MSHA HANDBOOK SERIES - PH13-V-1 - Mine Safety and Health ...

GENERAL COAL MINE INSPECTION PROCEDURES AND
INSPECTION TRACKING SYSTEM HANDBOOK CHAPTER 4
Chapter 4 – OTHER INSPECTION-RELATED ACTIVITIES
A. New Mines, Coal Facilities, and Other Sites. On the first visit to a new mining
operation, the inspector should make the mine operator aware that the Act, the
MINER Act of 2006, 30 CFR, and MSHA policy govern inspector actions at their mine.
The operator should be informed that these documents are available for viewing on
MSHA’s website (www.msha.gov). Some of these documents are available in hard
copy from MSHA’s National Mine Health and Safety Academy located at Beaver, WV.
Additionally, a discussion should be conducted and the operator made aware of
MSHA’s role concerning enforcement, education and training, and technical
assistance.
Key MSHA contact names, positions, and phone numbers within the field office and
district office having inspection jurisdiction over the mine should also be made
available to the mine operator should questions arise regarding health, safety,
compliance, or other concerns at a later date.
B. Shaft or Slope Construction Sites. Shaft and slope construction operations shall be
inspected monthly for compliance with applicable standards §§ 77.1900(a) to
77.1916(d) and approved plans. The inspection activity (normally conducted on an
E18 inspection code) shall, to the extent possible, include an observation of all critical
phases of the operation such as drilling and shooting, installation of water rings,
operation of the hoisting rig lowering and raising materials and employees, etc. The
inspector shall determine if adequate training has been given to all workers at these
sites and that records of training are available (refer to Shaft and Slope Const: 70 Fed.
Reg. 77716 (Dec. 30, 2005) for additional information). The provisions of Section 103(f)
of the Mine Act apply, in that the representative of the miners shall be afforded the
opportunity to participate in the inspection of shaft or slope construction sites.
Until all work regarding the project outlined in the approved shaft and/or slope
sinking plan is completed, 30 CFR Part 77 standards shall apply to the shaft
construction site. The shaft sinking plan required by 30 CFR Part 77 should indicate
when the applicable provisions of 30 CFR Part 75 shall be met by the responsible
organization that commences the mining cycle.
C. Other Major Construction Sites. Regular safety and health inspections of major
construction sites at existing underground mines shall be conducted at least four times
Release 1 (February 2013) 4-1