FIRE PREVENTION

GUIDELINE

15 -11-2016

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Introduction

• Objective

• Guideline outline

• Aspects to be addressed in the

guideline

• Conclusions

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• Before the promulgation of the Prevention of Fires at Mines

Guideline, industry relied on regulations 5.1 , 16.1 and risk

assessments to assess preparedness to fire incidents.

• The call for the development of the Fire Prevention Guideline

was mainly due to several outbreaks of fires that accounted

for nineteen (19) fatalities, one hundred and forty nine (149)

injuries and a total of seventy one (71) dangerous

occurrences during the past decade.

• On 16 September 1986, 177 mineworkers were killed at

Kinross Mine in one of South Africa's worst mine disasters

since 1946.

INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION Cont.

• The guideline ,as a proactive endeavor aimed at eliminating

the hazards of fires, should be considered as a primary control

measure to eliminate or reduce the risks of fire.

• Fire protection is a secondary control maesure aimed at

reducing the consequences of a fire by limiting the severity

and impact of a fire.

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ANALYSIS OF FIRE INCIDENTS IN THE MINING INDUSTRY 2014 -2016

Mining Group 2014 Mining Group 2015 Mining Group 2016

DMR Abandoned Sibanye Gold Klooof 7 shaft

Harmony

Joel

Anooraq Bokoni Harmony Doornkop Eland

Simmer and

Jack

Buffels 10

Shaft Pan Africa E.G.M ARM 6 Shaft

Harmony Doornkop Pan Africa E.G.M Bambanani

Sibanye Gold Khomanani Mogale Gold Lonmin EPL 3 shaft

Harmony Kusasalethu Sibanye Gold Kloof Thuthukani Impala 14 Shaft

Exxaro Matla Sibanye Gold

Kloof Hlalanathi

shaft Lanxess 7 EastDecline

Lonmin Saffy shaft Harmony Eland shaft Anglo American Goedehoop

Gold Fields South Deep Harmony

Brand 1 A vent

shaft

Springlake Umnotho DMR Gravelotte

Harmony Kusasalethu

Impala Marula

Harmony Masimong

Harmony Masimong

Assmang Nchwaneng

Lonmin Saffy Shaft

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ANALYSIS CONTINUED

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1.Doornkop, Kusasalethu and Saffy shaft had fires

in both 2014 and 2015 with Doornkop topping

the list with 9 fatalities in 2014.

2. Second on the list is Impala no. 14 shaft with

4 fatalities in 2016

3. Masimong had 2 fires in 2015

2. OBJECTIVE

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• The main objective of this guideline is to enable the

employer at every mine where the risk is fire has been

identified as a significant hazard, to compile a COP, which,

if properly implemented and complied with, would improve

control measures aimed at preventing fire incidents and

improving fire detection systems and thereby minimising

risks of fires at such mines.

• The guideline provides guidance on the required format and

content for the COP and details sufficient technical

background to enable the mine to prepare a comprehensive

and practical COP.

• The guideline mainly consists of two sections namely:-

Fire Risk management; and

Fire prevention controls.

• Included in the guideline are annexures for information

purposes where necessary.

3. GUIDELINE OUTLINE

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ASPECTS ADDRESSED IN THE

GUIDELINE

Fire Risk management

i. Identification of fire hazards- subdivided into combustible

materials and possible ignition sources;

ii. Hazards identification process :–

-requirements of physical inspections and recording of

baseline, issue based and continuous risk assessment;

-review of process employed at the mine to assess probability of

fire as a result of operational malfunctions or process design;

-the distinguishing if hazards are fixed or mobile;

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ASPECTS continued……….. Fire Risk management

iii. Assessment of fire risks:-

- an analysis of the potential fuel and ignition sources and

other factors that can have an impact on the type and

magnitude of fires that could occur;

- the evaluation of the fire risks based on the assessed

consequence and likelihood of a particular fire event.

- the input from a number of specialist areas, including mine

ventilation and emergency response personnel is included as

part of the assessment.

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ASPECTS Continued……….. Fire Risk management

iv. Risk analysis- focusing on the potential for fires,

characterising potential fires, hazard location and ventilation.

v. Risk assessment output – all of the above including the

controls put in place to minimise the risks.

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Fire Prevention Controls

This section describes the application of adequate controls

by considering systems, processes and equipment employed

at the mines covering the following:

i. Design, construction and operation

Mine infrastructure( Annexure 3)

Fixed Plant ( Annexure 3)

Workshops

Mobile Equipment (Annexure 4 and 5)

Managing potential fires – General requirements;

combustible materials; operating and maintenance

procedure.

ASPECTS Continued………..

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Fire Prevention Controls

ii. Purchasing procedures in line with section 21 MHSA

iii. Inspections in line with Regulation 5.1 MHSA

iv. Awareness training for prevention

General fire prevention awareness;

Mobile equipment operators training;

Fixed operators training;

Mobile equipment awareness;

Electrical maintenance personnel;

Fuel storage system personnel

ASPECTS Continued………..

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Aspects continued……….. Fire Prevention Controls

v. Fire protection and emergency response

Reference to be made with regards to fire protection and

emergency response tactics;

describe the principles used in the selection of each tactic,

the alignment with respective fire risk assessment and any

specialist input made in devising the protective measures

and responses (e.g. fire engineering criteria to determine

fire-fighting equipment specifications where deemed

necessary, etc.

Fire prevention measures used in conjunction with the

Guideline for emergency preparedness and response to

provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach in

addressing the prevention and control of fires.

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ASPECTS Continued………..

Fire Prevention Controls

vi. Effective means of monitoring and communicating the

possible presence of a fire covering the following:-

• A brief description of the method(s) employed to detect the

occurrence of a fire, presence of noxious gasses or

flammable gasses underground;

• A brief description of the approach used to position the

sensors to monitor the air flow in the underground workings

effectively for detecting the presence of a fire and facilitate

its location in the mine;

ASPECTS Continued……….. Fire Prevention Controls

• A description of the channels of communication that are to be

used after a fire has been detected, including communication

with neighbouring mines where secondary outlets/escape

routes are shared;

• The process for monitoring of underground environmental

conditions during a fire; AND

• A list of evacuation plans available in the control room that

would include the following amongst others:

Location of various sensors;

Location of refuge bays (inclusive of telephone numbers);

and

Identification of escape routes.

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4. CONCLUSION

• The current Inspection tools will be reviewed to include the

COP aspect.

• The effective date of the Guideline is 28 February 2016.

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