Chamber Maintenance
Protect your capital investment with MineARC’s Service Program.
As with most forms of complex industrial machinery, MineARC Chambers require regular servicing to maintain optimum performance. Without servicing, vital operational componentry within the chamber may become compromised and fail to work during critical times.
Of particular concern are components that receive the most day-to-day wear and tear while the chamber operates in standby mode, including filter elements, door seals, mufflers and vent valves. Over time, these parts inevitably degrade and break down.
MineARC’s global service team are here to help make servicing easy. Our After Sales Support team are on call seven days a week to answer your questions and provide solutions to your problems. Out in the field, our qualified service technicians are available to travel to your site in order to perform a fully comprehensive chamber service.
MineARC Service Program
MineARC Systems provides a comprehensive Service Program to all MineARC Refuge Chamber clients. Aside from providing regular and reliable chamber servicing conducted by a certified MineARC technician, MineARC’s Service Program offers a range of benefits that help make managing your refuge chambers easy.
- Ensure your chambers are compliant and covered by MineARC’s $20 million product liability insurance
- Receive a free annual audit on all MineARC Chambers
- Chamber certification and commissioning
- Priority response on service scheduling and assistance
- Full access to MineARC’s engineers, electricians and technical staff for product support and troubleshooting
- Automatic service scheduling, chemical expiry reminders and RSP re-orders
- Enjoy peace of mind that your Chamber fleet is operating optimally in case of an emergency
Without regular servicing, parts within the chamber necessary to the ongoing performance of vital life-support systems (such as Oxygen supply, CO/CO2 scrubbing and air-conditioning), may become compromised and fail to work during an emergency.
During a service, a MineARC Technician will perform a full chamber check; recommending and fitting replacement parts if necessary. Regardless of whether sites conduct their own service checks, MineARC recommends an on-site service check and safety audit every year to ensure servicing is being properly carried out.
As MineARC Chambers utilise an array of complex processes that all work together, it is crucial that they undergo regular safety audits. An audit is the best way to immediately identify issues and potential risks to be addressed with regards to the safe and correct operation of the chamber.
As part of the Service Program, MineARC offers our 50-Point Safety Audit free of charge. Conducted by a fully trained MineARC Service Technician, this audit is crucial to the continued optimal performance of your chambers. During the comprehensive audit the MineARC technician will run through all lifesaving systems within the chamber, testing they are operating at 100%.
In addition, we can provide refresher operator training at the same time, refreshing all site personnel in the emergency operation of a MineARC Chamber.
MineARC has been a great asset to PMC. They have provided technical expertise on the maintenance of our Refuge Chambers, proactively recommended and implemented improvements in areas that add value and have provided real backup on spare parts. A pleasure to work with and always accommodating, their staff is very personable and they handle all my Refuge Chamber needs.
Jonas Ndlovu
Mine Captain, Palabora Mining Company (PMC)
Self Servicing
A team of qualified service technicians are available at MineARC to ensure your investment is kept in optimum condition – however, we understand some sites may want to self-service their chambers.
Sites have the option to self-service their own refuge chambers, once certified to do so. Certification is free and easy to complete.
Clients can choose to safely service their own chambers by attending one of our FREE MineARC Service School training days, held at our dedicated training centres in Perth, Dallas and Johannesburg. Alternatively, a qualified MineARC Trainer can visit sites for group training. Once completed, you are then certified to conduct your own services for 24 months, removing the need for MineARC service visits.
Service School provides clients with the ability to efficiently trace and correct any failings within the refuge system; exposing attendees to real topics, problems and challenges. Following this, personnel will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to be able to easily identify faults, but more importantly, rectify these issues.
Learn more about MineARC certifications or enrol in Service School by visiting our Training Centre.
Once Service School has been completed, personnel are issued with a Certification ID Card and Number and they are effectively certified to confidently and safely operate or service a MineARC Refuge Chamber.
Personnel are required to record this ID number on the MineARC Refuge Chamber Service Record sticker (shown below), located on the front of every refuge chamber. Recording a valid ID number is now a requirement, enabling mine inspectors to easily identify that a qualified technician has serviced the chamber.
MineARC Remote Service Packs (RSPs) allow mine sites to plan and carry out their own regular servicing schedules – conducting performance tests and replacing parts as necessary.
A typical service pack includes:
- Automuffler
- Vent cap
- Door seal
- AC batteries
- Filter elements
- Check valves
- Service report
Other MineARC Client Support
Contact our friendly support centre seven days a week for troubleshooting assistance, on-site induction opportunities and chamber commissioning.
Free training courses, providing clients the opportunity to upskill in areas such as service, electrical and the general operation of our chambers.
Regularly servicing and performing maintenance checks on a refuge chamber will help ensure your equipment is ready in the event of an emergency.
Transform damaged, second hand chambers into a new fleet that is certified and fully functioning. Available for MineARC and non-MineARC chambers.
MineARC’s in-house engineering & innovation team are on hand to provide customised design solutions and explore collaboration opportunities.