Investigation of Thermal Comfort Conditions in an Underground Lignite Coal Mine

Although thermal comfort in underground coal mining, is a major factor affecting the health of the occupants and the work productivity, it attracts less attention. The idea of thermal comfort will increase its significance today as the underground collieries exploit the deeper reserves depending on the temperature also increasing in parallel with the geothermic gradient. In the present work, the detrimental effect of the temperature of the mine air on the mine workers depending on the thermal comfort conditions in underground collieries was investigated. The factors influencing the thermal load and the climatic conditions in underground working places were discussed. It was seen that the changes in the mine environment caused by these factors adversely affect the mine workers. The precautions to be taken for the maximum comfort level for the occupants were also mentioned. The rules and the standards to be obeyed when taking the measurements for the thermal comfort were additionally given.