The Fifth International Symposium on Mine Safety Science and Engineering (ISMSSE2021)

143 / 2021-10-06 13:29:28

Maintaining the readiness of the Mine Rescue Unit in the event of a pandemic

Central Mines Rescue Station, mine rescuer, rescue, research, training, activities, readiness, preparedness, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, hybrid, methodology, sanitary rigors

In the paper the changes implemented in the scope of conducting the activities of Central Mines Rescue Station, maintaining the rescue preparedness and fulfilling other statutory tasks during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic were presented.

The activity of the Central Mines Rescue Station was presented and divided into four areas: intervention, prevention, training and research.

The tasks of the Central Mines Rescue Station were describe as an entity professionally engaged in mine rescue, securing in Poland all underground mining plants extracting hard coal, salt and bored tunnels and tourist routes.

The preventive measures introduced in relation to the emergence of the COVID-19 epidemiological threat aimed at minimizing the possibility of infection and the spread of the epidemic were analyzed.

The changes introduced in the scope of activities were discussed, including changes in the formula of external trainings and suspension of specialist medical examinations for mining rescuers. Additionally, the method of cooperation with external contractors during the pandemic was described.

The activities aimed at preventing lowering the safety standards of emergency services during the ongoing epidemiological threat and enabling the resumption of activities in the field of conducting training and medical examinations were discussed.

The developed and implemented system of hybrid training, a new methodology of medical examinations and properly planned sanitary rigors were presented.

It has been shown that during the pandemic, the emergency services performed their statutory duties without lowering safety standards.