Western Canada Mine Rescue Manual PDF

Western Canada Mine Rescue Manual Chapter 2 Mine Rescue Organization 2-1 OBJECTIVES Before learning the skills necessary to complete mine rescue operations, trainees must understand how teams and rescue operations are organized. Upon completing this chapter, the trainee shall be able to demonstr...

Western Canada Mine Rescue Manual Chapter 2 Mine Rescue Organization 2-1 OBJECTIVES Before learning the skills necessary to complete mine rescue operations, trainees must understand how teams and rescue operations are organized. Upon completing this chapter, the trainee shall be able to demonstrate competency in:  Mine Rescue Team Structure  Communications by Team Members  Decision-making Processes  Personal Protective Equipment requirements  Fresh Air Bases/Zones  First Response to Hazardous Materials  Physical/Emotional Stress in Critical Incidents CONCEPTS AND DEFINTIONS A Mine Emergency Response Plan (MERP) is the company’s guide to all procedures and plans of action in the case of an emergency on-site. This plan describes roles and responsibilities for management, rescue teams, and support personnel. An Incident Management System, such as Incident Command System (ICS), allows for command, control, and co-ordination during emergency response. The incident management system is a component of a MERP. THE MINE RESCUE TEAM Mine rescue teams are called upon to respond to many different kinds of emergencies. Time will be an important factor, and the following practices will help teams work efficiently in an emergency: 1. The first and foremost is team structure. This leads to successful efforts in disciplines such as extrication techniques, first aid methods and firefighting procedures that require a team effort. 2. The team should plan and practice basic procedures prior to an emergency situation. The Captain The Captain is the No. 1 member on the team. Above all, the Captain must be a competent leader who has the confidence and respect of team members. The Captain must be in good physical and mental condition and experienced in every aspect of emergency response. The Captain’s responsibilities include:  Ensuring team is response-ready  Ensuring breathing apparatus and auxiliary equipment are response-ready  Ensuring safe operation of all rescue equipment  Communicating within the emergency response structure  Knowledge of all facilities at the mine and relevant fire, explosive, electrical, mechanical, and chemical hazards  Knowledge of ventilation principles  Knowledge of mine gases  Directing and assisting the work of team members at the scene  Determining and inspecting all aspects of a rescue operation  Establishing and maintaining incident scene security and control 2-2 The Vice-Captain The Vice Captain of a surface mine rescue team is the No. 2 member. In underground teams, the ViceCaptain is the No. 5 member. In the event that the Captain is unable to perform the assigned responsibilities, the Vice-Captain must take control of the team and therefore must have the same qualifications as the Captain. Vice-Captains are also responsible for monitoring members of the team and warning the Captain if any member shows signs of distress or fatigue during a response. They must also make certain that team members rotate while carrying a stretcher over distances to prevent fatigue. Team Members A standard mine rescue team has six members including the Captain. The sixth member of an underground team is the Co-ordinator and provides direction from the surface incident command centre to the underground team Captain. All team members are responsible for recognizing hazards and relaying that information to other team members. The team must be rested regularly and be constantly observed for signs of distress in any member. Work must be distributed as evenly as possible among all members. Team Captains will delegate duties among the other team members, such as:  Exploring affected area of the mine  Rope work and rigging  Firefighting  First Aid  Extrication Teams may add members during a response based on their requirements or the members’ specific skill set. Any additional team members must have a number assigned to them in sequence beyond the six original members. Mutual Aid Large incidents may require assistance from other mines or emergency agencies. This collaboration is known as mutual aid and is a component of a MERP. When collaborating with mine rescue teams, it is imperative to follow the same numbering format for team designations. This will ensure that communications between incident management and each responding team are aligned with the MERP and that all responsibilities are assigned in an orderly manner. If extra personnel are added to a team, each rescuer will be assigned team numbers continuing from the basic six (team member 7, 8, 9, etc.). Mine Rescue Unit The mine rescue unit consists of a minimum of three mine rescue teams summoned to a mine disaster. If the operation extends beyond six hours, additional teams must be called in. To reduce fatigue, the teams rotate to allow one team at work, one team on hand as backup, and the third team at rest. Typical rotations for a three-, six-, and nine-team units are as follows: Active Team (Max. 2 hrs.) A-team B-team C-team Back-up Team B-team C-team A-team Team at Rest C-team A-team B-team 2-3 Fig 2.1: This table shows a rotation of mine rescue teams in a six-team arrangement. The arrangement allows for each rotation to have six hours on duty (two hours active, two hours standby and two hours reserve) followed by six hours of rest. DATE: TIME TEAM # DESCRIPTION 1 ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY 2 STAND BY ACTIVE 3 RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE 4 RESERVE ACTIVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE 6 RESERVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE 5 RESERVE STAND BY RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE SIGNED: Fig. 2.2: This table shows a rotation of Mine Rescue teams in a nine-team arrangement. With a nine-team rotation, the rest time will be extended to match the teams deployed to the mine emergency. DATE: TIME DESCRIPTION TEAM # 1 ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE 2 STAND BY ACTIVE 3 RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE 4 5 6 7 8 9 RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE RESERVE STAND BY ACTIVE SIGNED: 2-4 COMMUNICATION BY TEAM MEMBERS All members of a mine rescue team must observe strict discipline and must obey all directions given to them by the Team Captain. Primary communication is done via electronic devices, such as phones or intrinsically safe radios where required. Surface team members should all carry whistles for secondary communication. On underground teams, the Captain and the Vice‑Captain will both carry a horn, bell, whistle, or use other site-specific methods or devices. A standard set of signals has been established. One Two Three (Distress) Four (Attention) Five (Retreat) Standard Code of Signals To advance if stopped; to stop if in motion. To rest. This signal will often be given by the Vice-Captain as he is observing the team members during travel and will be first to notice signs of distress. At this signal, all team members will look at the person giving the signal and receive further instructions At this signal, the team will immediately retreat in the direction from which they have come. The Vice-Captain (underground) may lead the team in retreat for short distances through areas already explored, but should not lead the team into unexplored areas. As soon as circumstances permit, the Captain should resume the responsibility of leading the team. DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES Mine rescue responsibilities can be very demanding. Mine rescue members may be the first trained personnel to arrive at the incident scene. They are required to:  Control the scene  Ensure the MERP is initiated  Ensure the safety of self and team, casualties, and bystanders  Assist with casualty extrication and first aid  Fight fires  Control chemical spills Response and Size Up Response begins when a rescue team is alerted to an incident. It involves safely travelling to and arriving at the incident scene, then staging and securing equipment and vehicles. Response elements include:  Preparation: Ensuring equipment, including PPE, is in its designated location; familiarity with facilities, response procedures, and pre-incident plans  Method of alert/notification: Alarms, two-way radio, telephone, pager  Establish communication within the rescue team and between team and command structure  Safe travel to incident: Seatbelts, route, site specific traffic rules, exiting the vehicle  Arrival at the scene: o Accountability: Under the command structure, account for the responding rescue team members first then for all personnel at the incident scene. o Freelancing: Acting independently of command instruction is unacceptable and must not be tolerated. 2-5 Identify the Problem Size up is a systematic process of gathering information and situational evaluation that continues throughout the operation. Size up is essential to accomplish a safe and efficient rescue operation. There are four parts to size up: 1. Information gathered from the initial call: o Nature and location of emergency o Number of people/injuries involved o Weather conditions o Time of day o Equipment involved and access to the scene 2. Details observed en route: o Power blackouts o Smoke in the direction of the emergency o Traffic (unusual flow or congestion) and bystanders 3. Details observed at the scene: o Signs of hazardous conditions observed while establishing perimeter o Confirm / compare observations to information given in the initial call o Gasoline or fuel, chemical release or spill o Location of casualties o Actions that may have been taken by people already at the scene 4. Information gathered during size up is either factual (known or confirmed) or probable (assumptions made based on situation). For example, building occupancy based on time of day would be classified as probable. Hazard assessment involves identifying and evaluating hazards that may be encountered during the rescue operation. These hazards include:  Fire  Hazardous atmospheres (e.g., chemical hazards, toxic gases, oxygen displacement)  Energy sources (e.g., electrical, gas, nuclear)  Physical (e.g., structure, traffic, topography)  Biological  Environmental  Evaluate all influencing factors (e.g., time, location, environment, weather) Formulate an objective based on known information and resources  Determine what resources are required to accomplish the task (e.g., offensive or defensive)  Risk-based decision-making based on the fundamental principles of mine rescue Select one or more alternatives from the available options  Choose priorities based on the task and the resources available. Take appropriate action  Conduct all activities in a manner that ensures the safety of team members, casualties, and bystanders. Analyze results  Continuous process throughout the response  Be prepared to choose an alternative action if results are unsatisfactory. 2-6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT The environment in which mine rescue teams perform their duties demands that they be provided with the appropriate personal protective equipment. The provision and use of appropriate protective equipment will not, by themselves, assure individual safety. All protective equipment components have limitations that must be recognized so that users will not overextend their range of protection. Extensive training in the care, use, and maintenance of protective equipment is essential to assure that it will provide optimum protection. All members should be aware of the type of equipment needed for different situations and know where to find it. All equipment used must meet relevant health and safety legislation, standards, and regulations.  Head protection  Eye and face protection  Hearing protection  Respiratory protection  Hand protection  Foot protection  Protective clothing  Specialized equipment and tools (e.g., chainsaw chaps, extrication tools) FRESH-AIR BASE/ZONE A fresh‑air base/zone is an area in which good respirable air has been established and can be maintained indefinitely. It is the point of departure for the mine rescue team and no one should proceed beyond the fresh‑air base/zone without wearing respiratory protection. In choosing the base/zone, consideration should be given to providing the following:  A clean area with good lighting  A safe location as close to the incident as possible  An area for briefing and debriefing mine rescue teams  Adequate space to perform the necessary work  Necessary tools and supplies to carry out the work at hand For underground fresh-air bases, consideration should also be given to make sure that:  The travel way from the base to surface must always be assured of good air.  Underground-to-surface communication is uninterrupted. 2-7 FIRST REPSONSE TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Rescue members should be competent in site-specific response procedures. In the event of any incident involving hazardous materials, rescuers can refer to:  The Emergency Response Guidebook for Incidents Involving Hazardous Materials  Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or Information Sheets provided by the manufacturer for all products on-site  CANUTEC (Canadian Transport Emergency Centre, a 24-hour national emergency response advisory service) and WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders)  On-site expertise PHYSICAL/EMOTIONAL STRESS IN CRITICAL INCIDENTS A critical incident is an event that is outside the range of usual human experience and is psychologically traumatic to the person. Critical incidents may produce a wide range of stress reactions, which can appear immediately at the scene, a few hours later or within a few days of the event. Stress reactions usually occur in four different categories:  Cognitive (thinking)  Physical (body)  Emotional (feelings)  Behavioural (actions) The more reactions experienced, the greater the impact on the individual. The longer the reactions last, the more potential there is for permanent harm. These stresses can cause a wide variety of reactions: Category Symptoms Cognitive Emotional Physical Behavioural Poor concentration Poor attention span Indecision Loss of emotional control Depression Guilt Muscle tremors Gastrointestinal distress Headaches Excessive silence Withdrawal from contact Change in eating habits Memory problems Difficulty with calculations Slowed problem solving Feeling lost or overwhelmed Anxiety/Fear Grief Chest pains Difficulty breathing Elevated blood pressure Atypical behaviour Sleep disturbance Change in work habits These conditions result from the effects of the body’s chemical emergency response system. Following the completion of a mine rescue emergency response, mine rescue teams must hold a debriefing. A Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) or other counselling procedures should be conducted with all personnel directly involved in a Critical Incident. The debriefing should be held immediately at the end of the emergency response and be facilitated by qualified professionals. 2-8