The emergency shelter is made up of 2 main elements. A metal structure whose life span depends on shocks, corrosive products or other factors that call into question the integrity of the structure. Electrical and electronic equipment which has a life span of up to several decades and which depends on periodic maintenance and exposure to dust and humidity.

The equipment is made up of electric batteries with a life span of up to 10 or 15 years, but which also depend on regular maintenance and consumables such as filter cartridges, door seals, sensors or any other perishable element that must be changed at regular intervals according to the user’s manual.

We base ourselves on the standards and regulations ITA WG5, BS EN 16 191 and GT 12 R11 F1 of the French Tunnel and Underground Space Association (AFTES).

A refuge chamber protects against the consequences of a fire. It allows operators to hide inside this equipment which protects them from smoke and harmful gases, and on certain models from the increase in ambient temperature.

It does not protect against water submersion or the risk of tunnel collapse.

There are two types of maintenance. The first is the responsibility of the operator and can be weekly, monthly or quarterly. It consists in particular in monitoring the correct operation of the emergency shelter and in checking the expiry of some of the consumables (filter cartridges, etc.).

The second maintenance is carried out by the manufacturer or any other person accredited by the latter. It consists of checking the life of all the components of the emergency shelter and replacing certain consumables or components if necessary. This manufacturer’s maintenance must be carried out every six months or years depending on the site’s constraints.

The mobile emergency shelter can accommodate more than 30 people, while the permanent emergency shelters can accommodate up to several hundred.

The number of people depends on the quantity of consumables, especially the air purification cartridges, but also on the air and oxygen resources.

Sub’roca acts on the setting of its refuge in such a way as to ensure the pressurization of the envelope of the refuge with the help of a limited reserve of compressed air present in one or several bottles inside the refuge.

These cylinders ensure a pressurization of a few hundred Pa during the entire duration of the autonomy. On average, the air consumption of a Sub’roca autonomous shelter, connected to these bottles, is less than or equal to 1m³/h.

In this case, the shelter’s compressed air reserves are not used to renew the air but to ensure permanent pressurization. Air renewal is ensured by purification via our Scrub’tech system and the addition of oxygen when necessary, all controlled automatically by our Pilot’Assist© technology.