Fire suppression advancements in mining

When compared to all other industries known to man, the mining industry is on par with some of the riskiest and hazardous industries such as oil and gas. But, inevitably, it has become a widely accepted part of the job that with high risks come great rewards.

In the before time, the idea and concept of investing in safety technology were passed on from one mining company to the next as nothing but a profit drain.

This ignorance led to a substantial number of crippling losses involving production, equipment, and ultimately the lives of several good working men. For example, the disastrous fire outbreak titled the “1912 North Mount Lyell Disaster” that took 43 lives was a massive wakeup call to the mining industry of the dangers of fire at mining sites.

With such ignorance in safety precautions, a whiplash of negativity clouded public relations between mining companies and local communities of mining sites. One of the significant impacts due to these challenges was the high premiums on insurance placed on mining companies. The high levels of scrutiny were intense and could have been completely avoided had more attention been placed to fire safety equipment and technology.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and after several of hard learned lessons, the mining industry is proud to be one of the industries with the most advanced fire suppression systems available today.

With the invention of fire suppression systems that use dry chemicals responsible for discharging monoammonium phosphate, the suppression of flames is very fast and effective in turn preventing any losses relating to repairs and replacements.

Dry chemical agents used in fire suppression systems are intended for environmental conditions that are considered too severe with the need to immediately douse the fire. By simply flooding the affected area with the dry chemical agent, fires are eradicated quickly.

Additionally, liquid agents are also used to help cut off any oxygen supply to the fire by blanketing the fuel and cooling the affected area to prevent any reflash from happening. In terms of storage, mining sites often boast no luxury of space and therefore the invention of compact 5 gallon tank fire suppression systems have proved to be invaluable.

Most of these fire suppression tanks contain liquid agents that can be simultaneously used together with a dry chemical agent.

Other fire suppression systems include the use of CO₂ cartridges which are meant for lower temperatures that range from 0°C to 54°C and the use of supplies containing Nitrogen for operation at temperatures that range from -54°C to 99°C.

Advancements like these have led to a better and brighter future for the mining industry with public relations growing in a positive direction, lower insurance costs, reduced downtimes, and the safety of miners being a priority. All of these improvements have created a better environment attracting investors from all around the world.

On top of having the right equipment to eradicate the fire, it is crucial for a mining site to possess the right system for detection such as an electrical detection system. These electrical detection systems work together with the fire suppression systems (dry, liquid, and twin-agents which use both dry and liquid agents).

The additional technologies associated with electrical detection systems such as control modules for shock and vibration resistance and thermal detection of spots and linear wires facilitate effective emergency procedures to be carried out.

In order to ensure a proper approach is taken when assessing fire safety at mining sites, it is widely recommended to consult a fire suppression systems specialist due to the varying requirements of each mining site.

A good fire suppression systems specialist will examine the environmental conditions and atmosphere of the mining site before recommending any fire suppression systems. Through contracting with a fire suppression systems specialist, mining companies can receive the best and latest fire safety technologies and will, as a result, help to improve the industry and community overall.