MSHA’s Diesel Particulate Matter Rule for Metal and Nonmetal Mines

1. MSHA’s Diesel Particulate Matter Rule for Metal and Nonmetal Mines George P. Saseen William H. Pomroy Mine Safety and Health Administration saseen.george@dol.gov pomroy.william@dol.gov

2. Overview of the Final Rules and Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) • 2001 Final Rule • 2002 Partial Settlement Agreement • 2006 Final Rule • DPM Controls Used to Attain Compliance with the PEL

3. January 2001 Final Rule 500 µg/m3 Start 400µg/m3 400 µg/m3 300 µg/m3 TC CONCENTRATION 200 µg/m3 160 µg/m3 100 µg/m3 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 YEAR

4. Other Provisions of the 2001 Final Rule • Surrogate for DPM: Total Carbon (TC) • Sum of Elemental Carbon (EC) and Organic Carbon (OC) • Single Sample for Compliance • Analysis of compliance samples per NIOSH 5040 method • “Best Practice” standards for fuel, maintenance, engines, training, and recordkeeping. • Exposure Monitoring by mine operator

5. 500 µg/m3 400 µg/m3 300 µg/m3 TC CONCENTRATION 200 µg/m3 100 µg/m3 2002 Partial Settlement Agreement Start 400 µg/m3 160 µg/m3 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 YEAR

6. Verifying TC Without OC Interferences • Non-diesel sources of OC (ETS, drill oil mist) can interfere with TC = EC + OC • Method developed for determining TC without OC interferences: • Extensive TC sampling was conducted at 31 mines • Value of TC:EC ratio was 1.3 • THUS, TC = EC x 1.3 • All MSHA compliance sampling for DPM, including Final PEL of 160TCµg/m3, based on: TC = EC x [TC:EC ratio] without OC interferences personal samples

7. 500 µg/m3 400 µg/m3 300 µg/m3 TC CONCENTRATION 200 µg/m3 100 µg/m3 May 2006 Final Rule Start 308 µg/m3 EC 350µg/m3 160 µg/m3 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 YEAR

8. Other Provisions of the 2006 Final Rule • Special Extensions to the Final Limit are available to all mines • Medical Evaluations of Miners by a physician or other licensed health care professional at no cost to the miner, prior to wearing a respirator • If a miner cannot wear a respirator, the miner must be transferred to an existing job

9. Enforcement Policy for the 160TC ug/m3 Final PEL • 1.3 conversion factor not appropriate due to high variability of TC:EC ratio below 230TCµg/m3 (both mine-to-mine and day-to-day within mine) • Non-citable area sample collected in main exhaust (where OC interferences negligible) • See MSHA’s Policy Letter P08-IV-01 TC = EC x [TC:EC ratio] personal samples Area sample without OC interferences

10. Available Control Strategies • Ventilation • Environmental Cabs • Administrative Controls • Diesel Engines • Maintenance • Biodiesel Fuel • DPM Exhaust Filters Exposure Controls Emission Reduction

11. Ventilation Widely used method for DPM control DPM reduction proportional to air flow • Double air flow = 50% DPM reduction Types of upgrades • Major ventilation upgrades: shafts and fans, ventilation control structures • Auxiliary ventilation upgrades: booster fans and ventilation bags

12. Environmental Cabs • Environmental Cabs Can: • Reduce DPM exposure • Reduce noise exposure • Reduce silica dust exposure • Cabs Should Be: • Tight - seal openings, repair broken windows • Pressurized with filtered breathing air (follow regular filter change-out schedule - 250 hr) • Operated with doors/windows closed (may need air conditioning) • Maintained in good condition

13. Administrative Controls • Work Practices Can Affect Emissions And DPM Concentrations • Minimize engine idling • Keep fuel and lube oil clean • Traffic control • Route traffic away from areas where miners work outside cabs • Route haul trucks in return air, especially when ascending ramps loaded • Limit HP in work area based on available CFM’s • Schedule blasters on non-production shifts • MSHA does not allow Job Rotation for dpm

14. Diesel Engines • Upgrade Diesel Fleet by Replacing Older Engines • “3 Strikes and You’re Out” • High horsepower (greater than 150), • High emissions (greater than 0.3 gm/hp-hr), • High use (greater than 6 hours per shift). • Target Equipment: • Production Loaders and Trucks (primary), • Drills and Scalers (secondary) • PC engines (specialty mining equipment). • One bad engine can spoil the entire fleet.

15. Engine Maintenance • Cleaning: Engine, Radiators, Air/Oil Coolers • Intake Systems: Air Filter, Turbo Boost Pressure, Leaks • Exhaust Systems: Backpressure, Leaks • Cooling Systems: Engine and Charged Intake Air • Fuel Systems: Proper Fuel and Injection Timing Settings, Adjustment for Altitude • Electronic Controlled Systems: Diagnostics • Emission Tests: Tune of the Engine

16. Biodiesel • Fuel derived from vegetable oils or animal fats meeting ASTM D6751 • EPA registered diesel fuel • 100% biodiesel, B100 • Biodiesel blend - biodiesel mixed with petrodiesel, called Bxx where xx is the volume % of biodiesel in the blend • B50 – 50% biodiesel, B20 – 20% biodiesel

17. Biodiesel and DPM Emissions MSHA compliance samples, EC Standard D2 99% Biodiesel 500 400 300 200 100 0 Elemental Carbon, EC, µg/m3 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Year

18. Diesel Particulate Filters • Filter: Ceramic or Sintered Metal • 80 to 99% efficient. • Regeneration issues. • May be Catalyzed • MSHA / NIOSH Filter Selection Guide:www.msha.gov – click on: Diesel Particulate

19. High Temperature “Synthetic” Filter Media • 80-99% Efficient • Temperature Limit – 6500 F • May require a heat exchanger prior to the filter media • Filter Location • Disposable

20. Effectiveness of DPM Filters

21. Questions ???????