Introduction

Safety in mining operations is of concern to all involved in owning, developing, managing, and working in mining environments. Routine mining activities can generate airborne particulates which are hazardous to human health. Therefore, it is necessary to develop controls which limit the operator’s exposure to airborne particulates while operating equipment from within the operator enclosure. With the rise in the number of countries regulating air quality in mining, construction, and industrial environments, machine manufacturers have become increasingly aware of the need for standard practices in the design and performance of operator enclosures. This document seeks to address the fundamental design requirements that will allow for operator enclosures to perform at a level that provides sustained air quality, reducing concentrations of respirable particulate matter and carbon dioxide that are harmful to human health. The emphasis of this document is in three areas: 1) design, 2) air quality control system performance testing, and 3) maintenance and operation instruction for the operator enclosure.

All operator enclosures, either on new machines or existing machines currently in operation, meeting the requirements of this document are expected to provide consistent air quality performance. The technical aspects of an operator enclosure are universal as are the design and performance testing methods. Therefore, every attempt has been made to make this an inclusive document which addresses the needs of fixed and mobile operator enclosures.

This document was developed to provide for the occupational health and safety of personnel who work inside operator enclosures. It primarily addresses air quality concerns by establishing parameters to determine air quality control system effectiveness. The control of these airborne contaminants is through an effective air quality control system (for both external air and recirculated air), dilution of CO₂, routine testing of the air within the operator enclosure, and effective maintenance throughout the life cycle of the operator enclosure. Extensive research and subsequent publications have produced a substantial body of knowledge around the air quality control systems and are the basis of this document. See Bibliography.

Figure 1 — Air quality control system life cycle

As illustrated in Figure 1, this document presents a life cycle approach to operator enclosure air quality control system design, performance testing, and maintenance.

BS EN ISO 23875:2022

Mining. Air quality control systems for operator enclosures. Performance requirements and test methods

Current

Published:

30 Jun 2022