EKB News

Government testing shows the brand of emergency air pack said to have failed at mine accidents in Kentucky and West Virginia can expose users to high levels of carbon dioxide and are prone to have damaged air hoses and other problems, according to a federal report obtained by The Associated Press. The most recent testing also found air packs made by Monroeville, Pa.-based CSE Corp. produces high breathing pressure. In combination with high carbon-dioxide levels, high breathing pressure can make the air packs far more difficult to use. The report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health also indicated that problems with damaged hoses and failed starter oxygen canisters got worse in the most recent tests. A spokesman for the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the chief federal mine regulator, said the agency aggressively inspects air packs and removes them from service if they are not in working order.