Evaluation of the probability of miners’ protection while using filtering respirators

Abstract

Objective of the research is to evaluate the probability of deterioration of the protection of miners’ respiratory organs while using filtering respirators in terms of coal mines under the coal mine conditions and to elaborate recommendations for the reduction of possible occupational disease risks. A Markovian process theory has been applied to solve the formulated problem. It has been determined that the probability of deterioration of the protection of a worker wearing a filtering respirator is up to 50%, which is stipulated by the lack of corresponding training as for the correct filtering respirator use, negligence of the physical load and its duration during the respirator selection, and possible mistakes during its operation. Reduction of the occupational disease risks is possible only in terms of the use of high-quality filtering respirator under conditions of its correct selection, maintenance and use by the trained miners with the preliminary checking of its relevance to the coal mine conditions. It has been shown that the development of a respiratory protection programme at an enterprise is the efficient tool to provide a miner with high-quality and appropriate filtering devices for the respiratory protection.