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ISSUE DATE: March 3, 2005 PROGRAM INFORMATION BULLETIN NO. P05-06 FROM: MARK E. SKILES  Director of Technical Support JOHN F. LANGTON  Acting Administrator for Coal Mine Safety and Health ROBERT M. FRIEND  Administrator for Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health SUBJECT: Withdrawal of MSHA Approval or Certification for Certain Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) Products Who needs this information? Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) enforcement personnel, coal and metal and nonmetal mine operators, miners' representatives, and repair shop facilities. Why is MSHA issuing this bulletin? This Program Information Bulletin (PIB) informs the mining industry of the withdrawal of MSHA approval or certification for the Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) products listed in Table 1 attached to this PIB. This withdrawal of approval or certification means that these products are no longer considered approved by MSHA. Mine operators should promptly review Table 1 and determine if any of these products are currently in use at their mines, and prepare to replace them with MSHA approved products. What is the effect of withdrawal of the MSHA approval? After December 31, 2005, the products listed in Table 1 must be removed from areas of mines wherever permissible equipment or an approved gas detection instrument is required. The products listed in Table 1 may continue to be used through December 31, 2005, wherever permissible equipment or approved gas detection instrument is required as long as the products can be maintained in approved condition. Replacement parts specific to the products listed in Table 1 are no longer available from MSA. MSA will no longer repair the products listed in Table 1. Mine operators that encounter difficulty in replacing the MSA products should contact one of the MSHA personnel listed below to request assistance. MSHA-approved replacement options for certain products are available from MSA as indicated in Table 1. MSA will offer trade-in incentives for replacement of non-approved products with an MSHA-approved product. (We are supplying this information for the user's convenience only. MSHA does not endorse or recommend any specific product.) MSHA-approved replacement options are also available from other manufacturers. What is the background for this withdrawal action? MSHA's Approval and Certification Center (A&CC) has been working with MSA to ensure the records and documentation for all of MSA's MSHA approved or certified products are accurate. In the process of MSA correcting the documentation for products they actively sell and support, MSA has requested that MSHA withdraw approvals for products that are obsolete and no longer in use, or for products that are in very limited use. Most of the products for which the approval is being withdrawn have not been produced in many years. Who can I contact at MSA? MSA has established the following special contact number for information regarding these withdrawal actions and available product replacement: 1-866-MSA-0005. What is the authority for this bulletin? 30 CFR, Part 18, Part 22, Part 23 Who are the contact persons for this bulletin? Technical Support, Approval and Certification Center Bill Beasley, (304) 547-2050 Beasley.William@dol.gov Coal Mine Safety and Health, Michael G. Kalich, (202) 693-9714 Kalich.Michael@dol.gov Metal and Nonmetal Safety and Health Thomas J. Loyd, (202) 693-9645 Loyd.Thomas@dol.gov Is this information bulletin on the Internet? This PIB may be viewed on the Internet by accessing MSHA's Home Page at http://www.msha.gov and then choosing "Compliance Info" and "Program Information Bulletins." Who will receive this bulletin? Program Policy Manual Holders Miners' Representatives Underground Mine Operators Repair Shop Facilities Special Interest Groups Tables  |
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