 Underground coal miners work in an environment that is safer and healthier than ever before. This is partly due to the many advances that have been made over the years. In personal protective equipment, miners may not think much about this equipment during their shift. However, it becomes very important when an emergency occurs. Being on a mine rescue team, we had to go into a mine that was on fire. And the people that came out of the mine before we had arrived, it saved their lives. If you learn how to use the unit, properly donned and properly maintained, it will save your life in a mine emergency. This is the Drager Oxy-K Plus Self-Contained Self-Rescuer, SCSR. It is approved for respiratory protection during escape from hazardous or oxygen-deficient atmospheres, gases and vapors at ambient temperatures above 23 degrees Fahrenheit. It is rated for one hour for escape. It can be a lifesaver. However, it must be cared for and maintained daily. The care and maintenance of the Drager Oxy-K Plus and the Oxy-K Plus SCS Self-Contained Self-Rescuer. First, we will emphasize some of the Oxy-K's features. We will show you, step by step, how to thoroughly inspect the unit to ensure that your SCSR will work properly during an emergency. Finally, we will review proper donning techniques with you and show you what to expect when wearing your SCSR during an emergency evacuation. Therefore, you will want to watch closely while we show you training aids in the care and use of this life-saving apparatus. It may be one of the most important lessons in your life. The Oxy-K Plus is an oxygen self-rescuer, which operates independently of the atmosphere in a closed-circuit bidirectional breathing system. It is self-contained and provides oxygen to breathe while removing carbon dioxide from the exhale air. It does not purify the air around you. The actual service life of the Oxy-K Plus depends on how the unit is cared for, maintained and inspected while deployed. The service date, that is, the date the unit was manufactured, is found on the back plate, sometimes referred to as the belt plate. For stored units in a warehouse, the service life is 10 years from the date of delivery. For units that are worn or carried daily on a machine or other equipment, the service life is 8 plus 2 years. This means that after 8 years, the customer must return 2% or at least one unit per batch to drager for an inspection. It is important to remember that the service life of a unit is based on normal conditions, that is, one 8-hour shift per day, 5 days per week. Any deviation from this schedule may reduce the service life. The inspection intervals are daily, every 90 days, and every 8 years. The type of inspection depends on whether the unit is carried or stored. There are specific inspection procedures for each situation. If the unit is worn or carried on a machine or a piece of equipment, you must conduct a daily inspection of the unit. Inspect the unit to make sure it is complete. No part may be missing such as the belt back plate, clamp, opening mechanism, and so on. Make sure the lid is closed and the seal is not damaged. The housing must be airtight, without cracks, dents, or other defects deeper than 1 16th of an inch. Check the indicator window. The window must not be damaged. Make sure it shows a deep blue color. If there is a significant loss of color, or half of the particles in the window have changed color from a dark blue to a light blue or white, the unit must be taken out of service. Check the back belt plate for damage. Do not affix a back belt plate from another unit to a unit with a damaged plate. If the plate is damaged, the unit must be taken out of service immediately. Only an authorized Drager representative can replace a damaged back belt plate. To review, inspect the unit to be sure there are no missing parts. Make sure the lid is closed and the seal is not damaged. Check to make sure that the housing is airtight. Look for cracks, dents, or other defects. Check the indicator window for damage. Make sure it shows a deep blue color. If there is a significant loss of blue color where 50% or more have changed to light blue or white, then take the unit out of service. Check the back belt plate for damage. If the plate is damaged, the unit must be taken out of service immediately. If during your daily inspection, any of the visual inspection items do not meet the criteria, the unit must be taken out of service immediately. It is very important to remember that in addition to the daily inspections, units that are worn or carried daily on equipment must also be inspected every 90 days. These 90-day inspections, which are very similar to your daily inspections, are to be conducted by a trained inspector. As part of the 90-day inspection, the trained inspector will also conduct an acoustical check of the unit using the AMS to determine if the KO2 bed is still intact. The AMS is attached to the unit, activated, and the unit is then shaken for approximately 5 seconds. A pass or fail light will indicate the status of the unit. Units stored underground in a ready-for-use location are also inspected every 90 days by a trained inspector. For units that are worn or carried daily on a machine or other equipment, it is required that after 8 years the customer return 2% of the units, or at least one unit per batch, to drag her for inspection. If your Oxy-K Plus is worn on your person, position it in a comfortable place on your belt. Use the appropriate carrying pouch. Protect it from being caught between machinery or equipment and being squeezed. Don't throw the unit down on the bottom or onto equipment. Don't set it on a power center where it can be exposed to excessive heat. Never use it as a tool for hammering or to stand on. Don't use it to chalk equipment. When carrying the unit on a piece of mining equipment, use an over case or secure it in a manner that keeps it from banging around on the equipment. Remember that the unit has a minimum and maximum temperature exposure range. The storage temperature range is not to be lower than 23 degrees Fahrenheit or greater than 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't store it in your car or truck before and after work. If stored in your vehicle, the unit could be exposed to below freezing temperatures or high heat sources. These temperature extremes can seriously damage the unit. Inspect the unit immediately if it has been subjected to any of the unusual conditions we've mentioned. Keep your unit in a safe environment. Now, let's watch a demonstration of the dawning procedure for the Oxy-K Plus. Open the container. Lift the opening latch. Remove the clamping strap completely. Rotate the opening latch away from the body until the lid is released from the case. Pull the lid away and discard. Pull the housing shell upward. Place the neck strap with the rubber neck pad over the head and around the neck. We are now going to demonstrate the dawning procedure for the Oxy-K Plus S. Grip the yellow pad on the clamping band. Move the yellow pad clamping band straight away from the body. Discard the lid. Remove the unit from the pouch and place the strap around the neck. Pull both ends of the strap to adjust the unit into position. Move the breathing tube from the case and take the breathing tube up to your mouth. This action starts the oxygen production. Ensure the breathing tube is not twisted or kinked. Remove the plug from the mouthpiece. Place the mouthpiece into your mouth so that the lip flange is positioned between your teeth and lips. Pull the nose clip apart and place it over the nostrils. Removing the mouthpiece once the unit has started is dangerous and should be avoided. Breathe calmly. Don the protective goggles. Adjust the goggles by pulling on the straps until a snug, comfortable fit is achieved. Wrap the chest strap around the body and tie off. After everything was adjusted and in place, I used the apparatus for one full hour. It was more or less just like you were breathing in regular air. The only thing that you really noticed was a little bit of weight around your neck. The mouthpiece was very comfortable. The nose clips went on easily. The pressure on the nose was tight enough to make it seal your nose, but it wasn't uncomfortable. The goggles, they worked fine. They never steamed up on me at all. The unit as anticipated did build up some heat, but it was not uncomfortable at any time. Proceed calmly throughout your escape. Carefully plan escape routes for the shortest way to safety. Do not rush. If you do, breathing accelerates and consumes more oxygen. Make sure you keep your mouthpiece tightly enclosed between teeth and lips. The air supplied from the unit is warm and dry, which indicates proper functioning of the unit. A slight taste of salt and dust is quite normal and is in no way dangerous. The breathing bag is quite tough and durable, but use reasonable caution to prevent squeezing or damaging it. Otherwise, you could lose valuable oxygen. Do not remove the mouthpiece to communicate to others. Do not allow foreign subjects to use oxygen. Remove the mouthpiece to communicate to others. Do not allow foreign substances to enter the mouthpiece or the breathing holes. Your SCSR cannot be expected to help you in an emergency if it is not cared for and inspected properly, or if you do not know how to get it on. The guy that I was working with, my body, he and I had just gone through the SCSR retraining class, that shift before he went into mine. So it was still fresh in our mind how to put it on, so we proceeded to put ours on. And as you looked around, you could see other people were struggling with theirs. I do fully realize the importance of the SCSR. It's been proven many, many times, many times over and under actual fire conditions to save people's lives. Know the daily maintenance of your SCSR. Know how to wear it. How to use it. Know when to use it. It can save your life.