BS EN 14973:2015

What is BS EN 14973 – Conveyor Belts about? 

BS EN 14973 is an international standard that discusses the electrical and flammability safety requirements of conveyor belts for use in underground installations. The main purpose of a conveyor system is to move objects from one location to another. The design allows for the movement of objects that are too heavy or too bulky for humans to carry by hand. 

BS EN 14973 specifies electrical and flammability safety requirements for conveyor belts intended for use in underground installations, in the presence of flammable or non-flammable atmospheres. Conveyor belts covered by BS EN 14973 are intended for use in flammable atmospheres are intended for use on conveyor belt installations (machinery in mines). 

Note: BS EN 14973 is not applicable to light conveyor belts as described in EN ISO 21183-1:2006 nor is it applicable to conveyor belts that are manufactured before the date of publication of BS EN 14973 by CEN. 

Who is BS EN 14973 – Conveyor Belts for? 

BS EN 14973 on conveyor belts for underground installation applies to: 

• Manufacturer of conveyor belt 
• Companies dealing with underground mining 
• Quality testing and maintenance 

Why should you use BS EN 14973 – Conveyor Belts? 

The main purpose of a conveyor system is to move objects from one location to another. The design allows for the movement of objects that are too heavy or too bulky for humans to carry by hand. Conveyor systems save time when transporting items from one location to another. 

BS EN 14973 provides you with the methods for addressing hazards that can be found to be appropriate in: 

• Static electricity is universally accepted as a suitable means of measuring the electrical surface resistance of conveyor belts. 
• Frictional heating between the conveyor belt and the drive. This hazard can be addressed satisfactorily by using the drum friction 
• Ignition. This hazard can be addressed by using the laboratory burner tests 
• Fire propagation. Resistance to the propagation along the conveyor belt of a fire initiated from a relatively small localized heat source such as an overheated failed idler bearing has been measured using the tests. 

BS EN 14973 provides you with an electrical resistance in which the conveyor belts are intended for use in underground installations should have an electrical surface resistance not greater than 300 MΩ. 

As a result, BS EN 14973 ensures you the electrical and flammability safety requirements for conveyor belts for use in underground installations. 

What’s changed since the last update? 

BS EN 14973:2015 supersedes BS EN 14973:2006+A1:2008, which is withdrawn. It includes: 

• Requirements for alternative Fire Propagation test, method D, added. 
• For a defined range of belts, this laboratory-scale test can be substituted for the full-scale test specified in EN 12881-2 and 8.4 of BS EN 14973.