Shelter-in-Place - ChemSAFE Sealed Rooms

Shelter-in-Place options are intended for petrochemical facilities that do not have the physical space for a portable Safe Haven. A ChemSAFE Sealed Room is a pressurised shelter that is incorporated into an existing site building, and can provide a convenient means of protecting personnel from a toxic gas release. These modular constructed shelters are designed to have minimal air changes per hour (ACH). The incorporation of life support systems such as the MineARC AirGEN and AirMAX ensures occupants remain safe for the entire duration of the petrochemical emergency.

Shelter-in-Place Integrity Testing

Integrity testing can identify leaks within a room before converting the area into a sealed, Shelter-in-Place (SIP). Buildings are typically constructed to provide natural or forced ventilation to allow permanent occupancy. Structural features such as large exposed windows and surfaces present challenges for ensuring protection during a blast event and subsequent chemical release.
Intended for petrochemical facilities that do not have the physical space for a portable Safe Haven; ChemSAFE Sealed Rooms provide a convenient means of protecting personnel from a toxic gas release.

Click on the video opposite to see the ChemSAFE Sealed Room in the context of a petrochemical facility!

AirMAX Life Support

Non-built-for-purpose buildings in petrochemical facilities generally do not meet acceptable leak tightness for shelter-in-place. With ventilation shut down, a typical building can have up to five air changes per hour or higher depending on wind speed. Door operation as people enter can potentially bring additional contaminants from outside the shelter. As contaminated air infiltrates a petrochemical building, the level of protection provided to the occupants diminishes with time. A safer and more economical alternative is to seal smaller existing rooms within a larger building.

AirBANK Pressure System

A critical requirement for any petrochemical shelter-in-place location is maintaining internal positive pressure in order to prevent the ingress of toxic and hazardous gases resulting from an accidental chemical release. MineARC’s AirBANK Pressure System offers a simple modular solution; ensuring occupants remain safe inside of a designated pressurised shelter for a specified duration.

AirGEN Scrubbing System

Depending on the designated occupancy of the petrochemical facility’s sealed room location and volume, CO2 removal may be required. The MineARC AirGEN is a standalone air regenerative system that ‘scrubs’ the air inside of an enclosed location, effectively cleaning it so occupants can breathe.

Comparison Table

Capacity * Advanced Digital Control System ** iVAN *** Aura-FX Gas monitoring Vestibule Shelter-in-Place 12hrs Battery Backup Blast Rating ****

8-30 5 psi
8-30 5 psi
CUST 1-10 psi
CUST 5 psi
  • * Capacity Every safe haven is built with a certain rated occupancy in mind. The life support systems are designed to safely house this number of people for the designated duration..
  • ** Advanced Digital Control System All safe havens with a Series IV Scrubbing System feature MineARC's unique Advanced Digital Control System.
  • *** iVAN iVAN is an on-board navigation assistant that guides occupants through operational procedures.
  • **** Blast Rating MineARC offers blast rating upgrades to all safe havens.