30 CFR § 57.4760
Shaft mines.
VENTILATION CONTROL MEASURES
(a) Shaft mines shall be provided with at least one of the following
means to control the spread of fire, smoke, and toxic gases underground in
the event of a fire: control doors, reversal of mechanical ventilaton, or
effective evacuation procedures. Under this standard, "shaft mine" means a
mine in which any designated escapeway includes a mechanical hoisting device
or a ladder ascent.
(1) Control doors. If used as an alternative,
control doors shall be--
(a)(1)(i) Installed at or near shaft stations of intake
shafts and any shaft designated as an escapeway under §57.11053 or at other
locations that provide equivalent protection;
(a)(1)(ii) Constructed and maintained according to Table C-3;
(a)(1)(iii) Provided with a means of remote closure at landings of timbered intake
shafts unless a person specifically designated to close each door in the
event of a fire can reach the door within three minutes;
(a)(1)(iv) Closed or opened only according to predetermined conditions and
procedures;
(a)(1)(v) Constructed so that once closed they will not
reopen as a result of a differential in air pressure;
(a)(1)(vi) Constructed so that they can be opened from either side by one person,
or be provided with a personnel door that can be opened from either side; and
(a)(1)(vii) Clear of obstructions.
(2) Mechanical ventilation reversal. If used as an alternative, reversal of
mechanical ventilation shall--
(a)(2)(i) Provide at all times at least the same degree of
protection to persons underground as would be afforded by the installation of
control doors;
(a)(2)(ii) Be accomplished by a main fan. If the main fan is
located underground--
(a)(2)(ii)(A) The cable or conductors supplying power to the
fan shall be routed through areas free of fire hazards; or
(a)(2)(ii)(B) The main fan shall be equipped with a second,
independent power cable or set of conductors from the surface. The power
cable or conductors shall be located so that an underground fire disrupting
power in one cable or set of conductors will not affect the other; or
(a)(2)(ii)(C) A second fan capable of accomplishing
ventilation reversal shall be available for use in the event of failure of
the main fan;
(a)(2)(iii) Provide rapid air reversal that allows persons
underground time to exit in fresh air by the second escapeway or find a place
of refuge; and
(a)(2)(iv) Be done according to predetermined conditions and
procedures.
(3) Evacuation. If used as an alternative,
effective evacuation shall be demonstrated by actual evacuation of all
persons underground to the surface in ten minutes or less through routes that
will not expose persons to heat, smoke, or toxic fumes in the event of a
fire.
(b) If the destruction of any bulkhead on an inactive level would
allow fire contaminants to reach an escapeway, that bulkhead shall be
constructed and maintained to provide at least the same protection as
required for control doors under Table C-3.
TABLE C-3--CONTROL DOOR CONSTRUCTION
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Location | Minimum required construction
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At least 50 feet from: timbered | Control door that meets the
areas, exposed combustible rock, | requirements for a ventilation
and any other combustible | door in conformance with 30
material1 | CFR 57.8531.
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Within 50 feet but no closer than | Control door that serves as a
20 feet of: timbered areas, exposed | barrier to the effects of fire
combustible rock, or other combustible | and air leakage. The control
material1 | door shall provide protection
| at least equivalent to a door
Within 20 feet of: any timbered areas | constructed of no less than
or combustible rock, provided that the | one-quarter inch of plate
timber and combustible rock within the | steel with channel or
20 foot distance are coated with one | angle-iron reinforcement to
inch of shotcrete, one-half inch of | minimize warpage. The
gunite, or other material with | framework assembly of the door
equivalent fire protection | and the surrounding bulkhead,
characteristics and no other | if any, shall be at least
combustible material1 | equivalent to the door in fire
within that distance | and air-leakage resistance,
| and in physical strength.
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Within 20 feet of: timbered areas, | Control door that serves as a
exposed combustible rock, or other | barrier to fire, the effects
combustible material1 | of fire, and air-leakage. The
| door shall provide protection
| at least equivalent to a door
| constructed of two layers of
| wood, each a minimum of
| three-quarters of an inch in
| thickness. The wood grain of
| one layer shall be
| perpendicular to the wood
| grain of the other layer.
| The wood construction shall
| be covered on all sides and
| edges with no less than
| twenty-four gauge sheet steel.
| The framework assembly of the
| door and the surrounding
| bulkhead, if any, shall be at
| least equivalent to the door
| in fire and air-leakage
| resistance, and in physical
| strength. Roll-down steel
| doors with a fire-resistance
| rating of 1 1/2 hours or
| greater, but without an
| insulation core, are
| acceptable if an automatic
| sprinkler or deluge system is
| installed that provides even
| coverage of the door on both
| sides.
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1 In this table, "combustible material" does not refer to installed
wiring or track support.
[50 FR 4082, Jan. 29, 1985; 50 FR 20100, May 14, 1985]