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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
30 CFR Parts 70 and 71
Safety Standards for Underground Coal Mines
AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice of MSHA acceptance of new personal noise dosimeters.
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SUMMARY: After testing and evaluation, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announces the acceptance of the Quest Technologies Models Q-100, Q-200, Q-300, and Q-400 Personal Noise Dosimeters for use in coal mines.
EFFECTIVE DATE: August 29, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert G. Peluso, Pittsburgh Technical Support Center, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 4800 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, (412) 621-4500.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 12, 1978, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) published a final rule that became effective on October 1, 1978 and amended the mandatory health standards governing noise dosimeters (43 FR 40760). Those amendments to 30 CFR parts 70 and 71 permitted the use of personal noise dosimeters to make required noise exposure measurements in coal mines and set forth the procedures to be followed in taking such noise measurements. When noise exposure measurements and surveys required by parts 70 and 71 are taken by personal noise dosimeters, the dosimeters must be acceptable to MSHA.
The test and criteria used by MSHA to determine acceptability of personal noise dosimeters are published in ``MSHA Test Procedures and Acceptability Criteria for Noise Dosimeters,'' MSHA Informational Report IR-1072.
MSHA has recently completed testing and evaluation of the Quest Technologies Models Q-100, Q-200, Q-300 and Q-400 Personal Noise Dosimeters. MSHA has determined that the dosimeters met all of the criteria listed in MSHA's Informational Report IR-1072 and hereby gives notice that these dosimeters are acceptable for use under 30 CFR 70.505 and 71.801.
Accordingly, operators may use the Quest Technologies Models to take the noise exposure measurements and surveys at underground coal mines as required by 30 CFR 70.503, 508 and 509 and at surface coal mines as required by 30 CFR 71.802, 803 and 804.
Dated: August 14, 1996.
J. Davitt McAteer,
Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 96-21800 Filed 8-28-96; 8:45 am]
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