A Guide To Fire Resistant Conveyor Belts

If a conveyor belt that is specified as being fire resistant catches fire and then proves not to be sufficiently resistant, then the consequences can be truly catastrophic. Despite this, an increasing number of mines, of virtually every size and description, are yielding under the pressure to cut costs, including the fire resistant conveyor belts they buy. On the other hand, in a desperate bid to win orders, more and more conveyor belt manufacturers and suppliers seem willing to create a false sense of security by using exaggerated, and sometimes downright false, claims of compliance.

Anecdotal as well as scientific evidence gained from laboratory testing seems to indicate that even some of the biggest mine operators are running conveyor belts that are not nearly as fire resistant as they are claimed to be.

Above and below

The fire resistance standards and test methods applied to conveyor belts fall into two basic, but quite distinct, sets of categories – belts that operate above ground, and belts that operate below ground. As one might expect, although both are equally important in regard to human safety, standards and test methods for belts used below ground are subject to a more stringent level of testing and certification.

For this reason, coal handling belts used underground usually have a mono-ply, solid-woven carcass construction with PVC or rubber covers, commonly referred to by the term ‘solid-woven.’ On the other hand, the most commonly used belts operated above ground have rubber outer covers reinforced by multiple inner layers of synthetic fabrics or, in some cases, steel cords.

Above ground and general service applications

In environments where coal dust is present, it is essential that the conveyor belt cannot create static electricity that could ignite the atmosphere. Belts need to be able to allow static electricity to pass through the metal frame of the conveyor structure down to earth, rather than allow static to build up. The safest approach is for all belts to meet EN 12882 Category 1, which simply demands that the belt is anti-static and conforms to EN ISO 284 international standards. This means that it meets the primary requirement for use in ATEX 114 (Directive 2014/34/EU) classified zones if necessary.

 

This is a preview of an article that was originally published in Issue 1 of World Coal 2025.

Subscribe to World Coal for free to read this article in full and many more here.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/mining/06062025/a-guide-to-fire-resistant-conveyor-belts/