30 CFR § 75.1107-13
Approval of other fire suppression devices.
Notwithstanding the provisions of
§§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
§§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:
(m)(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.
(m)(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.
(m)(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.
(m)(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.
(m)(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.
(m)(6) Hose, if used on the machine, in addition to meeting
the flame resistant requirements for the cover of a hose provided in
§§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.
(m)(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 §75.1100-2(a) shall be
maintained.
(m)(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.
[37 FR 15303, July 29, 1972]
