Egress and entrapment in hardrock mines (revisited)

There has been a substantial change in attitude towards egress and entrapment, along with the role and deploy-ability of mine rescue in hardrock mines in Australia over the past decade. Regulators as well as internal risk assessments are deeming situations that would have been acceptable not that long ago no longer acceptable. The rapid development of technology for remote and teleremote loaders, the size of equipment (and hence development headings) and the introduction of rigorous ground support standards has also led to significant changes in mine stoping methods, all of which have impacts on egress planning. Other enabling factors include the rapid development of fully standalone refuge chambers including highly mobile 4-person chambers. The compulsory use of personal, belt-worn self-contained self-rescuers in hardrock mines (unlike in the USA) has also led to a change in thinking regarding the role of 2nd egresses and in particular ladderways as well as the acceptability of ladderways now being in return air. This paper summarizes what is currently considered to be good practice in Australia in all these areas as well as the reasons why the industry has reached this point, and reviews where egress and entrapment strategies may develop over the next decade.