As a critical piece of safety protection equipment in mines, the mine self-rescuer serves as a key escape device and the last line of defense for underground miners in the event of an accident. Its product quality, proper use, and scientific management directly affect miner safety and are a focal point of concern for mining enterprises, frontline miners, regulatory and supervisory authorities at all levels, and society at large. To intensively crack down on illegal and non-compliant activities across the entire chain of mine self-rescuer production, procurement, and use, and to systematically improve safety management standards, the National Mine Safety Administration (NMSA) focused on grassroots needs and public concerns. Adhering to the principle of “listening to genuine voices, investigating real situations, uncovering true problems, and promoting effective improvements,” the NMSA launched a special rectification campaign for mine self-rescuers in early 2024, achieving initial results. Recently, the research report on this initiative won first prize in the Central and National Government Grassroots Party Organizations Outstanding Research Report Collection.

Over the past year, the special rectification campaign for mine self-rescuers has strengthened supervision on the user side, incorporating mine self-rescuer inspections into routine mine safety enforcement as a priority. On the production side, it guided the exit of non-compliant manufacturers, reducing the number of substandard self-rescuers at the source. On the distribution side, it cleaned up the market by forming a collaborative regulatory effort with market supervision departments. On a fundamental level, it leveraged technology, implementing “one item, one code” as a powerful tool for anti-counterfeiting and management. Institutionally, it established and refined rules, revising the safety certification review rules for mine self-rescuers and updating regulatory and standards requirements across various historical periods. These measures have fostered a virtuous cycle in the market, with continuous improvements in the industry’s chaotic practices. The NMSA will continue to advance the rectification of mine self-rescuers, organizing supervision and inspections in regions with a high concentration of related issues, maintaining a strong enforcement stance. At the same time, it will intensify efforts to promote advanced and applicable technologies for mine self-rescuers, sustaining momentum across all aspects, including equipment R&D and production, safety access, use management, supervision, and technology empowerment. This ensures that mine self-rescuers truly fulfill their life-saving role in critical moments, contributing to the stabilization and improvement of mine safety production. (Source: National Mine Safety Administration)