A. At least once during each shift, and more often if necessary, a certifiedperson shall examine each underground section where coal is produced and anyother area where mechanized mining equipment is being installed or removedduring the shift. The certified person shall (i) examine for hazardousconditions, (ii) test for methane and oxygen deficiency with a suitablepermissible device, and (iii) determine whether the air is traveling in itsregular course and in sufficient volume in each split. Hazardous conditionsshall be corrected immediately or the miners shall be withdrawn and theaffected area plainly marked with "danger" signs.
B. During each shift that coal is produced, a certified person shall examinefor hazardous conditions along each underground belt conveyor entry where abelt conveyor is operated. This examination may be conducted at the same timeas the pre-shift examination of the belt conveyors and the belt conveyorentries, if the examination is conducted within three hours before theestablished eight-hour interval. The person conducting the examination shallcertify by initials, date, and time at enough locations to show that theentire area has been examined.
C. Persons conducting the on-shift examination shall determine at thefollowing locations which are underground:
1. The volume of air in the last open crosscut, which means the crosscut inthe line of pillars containing the permanent stoppings that separate theintake air courses and the return air courses, of each set of entries orrooms on each working section and areas where mechanized mining equipment isbeing installed or removed;
2. The volume of air on a longwall or shortwall, including areas wherelongwall or shortwall equipment is being installed or removed, in the intakeentry or entries at the intake end of the longwall or shortwall;
3. The velocity of air at each end of the longwall or shortwall face at thelocations specified in the approved ventilation plan required pursuant to thefederal mine safety law; and
4. The volume of air at the intake end of any pillar line (i) where a singlesplit of air is used, in the intake entry furthest from the return aircourse, immediately outby the first open crosscut outby the line of pillarsbeing mined, or (ii) if a split system is used, in the intake entries of eachsplit immediately inby the split point.
D. A test shall be made for methane before any electrically powered equipmentis taken inby the last open crosscut, before blasting, and before work isresumed after blasting. When longwall or shortwall mining systems are used,these methane tests shall be made from under permanent roof support at theshearer, the plow, or cutting head. These methane tests shall be made atleast once every 20 minutes or more often as necessary for safety while suchequipment is in operation. When mining has been stopped for more than 20minutes, methane tests shall be conducted prior to the start up of equipment.
E. Idle or worked-out areas underground, including section belts that havebeen idle for a period of 24 hours, shall be examined by a certified personimmediately before miners are permitted to enter or work in such areas. Theperson conducting the examination shall certify by initials, date, and timeat enough locations to show that the entire area has been examined.
F. Daily and on-shift examinations of surface areas of underground coal minesshall be made in accordance with the requirements for daily and on-shiftexaminations at surface coal mines as provided in § 45.1-161.256.
(Code 1950, §§ 45-32, 45-33, 45-60.4, 45-60.5, 45-68.1, 45-69.7, 45-83; 1954,c. 191; 1966, c. 594, §§ 45.1-20, 45.1-62, 45.1-65, 45.1-83; 1978, c. 120;1982, c. 385; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2005, c.3.)
A. At least once during each shift, and more often if necessary, a certifiedperson shall examine each underground section where coal is produced and anyother area where mechanized mining equipment is being installed or removedduring the shift. The certified person shall (i) examine for hazardousconditions, (ii) test for methane and oxygen deficiency with a suitablepermissible device, and (iii) determine whether the air is traveling in itsregular course and in sufficient volume in each split. Hazardous conditionsshall be corrected immediately or the miners shall be withdrawn and theaffected area plainly marked with "danger" signs.
B. During each shift that coal is produced, a certified person shall examinefor hazardous conditions along each underground belt conveyor entry where abelt conveyor is operated. This examination may be conducted at the same timeas the pre-shift examination of the belt conveyors and the belt conveyorentries, if the examination is conducted within three hours before theestablished eight-hour interval. The person conducting the examination shallcertify by initials, date, and time at enough locations to show that theentire area has been examined.
C. Persons conducting the on-shift examination shall determine at thefollowing locations which are underground:
1. The volume of air in the last open crosscut, which means the crosscut inthe line of pillars containing the permanent stoppings that separate theintake air courses and the return air courses, of each set of entries orrooms on each working section and areas where mechanized mining equipment isbeing installed or removed;
2. The volume of air on a longwall or shortwall, including areas wherelongwall or shortwall equipment is being installed or removed, in the intakeentry or entries at the intake end of the longwall or shortwall;
3. The velocity of air at each end of the longwall or shortwall face at thelocations specified in the approved ventilation plan required pursuant to thefederal mine safety law; and
4. The volume of air at the intake end of any pillar line (i) where a singlesplit of air is used, in the intake entry furthest from the return aircourse, immediately outby the first open crosscut outby the line of pillarsbeing mined, or (ii) if a split system is used, in the intake entries of eachsplit immediately inby the split point.
D. A test shall be made for methane before any electrically powered equipmentis taken inby the last open crosscut, before blasting, and before work isresumed after blasting. When longwall or shortwall mining systems are used,these methane tests shall be made from under permanent roof support at theshearer, the plow, or cutting head. These methane tests shall be made atleast once every 20 minutes or more often as necessary for safety while suchequipment is in operation. When mining has been stopped for more than 20minutes, methane tests shall be conducted prior to the start up of equipment.
E. Idle or worked-out areas underground, including section belts that havebeen idle for a period of 24 hours, shall be examined by a certified personimmediately before miners are permitted to enter or work in such areas. Theperson conducting the examination shall certify by initials, date, and timeat enough locations to show that the entire area has been examined.
F. Daily and on-shift examinations of surface areas of underground coal minesshall be made in accordance with the requirements for daily and on-shiftexaminations at surface coal mines as provided in § 45.1-161.256.
(Code 1950, §§ 45-32, 45-33, 45-60.4, 45-60.5, 45-68.1, 45-69.7, 45-83; 1954,c. 191; 1966, c. 594, §§ 45.1-20, 45.1-62, 45.1-65, 45.1-83; 1978, c. 120;1982, c. 385; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2005, c.3.)
A. At least once during each shift, and more often if necessary, a certifiedperson shall examine each underground section where coal is produced and anyother area where mechanized mining equipment is being installed or removedduring the shift. The certified person shall (i) examine for hazardousconditions, (ii) test for methane and oxygen deficiency with a suitablepermissible device, and (iii) determine whether the air is traveling in itsregular course and in sufficient volume in each split. Hazardous conditionsshall be corrected immediately or the miners shall be withdrawn and theaffected area plainly marked with "danger" signs.
B. During each shift that coal is produced, a certified person shall examinefor hazardous conditions along each underground belt conveyor entry where abelt conveyor is operated. This examination may be conducted at the same timeas the pre-shift examination of the belt conveyors and the belt conveyorentries, if the examination is conducted within three hours before theestablished eight-hour interval. The person conducting the examination shallcertify by initials, date, and time at enough locations to show that theentire area has been examined.
C. Persons conducting the on-shift examination shall determine at thefollowing locations which are underground:
1. The volume of air in the last open crosscut, which means the crosscut inthe line of pillars containing the permanent stoppings that separate theintake air courses and the return air courses, of each set of entries orrooms on each working section and areas where mechanized mining equipment isbeing installed or removed;
2. The volume of air on a longwall or shortwall, including areas wherelongwall or shortwall equipment is being installed or removed, in the intakeentry or entries at the intake end of the longwall or shortwall;
3. The velocity of air at each end of the longwall or shortwall face at thelocations specified in the approved ventilation plan required pursuant to thefederal mine safety law; and
4. The volume of air at the intake end of any pillar line (i) where a singlesplit of air is used, in the intake entry furthest from the return aircourse, immediately outby the first open crosscut outby the line of pillarsbeing mined, or (ii) if a split system is used, in the intake entries of eachsplit immediately inby the split point.
D. A test shall be made for methane before any electrically powered equipmentis taken inby the last open crosscut, before blasting, and before work isresumed after blasting. When longwall or shortwall mining systems are used,these methane tests shall be made from under permanent roof support at theshearer, the plow, or cutting head. These methane tests shall be made atleast once every 20 minutes or more often as necessary for safety while suchequipment is in operation. When mining has been stopped for more than 20minutes, methane tests shall be conducted prior to the start up of equipment.
E. Idle or worked-out areas underground, including section belts that havebeen idle for a period of 24 hours, shall be examined by a certified personimmediately before miners are permitted to enter or work in such areas. Theperson conducting the examination shall certify by initials, date, and timeat enough locations to show that the entire area has been examined.
F. Daily and on-shift examinations of surface areas of underground coal minesshall be made in accordance with the requirements for daily and on-shiftexaminations at surface coal mines as provided in § 45.1-161.256.
(Code 1950, §§ 45-32, 45-33, 45-60.4, 45-60.5, 45-68.1, 45-69.7, 45-83; 1954,c. 191; 1966, c. 594, §§ 45.1-20, 45.1-62, 45.1-65, 45.1-83; 1978, c. 120;1982, c. 385; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2005, c.3.)
