EFFECTIVE DATE: 3/23/2011 EXPIRATION DATE: 3/31/2013 

 (Reissue of P09-V-07)

PROGRAM POLICY LETTER NO. P11-V-06 

FROM: KEVIN G. STRICKLIN 

 Administrator for 

 Coal Mine Safety and Health 

 LINDA F. ZEILER

Acting Director of Technical Support

 

SUBJECT: Check In – Check Out System

Scope

This Program Policy Letter (PPL) is intended for underground coal mine operators, 

miners and miners’ representatives, independent contractors, Mine Safety and Health 

Administration (MSHA) enforcement personnel, and other parties who work or travel 

in underground coal mines.

Purpose

The purpose of this PPL is to review, clarify and provide guidance under Title 30, Code 

of Federal Regulations (30 C.F.R.) § 75.1715, “Identification check system”. 

Policy

After June 15, 2009, the use of a dispatcher in lieu of electronic tracking was 

discontinued, and all Emergency Response Plans (ERP) were required to provide an 

electronic tracking system permitting surface personnel to determine the location of any 

persons underground. As a result, in order to also comply with 30 C.F.R. § 75.1715, the 

identification number on the miner’s belt and the electronic tracking system number 

must be identical. This number will allow for accurate, cross-referenced information, 

which can quickly and easily identify all miners working underground. 
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Other persons, such as visitors, vendors, short-term maintenance or service workers, 

who travel underground and are not employees of the mine operator, are also required 

to comply with the ERP’s electronic tracking system procedures. 

Some mines use an electronic scanning device to determine when miners clock in at 

work and when they clock out. These systems are generally used to determine payroll 

hours and do not correspond directly with a miner’s underground work assignment. 

For this reason, these devices cannot be used to comply with 30 C.F.R. § 75.1715. 

Background 

Each operator of an underground coal mine is required to establish a check-in and 

check-out system that will provide a positive identification for each person who travels 

underground. For decades, this system typically included a tag (brass or other rustresistant metal) that was attached to a miner’s belt and a corresponding identical tag on 

a check-in/check-out board. This was the simplest and most reliable method of 

determining who was underground. Following the passage of the Mine Improvement 

and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act), electronic tracking has 

progressed to provide positive identification of miners underground. 

Currently, there are communication and tracking systems which are approved for 

underground mines. A list can be reviewed by accessing the MSHA web site at: 

http://www.msha.gov/techsupp/PEDLocating/CommoandTrackingMINERActComp

liant.pdf

 

Authority

The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended, 30 U.S.C. § 801 et seq.; 30 

C.F.R. § 75.1715. 

Internet Availability

This PPL may be viewed on the Internet by accessing MSHA home page 

(http://www.msha.gov) and then choosing Statutory and Regulatory Information and 

Compliance Assistance Information.

Issuing Office and Contact Persons

Coal Mine Safety and Health, Safety Division

Stephen J. Gigliotti, 202-693-9479 

E-mail: gigliotti.stephen@dol.gov 

Coal Mine Safety and Health, Safety Division

Charles E. Carpenter, 202-693-9532 

E-mail: carpenter.charles@dol.gov 
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Technical Support, Approval and Certification Center

David C. Chirdon, (304) 547-2026 

E-mail: chirdon.david@dol.gov 

Distribution

MSHA Program Policy Manual Holders

Miners’ Representatives

Coal Mine Operators

Special Interest Groups 

Repair Shops