Operating conveyors in intake trunk roadways poses a risk of the products of combustion from any fire on the system being carried inbye to the working areas by the ventilation. This could present a hazard to the workforce and potentially compromise escape. Using "belt air" to ventilate working areas is not routinely practiced in North America, however such arrangements are quite common in the UK. This paper describes the current installation, inspection and maintenance standards applied to underground, remotely operated belt conveyors in the UK to minimise the risk of fire. In addition, the monitoring systems installed to provide for the early detection of any fire are set out. The recent history of underground fires in the UK is also presented, showing that the measures adopted have been successful in avoiding any large scale conflagration.
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