Program Policy Manual - VOLUME V - Mine Safety and Health ...

MSHA PROGRAM POLICY MANUAL VOLUME V
controls and the circumstances where their location does not
necessitate a cab or a canopy are as follows:
1. Controls that position and set the Automated Temporary
Roof Support (ATRS) system (including "inch tram"
controls) are not required to be located under a canopy
provided:
a. the controls are located on the machine in such a
manner that they are operable from under
permanently supported roof, and
b. the controls are used only within the working place
and not to tram from place to place.
2. Controls that position the drill station canopy, such as
canopy raise, canopy lower, boom swing levers, etc., are
not required to be located under a canopy, provided
these controls are located on the machine in such a
manner that they are operable from under supported roof.
75.1711 Sealing of Mines
The regulation states that the openings of any coal mine that is
declared inactive by the operator, or is permanently closed, or
abandoned for more than 90 days, shall be sealed. Work to seal shall
commence promptly after the 90-day period during which the mine was
not ventilated and shall be performed with reasonable diligence.
Each coal mine is categorized by the appropriate District in one of
seven statuses. These Statuses include, among others: Abandoned,
Intermittent, and Temporarily Idle. These Particular statuses and
their relation to the sealing requirements are discussed below.
Abandoned. Sealing is required for mines placed in abandoned status
either by the operator or by MSHA. When an operator has not properly
updated mine status to abandoned, MSHA will revise the status to
abandoned and notify the operator in writing of the status change and
the requirement for sealing within 90 days.
Intermittent. Mines place in intermittent status, as a result of
being seasonally idled for more than 90 days, are not considered
abandoned and the sealing requirements does not apply. However, the
mine must remain essentially ready to resume production within a
short timeframe. To maintain intermittent status, facilities and
equipment such as the mine office, surface and underground power
systems, the main mine fan, and underground coal haulage systems must
remain intact. In addition, all mine openings must be provided with
a positive means to prevent access by unauthorized persons.
February 2003 (Release V-33) 140