30 CFR § 75.362
On-shift examination.
(a)(1) At least once during each shift, or more often if necessary for
safety, a certified person designated by the operator shall conduct an
on-shift examination of each section where anyone is assigned to work during
the shift and any area where mechanized mining equipment is being installed
or removed during the shift. The certified person shall check for hazardous
conditions, test for methane and oxygen deficiency, and determine if the air
is moving in its proper direction.
(2) A person designated by the operator shall conduct an examination
to assure compliance with the respirable dust control parameters specified in
the mine ventilation plan. In those instances when a shift change is
accomplished without an interruption in production on a section, the
examination shall be made anytime within 1 hour of the shift change. In those
instances when there is an interruption in production during the shift
change, the examination shall be made before production begins on a section.
Deficiencies in dust controls shall be corrected before production begins or
resumes. The examination shall include air quantities and velocities, water
pressures and flow rates, excessive leakage in the water delivery system,
water spray numbers and orientations, section ventilation and control device
placement, and any other dust suppression measures required by the
ventilation plan. Measurements of the air velocity and quantity, water
pressure and flow rates are not required if continuous monitoring of these
controls is used and indicates that the dust controls are functioning
properly.
(b) During each shift that coal is produced, a certified person shall
examine for hazardous conditions along each belt conveyor haulageway where a
belt conveyor is operated. This examination may be conducted at the same time
as the preshift examination of belt conveyors and belt conveyor haulageways,
if the examination is conducted within 3 hours before the oncoming shift.
(c) Persons conducting the on-shift examination shall determine at the following locations:
(1) The volume of air in the last open crosscut of each set of entries
or rooms on each section and areas where mechanized mining equipment is being
installed or removed. The last open crosscut is the crosscut in the line of
pillars containing the permanent stoppings that separate the intake air
courses and the return air courses.
(2) The volume of air on a longwall or shortwall, including areas
where longwall or shortwall equipment is being installed or removed, in the
intake entry 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 the locations specified in the approved ventilation plan.
(4) The volume of air at the intake end of any pillar line--
(i) Where a single split of air is used in the intake entry
furthest from the return air course immediately outby the first open crosscut
outby the line of pillars being mined; or
(ii) Where a split system is used in the intake entries of each
split immediately inby the split point.
(d)(1) A qualified person shall make tests for methane--
(i) At the start of each shift at each working place before
electrically operated equipment is energized; and
(ii) Immediately before equipment is energized, taken into, or
operated in a working place; and
(iii) At 20-minute intervals, or more often if required in the
approved ventilation plan at specific locations, during the operation of
equipment in the working place.
(2) These methane tests shall be made at the face from under
permanent roof support, using extendable probes or other acceptable means.
When longwall or shortwall mining systems are used, these methane tests shall
be made at the shearer, the plow, or the cutting head. When mining has been
stopped for more than 20 minutes, methane tests shall be conducted prior to
the start up of equipment.
(3) As an alternative method of compliance with paragraph (d)(2) of this section during roof bolting, methane tests may be made by sweeping an area not less than 16 feet inby the last area of permanently supported roof, using a probe or other acceptable means. This method of testing is conditioned on meeting the following requirements:
(i) The roof bolting machine must be equipped with an integral automated temporary roof support (ATRS) system that meets the requirements of 30 CFR 75.209.
(ii) The roof bolting machine must have a permanently mounted, MSHA-approved methane monitor which meets the maintenance and calibration requirements of 30 CFR 75.342(a)(4), the warning signal requirements of 30 CFR 75.342(b), and the automatic de-energization requirements of 30 CFR 75.342(c).
(iii) The methane monitor sensor must be mounted near the inby end and within 18 inches of the longitudinal center of the ATRS support, and positioned at least 12 inches from the roof when the ATRS is fully deployed.
(iv) Manual methane tests must be made at intervals not exceeding 20 minutes. The test may be made either from under permanent roof support or from the roof bolter's work position protected by the deployed ATRS.
(v) Once a methane test is made at the face, all subsequent methane tests in the same area of unsupported roof must also be made at the face, from under permanent roof support, using extendable probes or other acceptable means at intervals not exceeding 20 minutes.
(vi) The district manager may require that the ventilation plan include the minimum air quantity and the position and placement of ventilation controls to be maintained during roof bolting.
(e) If auxiliary fans and tubing are used, they shall be inspected
frequently.
(f) During each shift that coal is produced and at intervals not
exceeding 4 hours, tests for methane shall be made by a certified person or
by an atmospheric monitoring system (AMS) in each return split of air from
each working section between the last working place, or longwall or
shortwall face, ventilated by that split of air and the junction of the
return air split with another air split, seal, or worked-out area. If
auxiliary fans and tubing are used, the tests shall be made at a location
outby the auxiliary fan discharge.
(g) Certification. (1) The person conducting the on-shift
examination in belt haulage entries shall certify by initials, date, and
time that the examination was made. The certified person shall certify by
initials, date, and the time at enough locations to show that the entire
area has been examined.
(2) The certified person directing the on-shift examination to assure
compliance with the respirable dust control parameters specified in the mine
ventilation plan shall certify by initials, date, and time that the
examination was made.
|