CODE OF VIRGINIA

ON-SHIFT EXAMINATIONS (§ 45.1-161.209)

A. At least once during each shift, and more often if necessary, a certified
person shall examine each underground section where coal is produced and any
other area where mechanized mining equipment is being installed or removed
during the shift. The certified person shall (i) examine for hazardous
conditions, (ii) test for methane and oxygen deficiency with a suitable
permissible device, and (iii) determine whether the air is traveling in its
regular course and in sufficient volume in each split. Hazardous conditions
shall be corrected immediately or the miners shall be withdrawn and the affected
area plainly marked with “danger” signs.

B. During each shift that coal is produced, a certified person shall examine for
hazardous conditions along each underground belt conveyor entry where a belt
conveyor is operated. This examination may be conducted at the same time as the
pre-shift examination of the belt conveyors and the belt conveyor entries, if
the examination is conducted within three hours before the established
eight-hour interval. The person conducting the examination shall certify by
initials, date, and time at enough locations to show that the entire area has
been examined.

C. Persons conducting the on-shift examination shall determine at the following
locations which are underground:

   1.  The volume of air in the last open crosscut, which means the crosscut in
   the line of pillars containing the permanent stoppings that separate the
   intake air courses and the return air courses, of each set of entries or rooms
   on each working section and areas where mechanized mining equipment is being
   installed or removed;

   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 required pursuant to the
   federal mine safety law; and

   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) if a split system is used, in the intake entries of each split
   immediately inby the split point.

D. A test shall be made for methane before any electrically powered equipment is
taken inby the last open crosscut, before blasting, and before work is resumed
after blasting. When longwall or shortwall mining systems are used, these
methane tests shall be made from under permanent roof support at the shearer,
the plow, or cutting head. These methane tests shall be made at least once every
20 minutes or more often as necessary for safety while such equipment is in
operation. When mining has been stopped for more than 20 minutes, methane tests
shall be conducted prior to the start up of equipment.

E. Idle or worked-out areas underground, including section belts that have been
idle for a period of 24 hours, shall be examined by a certified person
immediately before miners are permitted to enter or work in such areas. The
person conducting the examination shall certify by initials, date, and time at
enough locations to show that the entire area has been examined.

F. Daily and on-shift examinations of surface areas of underground coal mines
shall be made in accordance with the requirements for daily and on-shift
examinations at surface coal mines as provided in § 45.1-161.256.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 45-32, 45-33, 45-60.4, 45-60.5, 45-68.1, 45-69.7,
45-83; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, §§ 45.1-20, 45.1-62, 45.1-65, 45.1-83;
1978, c. 120; 1982, c. 385; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c.
256; 2005, c. 3.