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

GENERAL COAL MINE INSPECTION PROCEDURES AND
INSPECTION TRACKING SYSTEM HANDBOOK CHAPTER 4
per fiscal year, and at surface mines and facilities at least two times per fiscal year to
determine compliance with applicable standards and approved plans. At the
discretion of the District Manager, inspections may be conducted more often to
address unusual hazards. The provisions of Section 103(f) of the Mine Act apply, in
that a representative of the miners shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in
the inspection of shaft or slope construction sites.
D. Interconnected Mines. Where adjacent mines are connected underground but are
considered separate mines, the inspector shall issue an order to each mine if any
imminent dangers are found in one mine that may affect the safety of the miners in the
connected mine. The inspector shall implement this procedure regardless of whether
these mines are controlled by the same or different operators.
E. Non-producing Mines. Regular safety and health inspections shall be conducted at
non-producing mines at which persons are working and at mines where persons do
not regularly work that are placed in a non-producing status due to the presence of an
impoundment on mine property to determine compliance with standards applicable to
the activities at the mine. At underground mines that are declared inactive by the
operator, permanently closed, or abandoned for more than 90 days, inspections of
surface areas should be scheduled and conducted to determine compliance with
§ 75.1711 (Sealing of mines).
F. Abandoned Mines. As long as there is an active impoundment associated with a
mine, an abandoned or abandoned and sealed status should not be applied to the
operator. In order for a mine operator to close and abandon a mine, the operator
must submit appropriate documentation to MSHA (e.g., status change reports for
dust sampling and underground mine abandonment and closure map). Once the
notification has been submitted, the District Manager shall ensure that all impacted
branches in the district (impoundment, roof control or ventilation departments) are
notified that the mine is either being closed or abandoned. The District Manager
shall also ensure that the underground mine openings are sealed in accordance
with § 75.1711 (Sealing of mines). Inspections should not be conducted at
abandoned mines with no coal production and no persons are working at the site.
Enforcement personnel should work closely with supervisors when:
1. A mine’s status is changed to “abandoned.” Event reports for activities at
mines found to be abandoned should be amended or revised;
2. Dates entered for mine status change, including abandonment. The status is
determined by MSHA and not dictated solely by operator information. A mine is
Release 1 (February 2013) 4-2