Already 13,000 new masks in the pits

OSTRAVA – Exactly thirteen thousand new Dräger OXY K 50 S  German-made self-rescuer devices are currently employed in the OKD mining district. They are used in the mines by miners in all the pits with the exception of the Paskov Mine where so far it was handed out to the technicians only. At the same time, the first improvement suggestions within the scope of the Continuous Improvement programmes were submitted.

“We started to replace the old Ukrainian-made SSS 1 PV masks that, in several versions, were used since the nineties of the last century in November,“ said Jaroslav Provázek, Master Mechanic of the Main Mining Rescue Service (HBZS). Its employees marked the devices, delivered them to the pits and collected the olds masks. They also had to find a new storage space for the differently sized masks.

Recently, in the Staříč pit, the lamp room was measured to install new racks. Here, the first batch of 360 pieces for the techno-economic staff was delivered. “A general replacement will be completed between June and August next year. Then, based on the situation, we will flexibly address the supply of new self-rescuer devices to the re-fitting points in the mines,“ Mr. Provázek mentioned.

The highest number of masks is in the Karviná Mine – 2083 at the Lazy Mine and 2840 in the ČSA plant: hence, a total of 4923. The ČSM Mine received 2000 masks for the “Jih“  Plant and 1650 for the “Sever“ Plant. In the Darkov Mine, 4029 were replaced. If we add the devices from the Paskov Mine and the spare equipment in the HBZS, we obtain thirteen thousand. However, the users of the old masks do not have to worry, since these are still “viable“. The discarded masks are sent away for environmentally friendly disposal.

The experience of the miners with the Dräger masks is mainly positive. Their flat and angular shape suits some spaces better then the Ukrainian “cylinders“. The weight of the old and the new masks is more or less identical. “We react to suggestions. For example, within the scope of the Continuous Improvement programme, we improve the shoulder strap. The Germans provided a different system of straps, which made it more difficult to walk with,“ Mr. Provázek added.

(Radek Lukša)