In conjunction with OSHA and NIOSH, MSHA announced that mine operators must start to phase out the use of SR-100 self-contained self-rescuers (SCSRs) that are manufactured by CSE Corp. due to an investigation that found the units do not conform to safety requirements. "Due to the large number of CSE SR-100s in underground coal mines,
multiple SCSRs available to miners, the low probability of failure and
the shortage of immediately available replacements, MSHA and NIOSH have
determined that an orderly phase-out will better protect the safety of
miners than immediate withdrawal of the devices," says MSHA's Joseph A. Main.
According to MSHA, mine operators are required to replace the units "with any
other approved 1-hour SCSR, those SR-100s that are worn or carried by
miners and stored on mantrips" by April 26, 2013. The entire phase out must be completed by Dec. 31, 2013.
Additional information can be found on MSHA's CSE-SR-100 source page.
A Blog From the American Society of Safety Engineers