There are 59 Emergency Response and Rescue related publications listed on this page. Click the icon next to the publication title to show or hide details for that publication. Or, click the icons below to show or hide details for all publications.
 | Barricading Makes a Comeback? Although MSHA still mandates instruction in barricading, greater emphasis is now placed on teaching miners to use SCSRs proficiently and to be knowledgeable about their escape routes. Only recently has at least one mine operator begun to revisit barricading as an alternative to escape. (PDF, 1020 KB, 1997-11)
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| Behavioral and Organizational Dimensions of Underground Mine Fires A scientific study of human behavior during an escape from a fire in an effort to understand and derive benefits for design, engineering and safety efforts. (PDF, 1291 KB, 2000-05)
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| Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Sterilizing Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Mouthpiece Assemblies Used in Hands-On Training This report addresses issues involved in using a limited number of training apparatus to give hands-on self- contained self-rescuer (SCSR) training to a succession of miners, and provides guidance regarding methods for minimizing the spread of infectious diseases. (PDF, 928 KB, 1989)
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| The Effects of Disaster on Workers: A Study of Burnout in Investigators of Serious Accidents and Fatalities in the U.S. Mining Industry Based on the anecdotal data, the authors suggest that specific training in working with grieving families and greater organizational support would be appropriate. In addition, utilizing local community mental health and/or pastoral services are suggested. (PDF, 392 KB, 2000-05)
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| The Emergency Communication Triangle This training material focuses on the content of emergency warning messages. Research has shown that when an emergency occurs, people often do not get the information they need for the purpose of taking appropriate action. (PDF, 256 KB, 1999-10)
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| Emergency Response Planning for Small Mines: Who Needs It? This paper discusses emergency response planning with a special emphasis on small minesites. It addresses the importance of an emergency response plan and offers some tips for developing a useful document. (PDF, 8693 KB, 1994)
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| Emergency Response Veterans Share the Lessons They've Learned Since 1991, researchers have recorded extensive interviews with 30 individuals who are recognized as experts in the area of mine emergency response. These veterans related stories and observations from events experienced during as many as 47 years of response activities. (PDF, 1024 KB, 1996)
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| Emerging Technologies: Aiding Responders in Mine Emergences and During the Escape From Smoke-Filled Passageways This paper describes technology and realistic training simulations that have been identified for the general workforce and mine emergency responders. (PDF, 185 KB, 2001)
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| Expectations Training for Miners using Self-Contained Self-Rescuers in Escape from Underground Coal Mines NIOSH conducted a study to determine the human response issues related to wearing an SCSR. This article describes the findings and discusses the expectations training program developed from the data. The program includes the normal human response in an emergency. (PDF, 140 KB, 2008-10)
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| Fire Response Preparedness for Underground Mines This report deals with the preparedness of miners to respond to underground mine fires. It is intended to aid the mining industry in understanding the various roles of emergency responders and the training techniques used to increase their skill levels. The report also presents a technology overview to assist in effective response to mine fires. (PDF, KB, 2006)
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| Fire Response Preparedness for Underground Mines This report deals with the preparedness of miners to respond to underground fires. It is intended to aid the mining industry in understanding the various roles of emergency responders and the training techniques used to increase their skill levels. The report also presents a technology overview to assist in effective response to mine fires. (PDF, 2438 KB, 2005)
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| Focus on Prevention: Conducting a Fire Risk Assessment The first step to emergency preparedness is defining and analyzing hazards. Although all hazards should be addressed, resource limitations usually do not allow this to happen all at once. (PDF, 755 KB, 1999-10)
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| Focus on Prevention: Conducting a Hazard Risk Assessment The first step to emergency preparedness and maintaining a safe workplace is defining and analyzing hazards. (PDF, 132 KB, 2003-07)
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| How Smoke Hinders Escape from Coal Mine Fires This study predicts the level of smoke that miners might meet while trying to escape a coal minefire and describes how smoke would impede their safe escape. (PDF, 337 KB, 1992)
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| A Human Component to Consider in Your Emergency Management Plans: The Critical Incident Stress Factor In recent years the issue of human stress response in emergency workers has begun to receive attention. This paper presents a rationale for considering human stress as a significant factor in the management of emergencies. It discusses the concept of stress, Critical Incident Stress in emergency responders, and introduces the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) process. It is suggested that, in a disaster, the CISD process can improve the effectiveness of response teams on site, their turnaround time on site, and post disaster time off the job. This paper offers some ideas to the mining industry in general, mine rescue trainers, and more universally, to those responsible for developing emergency management plans. (PDF, 3333 KB, 1995)
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| A Human Component to Consider in Your Emergency Management Plans: The Critical Incident Stress Factor This paper presents a rationale for considering human stress as a significant factor in the management of emergencies It discusses the concept of stress, Critical Incident Stress in
emergency responders, and introduces the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) process. It offers some ideas to the mining industry in general, mine rescue trainers. and more universally, to those responsible for developing emergency management plans.
(PDF, 1356 KB, 1998)
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| I Can't Get Enough Air! Proper Self-contained Self-rescuer Usage This is the Instructor's Copy of the document. This document contains most of the materials needed to use the exercises on proper self-contained self-rescuer usage. (PDF, 3660 KB, 1999-10)
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| Judgment and Decision-Making Under Stress: An Overview for Emergency Managers This paper discusses human judgment and decision making under stress. The authors assert that stress is one of the factors that decision makers must contend with in most life-or-death situations. (PDF, 711 KB, 2003)
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| Knowledge Management and Transfer for Mine Emergency Response US coal mining organizations are losing the knowledge they need in order to be able to respond to emergencies. Knowledge management provides a useful perspective from which to view the problem, but the debate about what constitutes knowledge should be broadened to include a debate about what constitutes management.
(PDF, 173 KB, 2006)
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| Leadership Characteristics in Escape from Three Underground Mine Fires The characteristics of leaders under the duress of an emergency are important in the development of emergency planning, training, and in the management of an actual emergency. The U.S. Bureau of Mines analyzed the leadership behavior in three underground mine fire escapes. This paper discusses the profile of six individual leadership characteristics which emerged from the data. (PDF, 753 KB, 1996)
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| Mine Emergency Response Command Center Training Using Computer Simulation This paper discusses the Mine Emergency Response Interactive Training Simulation (MERITS), a computerized simulation for providing mine emergency command center training. (PDF, 1237 KB, 2002)
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| Mine Rescue and Response This paper describes technology and training that has been identified for underground emergency responders. (PDF, 1018 KB, 2000-09)
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| Mine Rescue Training Simulations and Technology Reports on a series of mine rescue training exercises developed, conducted and evaluated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Deep Mine Safety. (PDF, 509 KB, 1998-05)
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| A Missing Component in Your Emergency Management Plans: The Critical Incident Stress Factor In emergency management, the effects of stress on the performance of emergency personnel, typically have been ignored or regarded as too enigmatic to quantify. This paper discusses the concept of Critical Incident Stress in responders to emergencies. It presents the rationale for considering stress as a significant factor in the management of emergencies. (PDF, 1569 KB, 1994)
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| NIOSH Docket Number 125: Refuge Alternative Research NIOSH prepared a report to summarize the findings of its research into refuge alternatives in underground coal mines, as mandated in Section 13 of The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act). This docket contains the supporting information and key reference materials concerning the utility, practicality, survivability and cost of various refuge alternatives. (HTML, 10 KB, 2008-02)
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| An Oral History Analysis of Mine Emergency Response A compilation of accounts by 30 veteran mine emergency response experts. In their own words, the experts discuss the circumstances of specific explosions, fires, rock falls, and other mine emergencies from their personal experience, the procedures they and their colleagues used in responding to the emergencies, and lessons learned from those experiences. (PDF, 697 KB, 2004-04)
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| Organization Profile: TIEMS The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS) was founded in 1993 as a non-profit organization with the mission of bringing together users, planners, researchers, managers, technicians, response personnel, and other parties interested in emergency management, to exchange knowledge, experience, and ideas about innovative methods and technologies to improve our ability to manage emergencies worldwide. (PDF, 65 KB, 2000-04)
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| An Overview of Technology and Training Simulations for Mine Rescue Teams A series of mine rescue training exercises was developed, conducted, and evaluated by NIOSH in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Deep Mine Safety and several mining companies. (PDF, 288 KB, 1999)
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| Pennsylvania Incorporates Innovative Programs into Mine Rescue Training The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is expanding the knowledge and expertise of its mine rescue teams through innovative training technologies. Full-scale mine rescue simulations, including working in theatrical smoke, have become routine for Pennsylvania mine rescue team members. Now Pennsylvania is transforming its mine rescue training by incorporating computer simulation. These new training programs help to produce mine rescue teams that understand effective emergency response at the mine rescue level and the command center level. (PDF, 695 KB, 2002-02)
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| Performance Comparison of Rescue Breathing Apparatus A performance comparison of 14 rescue breathing apparatus was undertaken as an assessment of past and present worldwide technology. Rescue breathing apparatus are self-contained, closed-circuit breathing apparatus used for entry into areas having atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life and health. (PDF, 3686 KB, 1999-10)
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| Proposal for Certification Tests and Standards for Closed-Circuit Breathing Apparatus In this report, recommendations are made to (1) replace the present regulations for certification of closedcircuit breathing apparatus with quantitative tests specifying metabolic work rate rather than activity, (2) continuously monitor relevant physiological stressors, (3) continue testing until exhaustion of the oxygen source, and (4) classify closed-circuit breathing apparatus by quantity of usable oxygen, i.e., capacity, rather than by duration. Physiology-based stressor levels are suggested as well. (PDF, 1662 KB, 1999-08)
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| Ranking Factors Impacting Survival During Coal Mine Fires This study ranks the factors impacting survival during a coal mine fire. These authors found that a combination of actions was most effective. This combination was: installing lifelines; moderately decreasing air leakage; and decreasing the fire growth rate. (PDF, 675 KB, 1993)
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| Recent Developments in Coal Mining Safety in the United States This paper briefly describes the progress in mine safety in the United States, with emphasis on recent events that have followed since the explosion at the Sago Mine in January 2006. Legislation following the mine accidents in 2006 and areas of work carried out by NIOSH related to the accidents are discussed. (PDF, 3543 KB, 2007)
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| Research Report on Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines Section 13 of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (“MINER Act�), PL 109-236, required NIOSH to conduct "research, including field tests, concerning the utility, practicality, survivability, and cost of various refuge alternatives in an underground coal mine environment, including commercially available portable refuge chambers." This report summarizes the findings of such research, focusing on specific information that could inform the regulatory process on refuge alternatives. Further, gaps in knowledge and technology that should be addressed to help realize the full potential of refuge alternatives are also identified. (PDF, 125 KB, 2007-12)
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| Responders to Underground Mine Fires Fire is a major concern for those who work in underground mines. This paper focuses on responders' preparedness for fire. (PDF, 834 KB, 2001)
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| The Safety and Health of Emergency Workers A successful emengency management effort involves many components. The authors suggest areas in three environmental elements that deserve further inquiry. (PDF, 610 KB, 2001-09)
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| Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Field Evaluation: Fifth-Phase Results A joint effort by the Pittsburgh Research Center (PRC) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) 3 was undertaken to determine how well self-contained self-rescuers (SCSR's), deployed in accordance with Federal regulations (30 CFR 75.1714), held up in the underground environment with regard to both physical damage and aging. This report presents findings regarding laboratory-tested SCSR's in the fifth phase of testing from mid-1993 to early 1996. (PDF, 897 KB, 1996)
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| Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Field Evaluation: First-Year Results of 5-Year Study A joint effort by the Bureau of Mines and the Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, was undertaken to determine how well self-contained self-rescuers (SCSR's), deployed in accordance with Federal Regulations (30 CFR 75.1714), held up in the underground environment. This report presents findings regarding laboratory-tested breathing apparatus from the first year of a 5-yr program as well as other related findings. (PDF, 4536 KB, 1986-01)
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| Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Field Evaluation: Fourth-Phase Results A joint effort by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) and the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) was undertaken to determine how well self-contained self-rescuers (SCRS's), deployed in accordance with Federal regulations (30 CFR 75.1714), held up in the underground environment with regard to both physical damage and aging. This report presents findings regarding laboratory-tested SCSR's in the fourth phase of testing from 1989 to 1993. The SCSR's were tested on human subjects and on a breathing and metabolic simulator (BMS). These results indicate that most of the apparatus, if they pass their inspection criteria, perform as expected except units with manufacturing defects. However, when the apparatus are carried in and out of the mine daily and stored at the working section, they may suffer abuse. (PDF, 5240 KB, 1994-01)
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| Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Field Evaluation: Results From 1982-90 A joint effort by the Bureau of Mines and the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration was undertaken to determine how well self-contained self-rescuers, deployed in accordance with Federal regulations survived the underground environment with regard to both impact damage and aging. (PDF, 1533 KB, 1992)
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| Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Field Evaluation: Seventh-Phase Results The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, has undertaken a study to determine how well self-contained self-rescuers (SCSRs), deployed in accordance with Federal regulations (30 CFR 75.1714), hold up in the underground environment with regard to both physical damage and aging. (PDF, 2420 KB, 2002-03)
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| Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Field Evaluation: Sixth-Phase Results This report presents findings regarding laboratory-tested SCSRs in the sixth phase of testing from mid-1996 to early 1998. The SCSRs were tested on human subjects and on a breathing and metabolic simulator. (PDF, 2639 KB, 2000-07)
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| Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Long Term Field Evaluation Tenth Phase Results This report is the last of 10 report phases begun in 1982 and presents findings regarding laboratory-tested SCSRs in the tenth phase of testing, from July 2004 to March 2006. (PDF, 1683 KB, 2008-06)
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| Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Long Term Field Evaluation: Combined Eighth and Ninth Phase Results NIOSH and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) are conducting a Long Term Field Evaluation (LTFE) program to evaluate deployed self-contained self-rescuers (SCSRs). The objective of the program is to evaluate how well SCSRs endure the underground coal mining environment with regard to both physical damage and aging when they are deployed in accordance with Federal regulations (30 CFR 75.1714). This report presents findings of the combined eighth and ninth phases of the LTFE. (PDF, 1624 KB, 2006-10)
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| Technology News 496 - NIOSH Releases New Computer-Based Training Exercise Called MERITS MERITS simulates underground and surface events related to the disaster. It exposes the user to events that typically occur during a mine emergency, such as lack of information and miscommunication. It also presents trainees with issues that must be addressed, such as making provisions for briefing news media and victims' families, ordering needed supplies, interfacing with Government enforcement agencies, and housing mine rescue teams. (PDF, 455 KB, 2002-06)
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| Technology News 507 - NIOSH Safety Talk: The Emergency Communication Triangle The "Emergency Communication Triangle" safety talk focuses on the content of emergency warning messages. It presents a procedure using mental cues that can be used by senders and receivers of emergency warnings. (PDF, 300 KB, 2004-09)
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| Training Future Mine Emergency Responders Part 1: Who Should Be Trained and How? This is the first of two articles which report the responses from experts when asked how they think people who may have to respond to a future mine emergency should be trained. (PDF, 1759 KB, 1997-10)
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| Training to Improve Emergency Communication Skills This paper introduces a method for teaching workers to communicate necessary information when giving or receiving emergency warning messages. (PDF, 95 KB, 1998-05)
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| Traumatic Incident Stress: Information for Emergency Response Workers Disasters take many forms and demand quick response from emergency workers. This is a brief guide on what emergency response workers should do in the event of traumatic incidents. (PDF, 474 KB, 2002-01)
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| U.S. Bureau of Mines Technology Applicable to Disaster Response, Urban Search And Rescue Since 1910, the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) has investigated practical ways of dealing with the consequences of major fires and explosions in underground mines. The results of this research have had a significant positive impact on the mining community by enhancing mine workers chances of surviving an underground mine disaster. Three USBM research areas are discussed:(1) Life Support (2) Trapped Miner Location and 3) Mine Fire Diagnostics. (PDF, 3087 KB, 1994)
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| An Underground Coal Mine Fire Preparedness and Response Checklist: The Instrument Provides a detailed description of a data collection instrument used to profile the fire prevention and response capabilities of a mine site. (PDF, 1179 KB, 2000)
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| Underground Mine Fire Preparedness: Part 1 of 4 - Study Overview and Perspective of Underground Mine Fires This is Part 1 in a series of 4 articles that address underground fire preparedness. The series is primarily based on an analysis of Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reportable mine fires and information gained from recent interviews with 214 miners at 7 underground coal mines. Answers to questions will be addressed based on a data analysis of mine fires occurring from 1978-1992. (PDF, 604 KB, 1997-05)
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| Underground Mine Fire Preparedness: Part 2 of 4 - Preparedness to Evacuate and Miners' Experiences with Incipient Fires This is the second in a series of four articles that discuss underground fire fighting preparedness. In this article, the authors describe miners' preparedness to evacuate a fire and their experience with incipient fires. (PDF, 1427 KB, 1997-07)
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| Underground Mine Fire Preparedness: Part 3 of 4 - Underground Fire-Fighting Experiences And Workers' Perceptions of Training And Readiness For Fire-Fighting This is the third in a series of four articles that discuss underground fire fighting preparedness. In this article, the authors describe miners' experience with in fighting underground mine fires and present their perceptions of training and readiness for fire-fighting. (PDF, 1563 KB, 1997-08)
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| Underground Mine Fire Preparedness: Part 4 of 4: Suggested Improvements and Implications for Training Miners in Fire-Fighting Preparedness This is the fourth and final article in a series that discusses underground fire fighting preparedness. As with the previous three articles, it is based on interviews with 214 miners at 7 underground coal mines. This final article in the series offers suggestions to improve mine fire-fighting preparedness. (PDF, 3753 KB, 1997-09)
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| The Use of Nitrogen-Enhanced Foam at the Pinnacle Mine Fire This paper evaluates the effectiveness of remotely applied nitrogen-enhanced foam to aid in efforts to isolate and suppress a mine fire. (PDF, 1866 KB, 2005)
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| Using Major Hazard Risk Assessment to Appraise and Manage Escapeway Instability Issues: A Case Study A Major Hazard Risk Assessment (MHRA) is a structured process that identifies the characteristics of major hazards, assesses and ranks the risk they present, and evaluates engineering and administrative controls to mitigate them. This paper provides a case study example as to how the MHRA approach might be used to mitigate the risk of roof instability and fire hazards in US underground mines. (PDF, 462 KB, 2007)
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| Using the Internet to Train Emergency Command Center Personnel Well-prepared personnel and an effective emergency response plan are essential
components of any emergency command center. The National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is developing an Internet-based,
computer simulation training package for the mining industry. (PDF, 222 KB, 2000-05)
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| Worker Responses To Realistic Evacuation Training This paper discusses the data collected during an emergency evacuation training exercise at an underground mine in the United States. The focus of this paper is on the human reaction to smoke and the use of personal protective equipment. (PDF, 277 KB, 1997-01)
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