HealthandSafety Executive

Guidanceonthesupportof
salvagefacesincoalmines

Introduction
1 Thisdocumentprovidesguidanceonthesupportoflongwallsalvagefacesin coalmines.Itisaimedatcoalminemanagers,supervisorsandmineworkerswho haveresponsibilityforsupportoperations.Thiswebonlyversionreplacesthe1997 editionofthisguidance. 2 Thisguidanceisprepared,inconsultationwithHSE,bytheDeepMinedCoal IndustryAdvisoryCommitteewhichwasappointedbytheHealthandSafety Commissionaspartofitsformaladvisorystructures.Theguidancerepresents whatisconsideredtobegoodpracticebythemembersoftheCommittee.Ithas beenagreedbytheCommission.Followingthisguidanceisnotcompulsoryand youarefreetotakeotheraction.Butifyoudofollowthisguidanceyouwill normallybedoingenoughtocomplywiththelaw. Healthandsafetyinspectors seektosecurecompliancewiththelawandmayrefertothisguidanceas illustratinggoodpractice.

Application
3 Thisguidanceappliestosalvagefacesincoalminesandincludesthe associatedTjunctionsandroadwaysimmediatelyadjacenttothefaceline.It coverstheuseoffreestandingsupportalone,ormixedsystemswhichrelyona combinationoffreestandingsupportandrockbolts.Afaceshouldbeconsidered asasalvagefacefromthetimewhensalvagepreparationworkbeginsin accordancewiththedesigndocument.

Definitions
4 Thefollowingdefinitionsapplythroughoutthisguidance:
Freestanding supportsaresupportswhichareerectedbetweenthefloorand Inspectionofficials arepersonsappointedtocarryoutinspectionsunder

roof,egarches,girders,steelsets,chocks/cribs,propsandbars.

regulation12oftheManagementandAdministrationofSafetyandHealthat MinesRegulations1993(MASHAM). Membersofthemanagementstructure aretheminemanagerandother personsappointedtotheminemanagementstructureunderregulation10of MASHAM. Poweredsupports aresupportswhichareadvancedandsetbymechanical energy,anduseanexternalpowersupplytoprovidetheinitialsetting resistance. Rockbolt isarodinsertedintotherooforsidewhichisusedinconjunction withfullyencapsulatingresinorsomeotherappropriatesubstancetoprovide reinforcementoftheroofandsidesofaworkingplaceinamine.Referenceto
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rockboltsinthisdocumentindicatesthattheyareexpectedtooffersignificant support. Significantsupportisofferedbyrockboltswhicharesystematicallyinstalledas partofthesupportsystem.Rockboltsusedasrequiredtoreinforcepoor groundconditionsarenotinthiscategory.

Geotechnicalassessment
5 Ageotechnicalassessmentisafundamentalprerequisiteforthedesignofa supportsystem.Managersmaythemselvesundertakegeotechnicalassessments orappointanotherpersonwhoiscompetentandsuitablyqualifiedtodoso.Itmay bebasedonpreviousknowledgeandexperiencewherefreestandingsupportsare tobeused,oritmayneedtobeadetailedandtechnicalanalysiswheretheuseof rockboltsisbeingconsidered.Theresultsoftheassessmentneedtoberecorded. 6 Theassessmentneedstotakeintoaccountallfactorslikelytoaffectthe systemsperformanceduringthelifeofthesalvageoperationsandanyfutureuse ofthefaceline.Italsoneedstoconsiderthestratadeformationprocessestobe controlledandtheactionofthesupportsystemincontrollingthedeformation. 7 Theassessmentshouldincludereferencetothefollowing,asappropriate:
Geology: includingthestratasection,rockproperties,faults,cleat,parting

planes,presenceofwateroranysubstancelikelytoflow,boreholeinformation andgradients.Allfactorsneedtobecorrelatedrelativetothemininghorizon. Natureofcaving: includingtheconsolidationofthegoaf. Stress: thedirectionandmagnitudeofthestressfieldcomponentsfor premining,mininginducedconditionsandinteraction. Pillardesignandeffects: theassessmentneedstoidentifypotentialrisk areas. Environmentaleffects:includingtheeffectsofambienttemperature,mine waterandassociatedimpurities. ConditionsintheTjunctionareasandroadwaysimmediatelyadjacenttothe face,particularlywherethesalvageistobeundertakenintoroadways principallysupportedbyrockbolts.

Supportsystemdesign
Generaldesignconsiderations 8 Asupportdesigndocumentwillneedtobeprepared,basedonthe geotechnicalassessment.Thedocumentwillneedtoconsiderthefollowing:
Testsonthepoweredsupportstoensurethattheyareoperatingattheir Theoperationstobecarriedoutduringthepreparationcutswhichneedtobe Theprotectiontobeofferedagainstthegoaf.Wherethepoweredsupportsare

specification.

completedtoensurethatthefaceisinasuitableconditionforsalvage.

tobewithdrawn,thedesignshouldspecifythesettingandmaintenanceof supportsforthepurposeofpreventingthebreakingoftheroofinthegoaf overridingthesupportsonthefaceline. Protectionagainstthegoafflushingintotheareawheresupportsarebeing salvagedbytheuseofmeshorsimilarmaterialinstalledoverpoweredsupport beamsandallowedtocarrybackintothegoaf. Thereinforcementoffaceendsandtheadjacentroadwaybyfreestanding supportsorboltingtechniques.

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Theprovisionofadequateheightfortransportonorofftheface,especiallyon Themaintenanceoftwomeansofegressuntilsalvageiscomplete. Thelimitsofthedesignandtheneedforfurtherassessmentincertain

advancingfaces.

circumstances.Thismayapplywherepoweredsupportshavebecometrapped bythestrataandneedtobereleasedbeforesalvage. 9 Whentheinitialdesignhasbeencompleted,documentationneedstobe prepareddetailing:

theuseofthefaceline/junction; thefreestandingsupplementarysupportincludinggoafedgeprotection; themethodofwork,referringtothephasedinstallationofsupportmaterialand themaximumdesignedbeamtiptofacedistance; themonitoringsystem.

removalofcoalfaceequipment;

10 Themonitoringsystemshouldincludevisualobservationofconditionsonthe salvagefaceandshouldrecognisethelevelandfrequencyofworkactivityatthatplace. 11 Thedesigndocumentneedstobesignedbythepersonmakingitandwill formthebasisofthemanagerssupportrules.

Designwhere rockboltsoffersignificantsupport
12 Whererockboltsaretobeusedtogivesignificantsupport,themanagershould appointasuitablyqualifiedandcompetentpersontoundertakeandrecordthe resultsofageotechnicalassessmentand,onthebasisoftheassessment,design a safeandsuitablesupportsystem.Asuitablequalificationforsuchaperson wouldbeacharteredengineer,orequivalent,whohashadthreeyearsappropriate experienceinworkrelatedtominestratacontrol.Forthepurposesofthisguidance thispersonisreferredtoasthedesignengineer.Theassessmentneedstobe signedbythepersonorpersonscarryingouttheinvestigation. Poweredsupportusedasawalkingbuttress 13 Inaddition,whererockboltsaretobeused,themanagershouldappointa suitablyqualifiedandcompetentpersonattheminetoimplement,auditandco ordinatethesupportsystem,andmustensurethatsufficientresourcesare availableforthefulfilmentoftheseduties.AsuitablequalificationwouldbeaHigher NationalCertificateinaminingrelatedsubjecttogetherwithatleastsixmonths relevantexperienceofstratacontrolactivitiesinacoalmineandthecompletionof a trainingcourseinrockboltingandcablebolting.Forthepurposesofthisguidance thispersonisreferredtoastherockboltingcoordinator.Whereappropriate, sufficientsuitablytrainedandcompetentpersonsneedtobeappointedtoassistin theperformanceoftheseduties. 14 Thenormalminimumsupportrequirementsforalongwallfaceusingpowered supportsaresetoutintheAppendix.If,forsalvageoperations,itiscalculatedthat thepoweredsupportswillnotcomplywiththerequiredyieldresistance,orif measurementsbeingmadeconfirmthis,thenrockboltsshouldnotbeusedunless inconjunctionwithfreestandingsupports.Freestandingsupportsshouldbeset aheadofthepoweredsupportsandinplaceswherepoweredsupportshavebeen withdrawnandpersonsworkorregularlypass. 15 Whererockboltsarebeingconsideredforusetogivesignificantsupportand thegeotechnicalassessmentindicatesthatthestrataissuitablefortheiruse,the
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designengineershouldpreparetheinitialdesignofthesupportsystemwhichwill considerallstratacontrolaspects.Asaminimum,thedesignneedstotake accountofthefollowing:

Facecrosssectionincludingtheheightandbeamtiptofacelinedimension. Lengthofboltstobeusedintheroofalongthefaceline;normallythelongest

practicablelengthofboltshouldbeusedandtheminimumlengthshouldbe 1.5m; Goafedgeprotection. Meshorothermaterialtocontrolencroachmentofthegoafandimmediateroof intherockboltedarea. Thetypeofrockbolt. Therockboltingpatternincludingspacingbetweenboltsinthesamerowand spacingbetweenrowsofbolts. Thedensityofrockboltsintheroofalongthefaceline.(Therecommended minimumboltdensityinthezoneofroofabovethepoweredsupportcanopyis 1 bolt/sqm.Intheareabetweenthebeamtipofthepoweredsupportandthe faceitis2bolts/sqm.). Theplacingofrockbolts.Itisrecommendedthatboltstobeinstalledinthe roofareinstalledasclosetothefaceaspossibleandassoonaspracticable aftertheexposureoftheroof.Rockboltsshouldbeinstalledverticallywiththe exceptionofthefinalrowwherealternateboltsmaybeangledoverthecoal face. Thebondstrength.Measuredbyshortencapsulationpulltestscarriedoutata representativesiteinthesameseamusingtheproposedrockboltingmaterials andcomponents.Thetestsneedtobecarriedoutforallmajorroofhorizon changeswithinthelengthoftheproposedrockboltandtheeffectofwet flushingoralternativedustcontrolsystemonthebondstrengthdetermined. Thistestshouldnotbecarriedoutinthezoneofroofabovethepowered supportcanopy.Thebondstrengthshouldhaveaminimumvalueof130kN forabondlengthof0.3mover50%oftheboltlength. Reinforcementofthefacesideatthefinishingpositionoftheface.

16 Whereanexistingdesignhasalreadybeenproved,referencetoitmaybe madeforothersalvagefacesofsimilardimensionsinthesameseam.Thisis providingthatsuitableandsufficientstepsaretakentoshowthatgeological conditions,rockpropertiesandstressfieldsatbothsitesaresubstantiallysimilar. Facelineaftersalvage 17 Attentionshouldbepaidtothedesignoftheroadwayentryontotheface, particularlywheresupportoftheroadwaysisprincipallybyrockbolts.Additional reinforcementandsupportshouldbeclearlyspecified.

Monitoring
18 TheDeepMinedCoalIndustryAdvisoryCommitteepublicationGuidanceon theuseofrockboltstosupportroadwaysincoalmines (www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/mines01.pdf)advisesthattheminemanagerneedsto prepareaschemefortheroutinemonitoringofroadwaysandappointasuitably qualifiedandcompetentpersontoimplement,auditandcoordinatethescheme. Whererockboltsareusedonsalvagefaces,themanagershouldprepareafurther schemewhichtakesaccountofthis.Theguidancealsodescribesthemonitoring devicesandproceduresandreferenceshouldbemadetothiswhenimplementing a schemeofmonitoring.

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19 Asuitablemonitoringschemeshouldincludeasaminimumtheuseofdual heighttelltalesinstalledtoatleasttwicetheboltlengthor4.8m,whicheveristhe greaterandwiththeloweranchorpositioned0.3mbelowthetopofthebolt. Theseshouldbeinstalled:

at20mintervalsalongthesalvagefaceoncethecuttingcycleshavebeen

completed; atfacelinejunctionswiththegateroads; 10moutbyeofthejunctionswheretheroadwaysaresupportedbyrockbolts; inareasofknownorsuspectedinstability; inareasoflikelyinteractionfromotherworkings.

20 Inaddition,wheregateroadwaysaresupportedonrockbolts,amultiheight extensometershouldbeinstalledasclosetothecentreoftheTjunctionasis practicable. 21 Eachmonitoringstationshouldbegivenauniqueidentificationcodewhichcan beusedtoidentifyreadings.Aplanneedstobepreparedshowingdetailsofthe sitingofmonitoringstationshavingregardtogeologicalandminingfeatures,and includingdetailsoftheinstrumentationateachstation. 22 Monitoringinstrumentsneedtobereadbysuitablytrained,competentand authorisedpersonnelusingtheappropriateequipment. 23 Themonitoringschemeshouldsetoutthemanagersrequirementsfor:

theproceduresfortheauditingofroutinemonitoringdevices; theequipmenttobeused; thedutiesofindividuals; plans,schedulesandreports; themaximumlevelsofmovementallowableonthemonitoringdevicesbefore actionisrequired; theactiontobetakenandthepersonresponsiblefortakingtheaction. 24 Themonitoringresultsandinterpretationneedtoberetainedforfuture reference. 25 Theresultsofthemonitoringneedtobeinterpretedbythecoordinator.The managershouldbeinformedofanyactionsorchangesrecommendedasaresult oftheinterpretation,andtheseactionsorchangesshouldbeimplemented. 26 Whentheinitialdesignhasbeencompleted,thedesigndocumentdescribedin paragraph9needstobeprepared.Additionaldocumentationwillberequired detailing:
thelayoutanddimensionsoftherockboltingpattern; thespecificationofrockboltingconsumablestobeused; thespecificationoftherockboltinginstallationequipmentandrelatedmatters themaximumdesignedfacetoboltdistance.

suchastheminimumairorhydraulicpressuretobeprovided;

27 Thedesigndocumentneedstobesignedbythepersonmakingitandwill formthebasisofthemanagerssupportrules.

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AppendixMinimumsupportrequirementsforpowered supportsonlongwallfaces
Thefaceworkingcomprisesfourzonesofoperation(seeFigures15fordetailsof thepartsofthefacecoveredbyeachzone):

Thefacelinezone. Thebuttresszone. Thepackzone. Theroadheadzone.

Thedesignedyieldresistanceforthepoweredsupportsystemintheabovezones shouldnotbelessthanthevaluesgivenbelow: Yieldresistance Zone Face Buttress Pack Roadhead Tonnes/m2 15Hor15tonnes/m2 whicheveristhegreater 15Hor15tonnes/m2 whicheveristhegreater 10Hor15tonnes/m2 whicheveristhegreater 10Hor15tonnes/m2 whicheveristhegreater

WhereHisthedesignedextractedheightexpressedinmetres

Advancing face zones

A B C D Face line zone Buttress zones Pack zones Roadhead zones

Figure1 Advancingface

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Retreating face zones

Figure 2 Retreatface

Note: Zones B and C are not always present

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TAIL GATE

A B C D

Face line zone Buttress zones Pack zones Roadhead zones

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New cut

'D' = Beam length + beam tip to face distance + new cut depth

Buttress support

Area for calculating yield resistance = D x L

New cut

Figure3 Facelinezone yieldresistance

AFC

Buttress support

L = Length of face zone

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New cut AFC

D1

D2

WB
Figure4 Buttresszoneyield resistance

Pack

Area for calculating yield resistance =

WB x ( D1 + D2 ) 2

Roadhead zone R

Pack zone P

New cut

'D'

Pack

Figure5 Roadheadand packzoneyieldresistance

Area for calculating pack zone yield resistance = D x P Area for calculating roadhead zone yield resistance = E x R

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Furtherinformation
HSEpricedandfreepublicationsareavailablebymailorderfromHSEBooks,
PO Box1999,Sudbury,SuffolkCO102WATel:01787881165Fax:01787313995
Website:www.hsebooks.co.uk(HSEpricedpublicationsarealsoavailablefrom
bookshopsandfreeleafletscanbedownloadedfromHSEswebsite:
www.hse.gov.uk.)
ForinformationabouthealthandsafetyringHSEsInfolineTel:08453450055
Fax:08454089566Textphone:08454089577email:hse.infoline@natbrit.comor
writetoHSEInformationServices,CaerphillyBusinessPark,CaerphillyCF833GG.
Thisdocumentisavailablewebonlyat:www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/mines03.pdf
CrowncopyrightThispublicationmaybefreelyreproduced,exceptfor
advertising,endorsementorcommercialpurposes.Firstpublished07/97.Please
acknowledgethesourceasHSE.

PublishedbytheHealthandSafetyExecutive

Mines03

05/07

C000

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