Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29 of 1996)NoticesGuideline for the Compilation of a Mandatory Code of Practice for the Management of Self-contained Self-rescuers in MinesPart A : The Guideline4. Definitions and Acronyms |
| 4.1. | In this guideline, or any amendment thereof, unless otherwise indicated, the following definitions and acronyms are applicable: |
| (a) | "ATA" |
means an Accredited Testing Authority, an organisation accredited to test SCSRs in terms of the South African National Accreditation System, for the assessment of the structural integrity and functional performance of SCSRs.
| (b) | "Body-worn self-contained self-rescuer" |
(BWSCSR) means a SCSR designed to be worn by workers on their body for the duration of a complete underground working shift that will allow workers to reach a place of safety in an emergency.
| (c) | "CIOM" |
means Chief Inspector of Mines.
| (d) | "COP" |
means Code of Practice.
| (e) | "Cold start" |
means SCSR activation for units not equipped with oxygen starters.
| (f) | "CSIR" |
means Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
| (g) | "Deployment" |
(of SCSR) is a process by which SCSRs are issued individually to employees, contractors or visitors to a mine or section of a mine where, through the application of Regulation 16.2 of the MHSA, employees must be equipped with SCSRs when proceeding underground.
| (h) | "DMR" |
means Department of Mineral Resources.
| (i) | "Donning" |
(of SCSR) is the procedure followed by a person to activate their SCSR as required by mine emergency procedures.
| (j) | "Emergency" |
means a situation, event or set of circumstances at a mine that could threaten the health or safety of persons at the mine, and which requires immediate remedial action, such as the evacuation, rescue or recovery of persons, to prevent serious injury or harm, or further serious injury or harm, to persons.
| (k) | "Employees" |
means, for the purpose of this guideline, employees as defined in the MHSA and any other person who is required to wear a SCSR while at a mine.
| (l) | "Irrespirable atmosphere" |
means an atmosphere in a mine, requiring employees to wear breathing apparatus or SCSRs due to the presence of poisonous gas or insufficient oxygen caused by an incident at the mine e.g. as a result of but not limited to combustible gas explosions, coal-dust explosions, combined gas and dust explosions, or mine fires.
| (m) | "Long duration self-contained self-rescuer" |
(LDSCSR) means a SCSR that will supply oxygen for a minimum of 50 minutes at a ventilation rate of 35 litres per minute. The unit must provide oxygen instantly when activated, e.g. by chemical reaction or compressed oxygen starters, that may be used to escape from a place of safety to surface.
| (n) | "MHSA" |
means the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act 29 of 1996), as amended.
| (o) | "MHSC" |
means Mine Health and Safety Council.
| (p) | "MHSI" |
means Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate.
| (q) | "MRS" |
means Mines Rescue Services.
| (r) | "OEM" |
means original equipment manufacturer.
| (s) | "Place of safety" |
means any place, which, during an emergency, can sustain life for the duration of the emergency and is adequate in size and capacity to accommodate the maximum number of affected persons likely to be present in the area served by it.
| (t) | "SANS 1737" |
means South African National Standard for body-worn escape type breathing apparatus.
| (u) | "Self-contained self-rescuer (SCSR)" |
means a portable oxygen source (chemical or stored) that, when activated, will provide breathable air in a closed circuit.
| (v) | "SIMRAC" |
means Safety in Mines Research Advisory Committee.
| (w) | "Visitor" |
means a person, other than an employee, who is expected to spend one shift or less in an area of the mine that requires the deployment of SCSRs.