Getting FRAS compliance right underground isn’t optional, and it isn’t always straightforward either: Queensland and New South Wales approach it differently, and “FRAS-rated” on a product label doesn’t always mean it’s actually been tested. This guide covers what FRAS means, where it’s mandated, how it’s tested, and which products need it, including where our own underground mine products fit in.
What Does FRAS Stand For?
FRAS stands for Fire Resistant Anti-Static. It describes non-metallic materials and products, from conveyor belting to ventilation ducting to vehicle components, that have been tested and shown to resist ignition and flame propagation, and to dissipate static electricity rather than let it build up and spark. Both properties matter underground for the same reason: a confined space with coal dust or gas present has very little tolerance for an ignition source, whether that’s an open flame or a static discharge.
Is FRAS Mandatory Underground?
Yes, though the two major mining states set the requirement out differently.
| Queensland | New South Wales | |
| Governing law | Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017 | WHS (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022 |
| How FRAS is required | Named directly: s256 (belt conveyors) and Schedule 4 (brattice lines, stoppings, ventilation ducting) | Required indirectly, via the general duty to manage fire and explosion risk in a principal hazard management plan |
| Technical benchmark | No dedicated Qld standard; sites generally rely on NSW’s TRG 3608 and AS 4606:2012 Grade S | TRG 3608 (Non-metallic materials for use in underground coal mines and reclaim tunnels) |
| Regulator | Resources Safety & Health Queensland (RSHQ) | NSW Resources Regulator |
In Queensland, the requirement is unambiguous: RSHQ’s own safety alert on non-compliant FRAS equipment cites both provisions directly. In NSW, the 2022 regulation sets the framework rather than naming FRAS by clause, so it’s TRG 3608 that mine operators actually test and certify products against to satisfy that broader duty.
How Is FRAS Tested and Certified?
TRG 3608 sets out the testing regime most Australian underground coal mines rely on, covering three areas:
- Fire resistance. Materials are tested for resistance to ignition and flame spread, including finger-burn testing and a minimum oxygen index.
- Electrical resistance. Materials must fall within a set resistance range so static charge dissipates rather than accumulates to the point of sparking.
- Toxicity of combustion products. Where relevant, materials are assessed for what they release if they do burn.
Compliant products also need permanent markings and batch traceability, and TRG 3608 requires periodic retesting rather than a one-off certification, since a material’s fire and anti-static properties can deteriorate over time or with the wrong storage and handling. For conveyor belting specifically, AS 4606:2012 Grade S sets the minimum fire-resistant and anti-static requirements. Our own products have carried FRAS certification since 2014, maintained on an ongoing basis rather than treated as a one-time badge, which is covered in more detail on our FRAS: Fire Resistant Anti-Static page.
Why Does Testing Actually Matter?
Because a FRAS label isn’t automatically a guarantee. RSHQ’s own safety alert documents real cases where products sold as FRAS-rated failed when actually tested: one PVC hose product failed fire resistance and electrical resistance testing, another material failed to meet the required electrical resistance limit, and separate testing found that FRAS materials can still accumulate a dangerous static charge if they aren’t properly earthed. None of that means FRAS materials are unreliable; it means the testing and ongoing verification behind the rating are what actually keep a site safe, not the label on its own.
Which Products Need to Be FRAS-Rated?
Under TRG 3608 and the Queensland regulation, the products most directly required to be FRAS-rated include:
- Conveyor belting and accessories, including scrapers, pulleys and idlers
- Brattice, and flexible or rigid ventilation ducting
- Temporary and separation stoppings for primary escapeways
- Non-metallic pipes, hoses and grid mesh used underground
Beyond what’s specifically named in the regulations, FRAS construction has become standard practice for a much wider range of underground equipment, since any non-metallic component operating in a gassy or dusty environment carries some of the same risk. Our own underground vehicle range, including Hungry Boards, Compartment Covers and Wheel Arch Flares, is built from FRAS-certified polyurethane as standard, even though these specific components sit outside the items named directly in section 256 and Schedule 4.
Staying Compliant Underground
FRAS compliance underground comes down to two things: knowing what your state actually requires, and buying from a supplier that can back its FRAS claims with real, ongoing testing rather than a label. Browse our full underground mine products range, or read more on our FRAS: Fire Resistant Anti-Static page to see how our certification is maintained.
FAQs
What does FRAS stand for?
Fire Resistant Anti-Static. It describes non-metallic materials tested to resist ignition and flame spread, and to dissipate static electricity rather than let it build up.
Is FRAS mandatory underground?
Yes, though it’s set out differently by state. Queensland’s Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017 names FRAS directly for conveyor belts, brattice, stoppings and ventilation ducting. NSW’s WHS (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022 requires it indirectly, through the general duty to manage fire and explosion risk, with TRG 3608 as the technical benchmark.
How is FRAS tested and certified?
Primarily against TRG 3608, which tests fire resistance, electrical resistance and (where relevant) toxicity of combustion products, plus AS 4606:2012 Grade S for conveyor belting specifically. Compliant products need batch traceability and periodic retesting, not just a one-off certificate.
Which products need to be FRAS-rated?
Conveyor belting and accessories, brattice and ventilation ducting, escapeway stoppings, and non-metallic pipes and hoses are directly named in the regulations. Many other underground components, including vehicle parts, are also built to FRAS specifications as standard industry practice.
