Overview
EN ISO 15236-3:2017 - Steel cord conveyor belts - Part 3: Special safety requirements for belts for use in underground installations (ISO 15236-3:2017) defines performance and constructional requirements for longitudinally steel‑cord reinforced conveyor belts intended for underground use. It covers single belts and complete type series (as referenced in ISO 15236‑2) and is focused on applications where the highest demands for fire and explosion safety apply (notably coal mining).
Key point: the standard notes that meeting its safety and fire‑resistance requirements currently requires chloroprene‑based compounds for covers and bonding rubber.
Key Topics and Requirements
The standard addresses both design and mechanical performance aspects relevant to underground safety and reliability:
- Belt design and construction
- Applicability to standard belt types and complete type series
- Requirements for belt width, edge/supporting widths, cord pitch and number of cords
- Steel cord performance
- Breaking strength and cord pull‑out force requirements
- Positioning of steel cords (horizontal and vertical placement) and cord joint spacing
- Covers and bonding
- Cover thickness and cover quality classification
- Adhesion tests for cord-to-coating and cover-to-core bonding
- Use of chloroprene rubber compounds for fire/explosion safety
- Mechanical behaviour
- Troughability (transverse flexibility) and tracking performance
- Transverse reinforcements (breakers, weft) and their requirements
- Safety and testing
- Sampling, designation, ordering data and marking requirements
- References to standardized test methods for tensile strength, adhesion, abrasion and thickness
Applications and Users
Who uses EN ISO 15236-3:2017:
- Conveyor belt manufacturers - to design and certify steel‑cord belts for underground mines and high‑risk installations.
- Mine operators and plant owners - to specify belts that meet high fire/explosion safety criteria for procurement and risk management.
- OEMs and system integrators - to ensure belt compatibility with conveyors, pulleys and safety systems.
- Testing laboratories and conformity assessors - to perform required mechanical and adhesion tests.
- Health & safety and procurement teams - to reference in specifications, contracts and maintenance plans.
Practical benefits: improved underground fire/explosion safety, predictable mechanical performance (breaking strength, troughability, tracking), and harmonized procurement/specification language across Europe and internationally.
Related Standards
Relevant normative references and companion documents often used with EN ISO 15236-3 include:
- ISO 15236‑2 (design/type series guidance)
- ISO 7590, ISO 7622‑2, ISO 7623, ISO 8094 (tests for thickness, tensile/traction, cord‑to‑coating bond, adhesion)
- EN 14973 (electrical and flammability safety requirements for underground conveyor belts)
Keywords: EN ISO 15236-3:2017, steel cord conveyor belts, underground installations, mining conveyor belts, fire safety, chloroprene rubber, belt design, cord pull‑out, troughability, adhesion.