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Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996Regulations of
Chapter 10Miscellaneous and General
ProvisionsRegulation 10.1 definitions relating
to Hazardous Location "hazardous location
means any location, where there may be a
significant risk of igniting gas, dust, mist or
vapour, including the following-
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(a)for underground coal mines any location
where, under normal operating conditions, there
is a continuous presence of flammable gas,
measured at a concentration of 0,5 or more by
volume in the general body of the air, including

• a return airway,
• and
• any location determined by risk assessment but
  not less than 180m from any working face.

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(b)for underground mines other than coal
mines, any location where, under normal
operating conditions, there is a continuous
presence of flammable gas measured at a
concentration of 0,5 or more by volume in the
air.(c)for surface mines and surface
locations at all mines including offshore
installations, any location as identified in
accordance with South African National Standard
SANS 10108 2004 (Edition 5), "The
classification of hazardous locations and the
selection of apparatus for use in such
locations.
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Certified" means type tested, batch tested
or produced under an approved product
certification scheme, as described in South
African National Standard ARP 0108 "Regulatory
requirements for explosion protected apparatus
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"explosion protected apparatus meansany
apparatus used in a hazardous location and
selected in accordance with the guidelines as
defined in the South African National Standard
SANS 10108-2005,The classification of
hazardous locations and the selection of
apparatus for use in such locations and the
Aanbevolle Praktyk/Recommended Practice ARP
0108,"Regulatory requirements for explosion
protected apparatus"
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"Light-metal means a) aluminium b) magnesium
c) titanium d) any alloy containing more than -

• 15 per cent aluminium by mass of the alloy
• ii) 15 per cent aluminium, magnesium and/or
  titanium, taken together by mass of the alloy or
• iii) 6 per cent magnesium and/or titanium, taken
  together or separately, by mass of the alloy.

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Regulation 10.2 The employer must take
reasonably practicable measures to prevent
persons from being injured in any hazardous
location as a result of fire, explosion or the
ignition of gas, dust, mist or vapour. Such
measures must ensure that -
a) all hazardous locations are identified,
clearly marked and recorded on a plan or
register, which must be kept updated and readily
available at the mine b) only explosion
protected apparatus and systems certified for use
in a hazardous location in accordance with the
South African National Standard ARP 0108 2005,
"Regulatory requirements for explosion protected
apparatus", are used in any hazardous location
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• o) no apparatus, component (i.e. tripod, ladder)
  or machinery made of a light metal is used in a
  hazardous location unless such apparatus,
  component or machinery is-
• covered by a housing, sheath, cover or coating
  (excluding paint) that will prevent such
  ignition
• or
• contained, situated or used in such a manner that
  does not create a significant risk of such
  ignition
• or
• complies with South African National Standard
  SANS 100122004
• "The use of light metals in hazardous locations
  at mines".

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PROPOSED GUIDANCE NOTE ON THE USE OF ELECTRONIC
EQUIPMENT IN HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS ON MINES
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• Intrinsically Safe means
• An individual item of apparatus -
• or,
• b) A system, comprising of two or more items of
  intrinsically safe apparatus, together with the
  interconnecting cables -
• - in which any spark or thermal effect, either in
  the apparatus or in the connecting cable/s, in
  normal working conditions or under prescribed
  fault conditions, is incapable of igniting a
  defined mixture of flammable gas and air.
•  

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• FOUR CRITERIA APPLIED TO EQUIPMENT TO BE USED IN
  HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS
• Equipment used on an ad-hoc basis Battery
  drills, electronic surveying equipment, etc
• Equipment used for approved live testing i.e.
  multimeters, meggers, etc
• Equipment which must be certified for use in
  hazardous locations i.e. permanent electronic
  fixtures
• Equipment which does no require certification
  i.e. electronic wrist watches.
• The use of Ad-Hoc equipment must be done under
  the
• Permit System 

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PERMIT SYSTEMAny mine where the Regulation
10.1 (2) applies, - i.e. the employer must
prevent injuries by explosion, fire or the
ignition of flammable gasses in hazardous
locations,- must implement a Permit System
whereby the procedure for the safe use of
un-certified equipment in a hazardous location is
clearly defined.
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THE PERMIT an Authorised Person must complete
the prescribed procedure in the location to be
worked in and declare it safe for entry and exit
by means of a signed permit i.e. Similar to the
current Welding Permit Three general steps
involved in the permit1. the hazardous
location is made safe for entry and exit by the
elimination of the flammable gas by means of
dilution 2. no mining operations may take
place 3. all persons not involved in the use of
the equipment must be removed from the hazardous
location.
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Safety comes in a can,I can, You can, we all
can be safe.We need you! Work safely.Thank You!