Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
Search
            ×
                        Mining
                        Mining
                            NIOSH
                            All CDC
                    Submit
                For a full list of topics:A-Z Index
                Advanced Search
            Advanced Search


The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)





Mining Contract: Personal Air Safety System (PASS)
Keywords: Blasting Carbon monoxide Diesel particulate matter Inhaling harmful substances Nitrogen dioxide
This page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being maintained or updated.
Contract #
200-2014-58753Start Date
9/1/2014End Date
8/31/2016Research Concept
It is of great importance to provide miners with real-time alerts to potentially harmful air contaminants if a dangerous threshold of either immediate or timed exposure is detected.Topic Areas
Atmospheric Monitoring
Diesel Exhaust
Contract Status & Impact
This contract is complete. To receive a copy of the final report, send a request to mining@cdc.gov.
Underground mining makes increasing use of diesel-powered mining equipment as well as blasting. Because the machinery is operated and the blasting occurs in an enclosed space, high concentrations of potentially harmful air contaminants can be generated. Diesel-powered equipment exhaust products—most notably nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and diesel particulate matter (DPM)—are known to be potentially hazardous air contaminants. While some devices exist to detect these, they are often fairly bulky and expensive, with no connectivity to other systems.
To address this problem, OMSHR is interested in providing mine workers with a monitor that allows them to individually track their exposure to these air contaminants in real time. Because miners work in confined areas with heavy machinery in operation and significant extremes in temperature, vibration, and shock, this monitor must be affordable, easily wearable, very small, and extremely rugged, while able to alert the mine worker through multiple means (i.e., without dependency on a single method to alert the worker to danger). A wireless capability to pass on alerts would be of considerable additional use.
This contract research supports the development of PASS (Personal Air Safety System)—a miniature sensor system small enough to be attached to nearly any convenient location such as the belt, mounted on or integrated within the helmet or a strap, or possibly integrated into ear protection currently worn. PASS builds on the International Electronics Machine (IEM) Corporation’s prior miniature wired and wireless sensor systems for military and commercial vendors. This technology will also take advantage of Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) sensor technology and innovative methods for power cycling to ensure constant operation throughout even multiple shifts between recharges.
The basic PASS unit will track the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide and use sight, sound, and vibration to alert the wearer when specific concentration limits are exceeded. This may include tracking concentration levels over time and producing a time-weighted average for exposure (especially for carbon monoxide). Additional PASS development could include the ability to measure and track exposure limits in more advanced ways and to measure the presence of DPM. PASS must also be designed to meet MSHA permissibility requirements for intrinsic safety. Current sensing monitors are used for detecting gases such as methane; PASS could later integrate such capacities as well.

See Also
Blasting-Related Carbon Monoxide Incident in Bristow, Virginia
CO Migration from Trench Blasting in Amherst, New York
Dangers of Toxic Fumes from Blasting
The Effects of Passive Diesel Particulate Filters on Diesel Particulate Matter Concentrations in Two Underground Metal/Nonmetal Mines
Factors Affecting ANFO Fumes Production
Factors Affecting Fumes Production of an Emulsion and ANFO/Emulsion Blends
Field Studies of CO Migration from Blasting
Fugitive Carbon-Based Gases: Blasting Related or Not
Toxic Fume Comparison of a Few Explosives Used in Trench Blasting
A Wearable Multivariable Sensor for NO2 and CO Detection
Page last reviewed: July 18, 2016
Page last updated: October 11, 2014
Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program
Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate Mining
        Site BrowserSafety and Health TopicsData & StatisticsMethodologyMine DisastersMSHA Data FilesMine & Mineworker ChartsTools & PublicationsTools You Can UsePublicationsNews & ArticlesResearch ProgramNORA Mining CouncilStrategic PlanMining Program, 2019-2023Miner Health Program, 2020-2030ProjectsContractsFunding OpportunitiesMining LinksAbout UsContact NIOSH MiningEmploymentFacilitiesHistoryVisitor Information Atmospheric Monitoring
Diesel Exhaust
 NIOSH Homepage
 NIOSH A-Z
Workplace Safety & Health Topics
Publications and Products
Programs


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
				Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
				You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
				CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue