Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29 of 1996) General Regulations Guideline for the Compilation of a Mandatroy Code of Practice Prevention of Flammable Gas Explosions in Mines other than Coal Mines Part A: The Guideline 4. Definitions and Acronyms

 

 

means an area in which no further mining-related activity is planned. It could be used as a return airway but is typically barricaded and/or sealed off to prevent inadvertent access.  This definition also covers the term "old mined out areas" as per DMR instruction ref no. 11/4/4-9, dated 5 December 2018.

 

means any working place where the intake and return points are situated on a common elevation whilst the panel advances towards a higher or lower elevation .

 

means Chief Inspector of Mines.

 

means a permanent wall designed for the purpose of isolating an area from the ventilation district.

 

means an enclosed or partially enclosed space that is not intended or designed primarily as place of work. Due to its nature, a confined space poses particular hazards to personnel that include the potential for :

 

means any device for the creation of any spark or flame and I or any pipe, cigar, cigarette or tobacco other than chewing tobacco , but excluding any device used for the intentional creation of a spark for the lighting of welding or cutting torches taken underground with the written permission of the employer.

 

means air from a working face or place which returns to the same working place or face under pre-determined conditions.

 

means Code of Practice.

 

means every unused accessible end, tunnel , shaft or heading which has advanced more than twice its width or height, whichever is the greater .

 

means Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

 

means an arrangement of control  electrical equipment apparatuses interconnected so that their functions occur in a predetermined sequence to assure safety; this should be listed as electrical interlocking.

 

means a seal which is designed to wittistand a static pressure of 140 ka.

 

means any apparatus used in a hazardous location and selected in accordance with the guidelines as defined in the South African National Standard SANS 10108-2005, (as amended) . "The classification of hazardous locations and selection of apparatus for use in such locations and the Aanbevolle Recommended Praktyk/Practice ARP0108-2013, Regulatory requirements for explosion protected apparatus".

 

means the range between Lower Explosive Limit and Upper Explosive Limit which is determined by an appropriate methodology which is fit for purpose such as United States Bureau of Mines, Coward triangle, Le Chetalier's Rule.

 

means either methane or hydrogen or other hydrocarbons or a mixture of any of gases.

 

means flammable gas measuring instruments and flammable gas warning devices and instruments which comply with the South African Bureau of Standards Specification SANS 1515-1 as amended .

 

means any working which is not connected at  its highest point to other workings on a higher elevation than the highest point. U-tubes can also be regarded as gas traps.

 

See examples below:

 

 

means a portable battery operated, continuous-duty device designed to give a clear audible and visible alarm, should it be placed in an atmostphere containing a concentration of flammable gas, which equals or exceeds the alarm set point.

 

The device may not have a facility allowing the user to turn the device off or to disable its operation in the working place and must be able to monitor and alarm; this instrument must comply with SANS 1515-2 as amended (fixed, transport and vehicle mounted flammable gas measuring and warning sensor heads) gas measuring equipment primarily used in mines and the SANS 10108-2013 (as amended) - regulatory requirements for explosive prevention.

 

means any point outside a radius of 150 mm away from the source or point of issue of flammable gas.

 

means any location, where there may be a significant risk of ignition gas, dust, mist, vapour, mist or vapour, including the following:

 

means a change in the tunnel gradient that results in a low point being created that could close the natural air path by  the  accumulation  of broken rock or mining water.

 

See below examples:

 

 

 

means:

 

means  Mine  Health  and  Safety  Act,  1996  (Act  29  of  1996)  as amended .

 

means  an  area with the "footprint" of current mining operations which is intended to be stopped indefinitely, such as:

 

means an area which is sealed off with explosion proof seals or containment walls in accordance with this mandatory COP.

 

means  an  intrinsically safe instrument that indicates the presence of concentrations of flammable gas in air in the range 0-100 % and is only used by a person competent in the use of this specific instrument.

 

means an area within the "footprint" of current mining operations which is intended to be stopped for a limited period of time, such as:

 

means air flow, under the influence of surface fans or designated booster fan installations (installed in such a manner to assist surface main fans) .

 

of air means when any  amount of air has been delivered by a particular mechanical  ventilation  system,  re-enters

 

shall mean a working place where ventilation is returned  from  a higher or lower point back to the same elevation , and where there is no holing from the highest elevation to any other workings or airways above that elevation.

 

See below examples:

 

Instal ventilation door set in drive between raise lines and regulate air distribution with a brattice set to ventilate the u-tube. Management of water control is critical.