Refuge stations have been around since the 1930’s when they were introduced to the Ontario Mining Act. The refuge station’s primary function is to be a safe place to go during an emergency. However, most refuge stations serve a dual purpose and act as meeting/lunch room underground. Each level has a refuge, and anyone who enters the mine needs to know the location of the closest refuge in case of an emergency.

Refuge Stations Must:

• Be built of materials with at least a one-hour fire resistance rating
• Be big enough to fit all anticipated personnel
• Be able to be sealed to prevent gases and smoke from entering
• Have a supply of drinking water
• Have a supply of compressed air
• Have a way to communicate with the surface (i.e., phone or radio)
  

Interior of a refuge station - Photo courtesy of Goldcorp

Refuge station at Red Lake Gold Mines - Photo courtesy of Goldcorp

You Might Also Find...

• First Aid equipment
• Tables and chairs (or benches)
  
• Sink
• Microwave
• Fridge
• Fire extinguisher
• Emergency tools (i.e., axes, ropes, shovels)
• Heater
• Drywall mud (or other caulking material for sealing the door)
• Safety procedure posters and binders

What To Do In An Emergency?

While mines tailor emergency and refuge procedures to their site, the basics are the same. These include:

• If you see a fire or hear a rock blast, immediately head to the closest refuge station and report it. People on the surface will notify other underground workers
• Seal the door, if the air outside is contaminated
• Assign someone to let others in
• If you smell the stench gas (smells like rotten eggs), go to the closest refuge station
• Seal the door when expected people have arrived
• Report everyone who enters the refuge
• Do not leave the refuge until it is deemed safe, or mine rescue arrives
  

If you cannot make it to the refuge station, head to a fresh air way, create a barricade in a dead-end drift or use your jacket to create a breathing tent at a compressed air point.