Wyoming Administrative Code › Agency 053 - Workforce Services, Department of › Sub-Agency 0004 - Mining Inspector › Chapter 4 - UNDERGROUND COAL MINES › Subpart L - Fire Protection › Section 75.1107-13 - Approval of other fire suppression devices

Current through July 13, 2024
Notwithstanding the provisions of SS 75.1107-1 through
					 75.1107-12 the District Manager for the District in which the mine is located
					 may approve any other fire suppression system or device which provides
					 substantially equivalent protection as would be achieved through compliance
					 with those sections: Provided, That no such system or device shall be approved
					 which does not meet the following minimum criteria:
(a) Components shall be approved by the
				  Secretary, or where appropriate be listed as approved by a nationally
				  recognized agency approved by the Secretary.
(b) The fire suppression equipment shall be
				  designed to withstand the rigors of the mine environment. Where used, pressure
				  vessels shall conform with the requirements of section 3603, 3606, 3607, 3707,
				  and 3708 of National Fire Code No. 22 "Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection"
				  (NFPA No. 22-1971).
(c) The cover
				  of hose of fire suppression devices, if used on the protected equipment, shall
				  meet the flame-resistant requirements of part 18 of this chapter (Bureau of
				  Mines Schedule 2G).
(d)
				  Extinguishing agents shall not create a serious toxic or other hazard to the
				  miners.
(e) The electrical
				  components of the fire suppression device shall meet the requirements for
				  electrical components of the mining machine.
(f) Where used, manual actuators for
				  initiating the operation of the fire suppression device shall be readily
				  accessible to the machine operator. On unattended equipment, an automatic as
				  well as a manual actuator shall be provided.
(g) On unattended equipment the fire
				  suppression device shall operate independently of the power to the main motor
				  (or equivalent) so it will remain operative if the circuit breakers (or other
				  protective device) actuates. On attended equipment powered through a trailing
				  cable the fire suppression device shall operate independently of the electrical
				  power provided by the cable.
(h) On
				  unattended equipment, the sensor system shall have a means for checking its
				  operative condition.
(i) The fire
				  suppression agent shall be directed at locations where the greatest potential
				  fire hazard exists. Cable reel compartments shall receive approximately twice
				  the quantity of extinguishing agent as each other hazardous location.
(j) The rate of application of the fire
				  suppression agent shall minimize the time for quenching and the total quantity
				  applied shall be sufficient to quench a fire in its incipient stage.
(k) The effectiveness of the quenching agent,
				  together with the total quantity of agent and its rate of application shall
				  provide equivalent protection to the water, dry powder, or foam systems
				  described in SS 75.1107-7, 75.1107-9, and 75.1107-10.
(l) The fire suppression device shall be
				  operable at all times electrical power is connected to the mining machine,
				  except during tramming when the machine is in a ventilated passageway, the
				  water hose if used, may be switched from one hydrant to another in a reasonable
				  time and except in systems meeting the minimum special criteria set forth in
				  paragraph (m) of this section.
(m)
				  Systems for attended equipment which are not continuously connected to a water
				  supply shall not be approved unless they meet the following minimum criteria:
(1) The machine shall be equipped with a
				  firehose at least 50 feet in length which is continuously connected to the
				  machine-mounted portion of the system.
(2) Hydrants in proximity to the area where
				  the machine is to be used shall be equipped with sufficient hose to reach the
				  machine at any time it is connected to a power source.
(3) The machine shall be used only where the
				  operator (or other person) will always be in ventilated air uncontaminated by
				  smoke and hot gases from the machine fire while extending the machine-mounted
				  hose to connect with the hydrant-mounted hose.
(4) The machine and hydrant hoses shall be
				  readily accessible so that the connection between the machine-mounted hose and
				  the hydrant hose can be made and water flow achieved in not more than 3 minutes
				  under actual mining conditions for any location of the machine while electric
				  power is connected.
(5) The rate of
				  water flow at the machine shall provide a minimum of 0.12 gallon of water per
				  minute per square foot of top surface area (excluding conveyors, cutters, and
				  gathering heads). The water shall discharge to all hazardous locations on the
				  machine.
(6) Hose, if used on the
				  machine, in addition to meeting the flame resistant requirements for the cover
				  of a hose provided in SS 75.1107-3(b) and 75.1107-13(c) shall have a minimum
				  burst pressure 4 times that of the static water pressure at the mining machine.
				  Fabric braid hose shall have at least two braids, and wire braid hose shall
				  have at least a single braid.
(7)
				  In addition to the hose located at the hydrant (which is intended to be
				  connected to the hose on the machine) the firefighting equipment required by S
				  75.1100-2(a) shall be maintained.
(8) A sufficient number of trained miners
				  shall be kept on the section when the machine is in use to connect the machine
				  hose to the hydrant hose and achieve water flow in not more than 3
				  minutes.