Mining accidents have been making life and work really difficult for the workers. It is a very challenging environment, there are also dangers of dust contamination which can spread through into nearby areas where it has already reached work sites. Many miners are also fearful of going to work again, especially if one is injured in a mine accident, leaving them homeless.
Ground-fault protection is a critical requirement for mine operators and my miners. The CSA Standard Use of Electricity in Mines covers the need for such protections. It sets standards for ground fault-current limitations and protections in underground mining areas where a spark could cause a major disaster.
Since the 20th century, the mining industry has used sensitive ground fault relays (GFRs) in all their electrical equipment. This is to improve the safety of miners and interrupt any ground-fault currents. GF provides a safe means for underground cable distribution that runs into mines without having to be disturbed by earthquakes or other faults, allowing engineers time when they are not performing seismic surveys to conduct field tests before deploying them out to deep water areas where there may still exist subterranean caverns filled with deadly fluids such as mercury and lead.
Although industry has been working on protections and resistance grounding to protect against these situations, they have not been capable of developing protections for personnel or equipment from arc flash events. This is when a phase conductor shorts out, directing to another phase that’s not involved or not grounded. These can occur due to damaged cables or equipment, defective voltmeters, and faulty installations.
These events usually occur during maintenance checks. They generate a large current that ionizes air around the impacted conductor. This can cause severe damage to equipment, fires, and even death.
PPE is essential to protect workers from arc flash events. However, electrical protective devices can be used to limit the currents and electricity that are released during an arc flash event. These devices are known as arc flash relays and have been used in safety protocols for mining for many years. Although they are expensive, they offer the most protection for your equipment and personnel. Some companies also carry AC power meters or a set of DC-DC converters on duty so you can quickly check how much voltage (and current) will flow through all circuits before deciding where to isolate work areas. The following materials describe various types, combinations, approaches and methods with respect to backblast damage due tumbling by large industrial loads. Each type of device has its pros/cons depending upon what works best against them. Therefore, you need to invest in it accordingly.
This post was written by Justin Tidd, Director at Becker/SMC. For nearly a half a century, Becker Mining has been at the forefront of safety, producing the best Electrical Supply House in the industry. Becker/SMC is the industry’s leader in increasingly more sophisticated electrical control systems. Most of the major innovations, design features and specialized electrical components have been developed by Becker/SMC.
