Team members had been using a high-quality, reliable, and trusted self-rescuer, which has been used in the underground mining industry for many years, but the HST team at Mammoth felt it was an opportune time to review newer models with additional features enabled by technological advancements.

Following the review, a decision was made to transition to the Draeger Oxy SR90 self-rescuer — a more modern unit that offers several operational, financial, and safety benefits. The new units are more compact and lightweight, improving comfort and usability for underground personnel, while also being more readily available and lower in overall cost.

The Draeger Oxy SR90s also feature a built-in temperature failure indicator, providing quick, easy visibility of the unit’s status. Unlike the previous units, they do not require annual pressure testing, significantly reducing the number of self-rescuers sacrificed each year for compliance testing and delivering additional cost efficiencies for the business.

The project has resulted in the successful introduction of a modern, effective, and user-friendly long-duration self-rescuer at Mammoth Underground.