MINE RESCUE TRUCKS

Automobile trucks are increasingly important in mine rescue work because an equipped truck may be started for the scene of a disaster with little or no delay, and where the mine is remote from main railroad lines considerable time may be saved.

The Federal Bureau of Mines has 14 mine rescue trucks, distributed geographically as follows: Birmingham, Ala.; Denver, Colo.; Duluth, Minn.; Jellico, Tenn.; Madisonville, Ky.; McAlester, Okla.; Norton, Va.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Francisco, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; Vincennes, Ind.; and WilkesBarre, Pa.

A typical truck is shown in figure 8 and the interior view in figure 9. The truck with equipment in place is shown in figure 10.

Four appa

FIGURE 7.-Men wearing oxygen breathing apparatus leaving mine rescue car.

ratus are placed in the rack on each side of the truck and two on the tool and equipment box at the back of the driver's seat. The supply box containing spare apparatus parts has a bin, with hinged cover, directly behind the driver's seat. On the rear side is a compartment for storing gas masks and inhalators. On the floor of the supply box are three compartments for large oxygen cylinders. A wood bar, held in place with two wing nuts, fits over the shoulder of the cylinders and holds them in place. On each side of the cylinders are two compartments for cardoxide and gas-mask canisters.

The body of the truck contains the oxygen pump, the life line, and other extra apparatus. Trucks are an important part in centralstation equipment.

CENTRAL MINE RESCUE STATIONS IN ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, WESTERN NEVADA, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON

In Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and western Nevada (district I), 23 privately owned mine rescue stations have been inspected by personnel of the Bureau of Mines within the past few months. These inspections have included all the large mine rescue stations and approximately all the small stations at mines and tunnels. Of the 23 stations, 16 are owned and maintained by individual mines, while 7 are central mine rescue stations owned and operated by groups of mines or tunnels.

The seven central mine rescue stations are equipped with enough mine rescue apparatus to perform safe and efficient recovery work in

case of mine fires or explosions, while only four (25 percent) of the stations operated by single mines have enough apparatus for safe and efficient recovery work.

STATE MINING LAWS AND CODES PERTAINING TO MINE RESCUE EQUIPMENT

Laws pertaining to requirements for mine rescue equipment differ in the various States. The mining laws or codes pertaining to requirements of mine rescue equipment and stations are outlined below:

MINING CODE OF ARIZONA

SEC. 2300. Fire equipment and training of fire crew. At any mine employing 25 or more men underground, the operator shall provide, and keep in a readily accessible place, at least two fire-fighting helmets in condition to be used in case

of emergency, and provide training for a crew in the use of said helmets; tests of the helmets by the actual use thereof by such crews shall be made at least monthly.

COAL-MINING LAWS OF WASHINGTON, AS AMENDED 1919 AND 1927

SEC. 110. Mine rescue equipment. Within one year after this act goes into effect, every mine employing as many as twenty (20) underground men shall have and maintain ready for use at all times at least three (3) sets of mine rescue apparatus and one reviving device of a type approved by the Federal Bureau of Mines.

For each one hundred (100) underground men in addition to the first twenty (20), one additional apparatus shall be maintained up to six (6) sets.

At every mine where mine rescue equipment is maintained, supplies for same shall be kept on hand to last at least twenty-four (24) hours. The superintendent of the mine, or some person designated by him for that purpose, shall examine each apparatus once each month and report the condition of same, also the amount of supplies on hand at the time of such examination. This report shall be made in writing by the person making the examination and a record of same shall be kept at the mine office and shall be accessible to the mine inspector or his deputies at all times.

Wherever two or more mines are operated by the same company within a radius of seven (7) miles they shall be considered as one mine. However, mines within a radius of seven (7) miles and connected by wagon road or railroad may agree to equip and maintain one central station, at which there shall not be less than six (6) apparatus and one reviving device; when more than four mines are associated at one central station an additional machine must be added.

MINING LAWS OF NEVADA

Smoke helmets to be maintained.

4247. At every mine in this State employing 40 or more men underground, there shall be kept on hand at all times in good working condition at least two smoke helmets of a design to be approved by the State mine inspector, and which helmets shall at all times be subject to his inspection. For every additional 50 men so employed an additional smoke helmet shall be provided.

SAFETY ORDERS, CALIFORNIA

Order 1704. Oxygen breathing apparatus.

(a) There shall be provided and kept in a readily accessible place at every mine employing more than 50 men underground on one shift at least 10 sets of permissible self-contained 2-hour oxygen breathing apparatus; provided, that the Commission may require the maintenance of permissible self-contained 2-hour oxygen breathing apparatus at a mine employing less than 50 men underground on one shift, when the ventilation or the fire hazard at such mine in the opinion of the Commission justifies this protection. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the construction of a cooperative station in any district where mine operators may build and maintain a station to supply apparatus for several mines; not less than 10 sets of permissible self-contained 2-hour oxygen breathing apparatus shall be kept at such station. A cooperative station shall be located at no greater distance from each mine which it serves than can be covered by the most convenient means of transportation in 2 hours' time during all seasons of

the year.

(b) Where a cooperative station is maintained, a competent man shall be designated as foreman to have charge of such station. Such foreman need not be exclusively so employed, but his employment shall be such that he or a substitute can arrive promptly at the place of the accident in case of need. He shall occupy living quarters therein, or convenient thereto, and shall make reports to the Commission as provided in paragraph (ƒ) of this order.

(c) Telephone communication shall be maintained between a cooperative station and each mine which it serves. If the foreman in charge of a station does not reside thereat, his residence shall also be in telephone communication with each mine served by the station.

(d) In addition to the supplies used for training of men, an oxygen pump, an emergency supply of oxygen, and regenerator charges sufficient to keep all ap