Scope of services:
- Investigation of the electrostatic properties of materials, products and devices by standardized methods;
- Research on the effectiveness and stability of anti-plasticisation methods of plastics;
- Development of plans and realization of EPA zones (ESD ProtectedArea);
- Implementation of EPA requirements and audits;
- Expert's opinions in the field of static electricity.
- Reports of environmental impact assessments with participation in administrative proceedings in order to obtain the environmental decision;
- Initial reports;
- Environmental reviews;
- Integrated permits;
- Expertise;
- Evaluation and opinions on the protection and opportunities for environmentally safe use of waste on the surface and underground mining excavations and recovered raw materials;
- Environmental opinions on binder materials and formulations used in underground mines in the area of voluntary certification for safety mark ""B"";
- Research (identification), and disposal of hazardous waste, eligibility codes corresponding to the hazardous waste or non – hazardous waste;
- Physicochemical analysis of materials, including waste used as an additive for fuels, alternative fuels and renewable fuels;
- Comprehensive monitoring of landfills in the full range of phases resulting from their operation – pre-operational, the operational and the after-closure;
- A comprehensive studies of soil quality and the ground quality to making decisions about way of using or remediation in accordance with applicable standards, together with an assessment of their chemism and their health risks;
- Monitoring the state of environment before investments and also monitoring the state of the degraded post-industry environment (and post-mining) to make decisions about restoration or further use;
- Evaluates corrosivity of water against concrete and steel (on the basis of physical and chemical analysis) and performs tests of water used to prepare concrete, etc.
Highly qualified scientific or technical staff and modern equipment ensure high quality and reliability of research.
Division of Ecological Researches performs field works including:
- collecting of environmental samples of grounds, soils, water and wastewater;
- descriptions of geological profiles;
- researching of permeability index (filtration);
- researching of the flow of watercourses and filtration coefficient of ground surface;
- study stability of landfill slopes.
Collecting and transport of samples is carried around whole Poland. A team of experienced employees, who are equipped with specialized sets, guarantees high quality of services provided under all conditions.
The Conformity Assessment Body conducts complex activities in the field of evaluation of products intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. The Conformity Assessment Body conducts activities based on the requirements of the “ATEX” Directive and the International Electrotechnical Commission IECEx.
An important element of the assessment is the research conducted by the Laboratory of Explosion-Proof Systems and Protection and Explosimetry which operates within the structure of the Department. The Laboratory is accredited by the Polish Centre for Accreditation in the scope of research covered in the harmonised standards for the “ATEX” Directive. Employees of the Conformity Assessment Body also carry out scientific research in this area of expertise.
Development of expert opinions and opinions on the following issues in industrial plants (e.g. chemical industry, petrochemicals, light industries, mining: underground, surface and oil, storage and transmission of gas and fuel) in which explosives atmospheres may occur:
- Explosion safety of equipment and installations;
- Protection systems;
- Non-electrical explosion-proof devices;
- Explosimetry and methanometry;
- Evaluation of repair shops;
- Assessment of lightning protection installations;
- Protection against static electricity.
The Conformity Assessment Body deals with wide-range explosion safety by providing the following services:
- Expertise concerning:
- Comprehensive assessment of explosion protection of industrial equipment and installations;
- Evaluating the correctness of selection of equipment intended for use in potentially explosive areas;
- Assessment of the correctness of the use of protective systems.
- Receipts of explosion-proof installations;
- Execution of crash reports, identification of the explosion cause;
- Assessment of the ability of repair factories to repair explosion-proof equipment.
The Conformity Assessment Body is accredited by the Polish Centre for Accreditation (PCA), number AB005, in the scope of testing covered by harmonized standards for the "ATEX" Directive.
We also conducts non-accredited testing in which it can use explosive mixtures of gases and vapours of flammable liquids including oxygen-enriched mixtures.
Expert advice, technical advice and verification of functional quality of explosives, blasting equipment and blasting works.
The Conformity Assessment Body conducts complex activities in the field of evaluation of products intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. The Product Certification Team conducts activities based on the requirements of the “ATEX” Directive and the International Electrotechnical Commission IECEx.
An important element of the assessment is the research conducted by the Laboratory of Explosion-Proof Systems and Protection and Explosimetry which operates within the structure of the Department. The Laboratory is accredited by the Polish Centre for Accreditation in the scope of research covered in the harmonised standards for the “ATEX” Directive. The Conformity Assessment Body also carry out scientific research in this area of expertise.
Full-scale testing of equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres:
- Flameproof enclosures ‘Ex d’;
- Intrinsic safety ‘Ex i’;
- Increased safety ‘Ex e’;
- Pressurized enclosures ‘Ex p’;
- Protection by enclosure ‘Ex t’ housing;
- Intrinsically safe design and structure ‘i’;
- Protection of type ‘n’;
- Protection by encapsulation ‘Ex m’;
- Protection by powder filling ‘Ex q’;
- Protection by oil immersion ‘Ex o’;
- Flame arresters;
- Test of degree of IP protection;
- Test of degree of IK protection.
Iimplementation of the tasks of the Notified Body No. 1453, which is the Main Mining Institute, in conformity assessment according to Essential Safety Requirements (ESR) pursuant to Directive 2013/29/EU concerning the placing on the market and control of pyrotechnic articles for civil uses:
- EU type examination (Module B);
- Conformity with type based on internal control of the production process and supervised control at random intervals (Module C2);
- Conformity with type based on quality assurance of the production process (Module D);
- Conformity with type based on product quality assurance (Module E);
- Conformity based on unit verification (Module G);
- Conformity based on full quality assurance (Module H).
Iimplementation of the tasks of the Notified Body No. 1453, which is the Main Mining Institute, in conformity assessment according to Essential Safety Requirements (ESR) pursuant to Directive 2014/28/EU concerning the placing on the market and control of explosives for civil uses:
- EU type examination (module B);
- Conformity with type based on internal control of the production process and supervised control at random intervals (module C2);
- Conformity with type based on quality assurance of the production process (module D);
- Conformity with type based on product quality assurance (Module E);
- Conformity with type based on product verification (module F);
- Conformity based on unit verification (module G).
- Identification of radioactive pollutants in the natural environment and an assessment of the radiation hazard;
- Measurements of radon in soil gas concentration and radon exhalation rate;
- Measurements of radon in buildings;
- Measurements of air pollution caused by radionuclides;
- Environmental dosimetry;
- Measurements of aerosol's size distribution in range 3 nm – 20 µm;
- Monitoring of radiation hazard at nuclear facilities and their vicinity;
- Monitoring of radiation hazard at radioactive waste disposal sites and their vicinity.
The Laboratory of Mineral Processing and Waste Management conducts research and service on the wide mineral engineering. Researches covers issues related to the identification of the chemical composition and mineral compositions and technological characteristics of the mineral and waste.
Experience of the staff of the laboratory and the technical equipment allows research and optimization following processes on a laboratory scale:
- froth flotation of suspended coal and other raw materials;
- sedimentation and refining of the suspensions;
- conditioning and optimization of the quality parameters of mineral suspensions and sewage sludge for drainage;
- dewatering mineral suspensions and sludge using method of pressure filtration and vacuum.
We have the technical capabilities to carry out verification tests dewatering processes suspended sediment in the centrifuge and in the filter press in the full industrial scale.
We develop and consult:
- Concepts of enrichment technology of mineral raw materials;
- Programs of the mining wastes management;
- Instructions for the conduct of landfills;
- Applications for licenses / permits connected with waste management;
- Technologies water treatment out of mineral suspensions;
- Expertise in terms of achieving the environmental benefits of investments;
- Tools supporting the waste management.
The laboratory conducts research and service on the wide mineral engineering. Researches covers issues related to the identification of the chemical composition and mineral compositions and technological characteristics of the mineral and waste. The laboratory is equipped with modern digital scanning electron microscope Hitachi Model SU-3500N included with the EDS and the sputter device and Morphologi G3S-ID Malvern to analyze the size, shape and number of particles of the Raman adapter to identify the chemical composition. Laboratory is working on identification and optimization technical and technological conditions of valorization and acquisition of commercial products from minerals and waste.
We make the following laboratory tests about the technological characteristics of minerals and waste:
- Analysis of grain composition in the range of 0 - 200 mm;
- Analysis of density (density scan) coals in the full range of granulation;
- An assessment of the suitability of waste materials for hydraulic filling, road construction and hydro-technical and production of ceramics building;
- Physico - mechanical researches of binding materials (curing time, bulk density, fluidity, compressive strength and flexural strength, coefficient of softening);
- Technology research ashes and slogs from electrical power engineering to row material recovery;
- Assessment the morphological composition of municipal waste;
- Analysis of the hopper materials to liquidation coal pits;
- Research on new technologies using wastes;
- Research the materials using advanced microscopic techniques.
Experience of the staff of the laboratory and the technical equipment allows research and optimization following processes on a laboratory scale:
- Froth flotation of suspended coal and other raw materials;
- Sedimentation and refining of the suspensions;
- Conditioning and optimization of the quality parameters of mineral suspensions and sewage sludge for drainage;
- Dewatering mineral suspensions and sludge using method of pressure filtration and vacuum;
- We have the technical capabilities to carry out verification tests dewatering processes suspended sediment in the centrifuge and in the filter press in the full industrial scale.
We develop and consult:
- Concepts of enrichment technology of mineral raw materials;
- Programs of the mining wastes management;
- Instructions for the conduct of landfills;
- Applications for licenses / permits connected with waste management;
- Technologies water treatment out of mineral suspensions;
- Expertise in terms of achieving the environmental benefits of investments;
- Tools supporting the waste management.
The Department of Environmental Monitoring performes environmental researches among others for mining, including:
- Expertise, evaluation and opinions on the protection and opportunities for environmentally safe use of waste on the surface and underground mining excavations and recovered raw materials;
- Environmental opinions on binder materials and formulations used in underground mines in the area of voluntary certification for safety mark "B";
- Comprehensive monitoring of landfills in the full range of phases resulting from their operation – pre-operational, the operational and the after-closure.
Highly qualified scientific or technical staff and modern equipment ensure high quality and reliability of research.
- drinking water samples, mineral and healing waters and other aqueous samples (+ estimation of the total indicative dose caused by drinking water consumption);
- raw and construction materials, in the waste parameters (f1 and f2);
- environmental samples (air, soil, water, waste products, sediments and sewage samples) in industrial by-products, metal products and scraps, food and consumption goods, fed, biological samples, biota.
We have accreditation of Polish Centre of Accreditation for measurements we performe. Our methods for measurements of drinking water samples in terms of standards have an approval of Regional Health and Safety Inspectorate.
- Risk assessment by HAZOP, FMEA, FTA, ETA methods;
- Evaluating the possibility of an incident /an accident occurrence;
- Environmental risk assessment - assessment of the project impact to the environment;
- Occupational Risk Assessment – hazards identification to human health and life;
- Cost analysis related to risk prevention;
- Explosion-proof document - complying with the requirements of the ATEX Directive 94/9/EC and Directive 1999/92 /EC.
Assessment of seismic hazard and rock bumps hazard in mines using seismic criteria (PPV method, temporal variation of the Gutenberg-Richter decay coefficient, temporal changes in the EI energy index).
Monitoring and evaluation of seismicity in the USCB based on the data of Upper Silesian Regional Seismological Network.
Certificate of Accreditation No. AP006
Calibration of acoustic measurement instruments covered by PCA (Polish Accreditation Agency) accreditation:
- Sound level meters (PN-EN 60651 and PN-EN 60804, PN-EN 61672);
- Acoustic calibrators by comparative or standard microphone method (PN-EN 60942);
- Bandwidth filters with octave and octave part (PN-EN 61260);
- Measuring microphones (PN-EN 61094).
Calibration of mechanical vibration measuring instruments covered by the PCA:
- Mechanical vibration transducers (acceleration and velocity) in the frequency range of 0.5 Hz - 10 kHz (ISO 16063-21);
- Meters of mechanical vibration effecting the human body (PN-EN ISO 8041);
- Mechanical vibration calibrators;
- Machine vibration meters (ISO 2954).
Calibration of mechanical vibration measuring instruments outside the scope of PCA accreditation:
- Modal hammers;
- Laser oscillators in the frequency range of 0.5 Hz to 10 kHz (ISO 16063-41);
- Signal Recorders / Analysers / Signal Conditioning Systems;
- Pallesthesiometr (vibration sensing devices) (ISO 13091-1: 2001: 2006).
