Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/04/06/2012-8328/examinations-of-work-areas-in-underground-coal-mines-for-violations-of-mandatory-health-or-safety
Timestamp: 2015-07-04 19:05:23
Document Index: 381661758

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Federal Register | Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety Standards
-20716 (17 pages)
Shorter URL: https://federalregister.gov/a/2012-8328 Related Topics
Examination of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety Standards 9 actions from December 27th, 2010 to March 2012
A. § 75.360Preshift Examination at Fixed Intervals
B. § 75.361Supplemental Examination
C. § 75.362On-Shift Examination
D. § 75.363Hazardous Conditions and Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety Standards; Posting, Correcting, and Recording
E. § 75.364Weekly Examination
Preshift Examination at Fixed Intervals—Final § 75.360
Supplemental Examination—Final § 75.361
On-Shift Examination—Final § 75.362
Hazardous Conditions and Violations of Health or Safety Standards; Posting, Correcting, Recording, and Reviewing—Final § 75.363(b) and (e)
Weekly Examination—Final § 75.364
Final § 75.360—Burden to Make a Record of the Preshift Examination
Final § 75.363—Burden to Make a Record of Violations Found
Final § 75.364—Burden to Make a Record of the Weekly Examinations
III. General Discussion of Final Rule Back to Top
§§ 75.202(a) and 75.220(a)(1)—roof support and the mine roof control plan;
§§ 75.333(h) and 75.370(a)(1)—maintenance of ventilation controls and the mine ventilation plan; §§ 75.400 and 75.403—accumulations of combustible materials and application of rock dust;
§ 75.1403—other safeguards, limited to maintenance of travelways along belt conveyors, off track haulage roadways, track haulage, track switches, and other components for haulage;
§ 75.1722(a)—guarding moving machine parts; and
§ 75.1731(a)—maintenance of belt conveyor components.
The mine operator is required by § 75.220(a)(1) to develop and follow a roof control plan and by § 75.370(a)(1) to develop and follow a mine ventilation plan approved by the District Manager. These plans are mine-specific and can sometimes be comprehensive and complex. MSHA expects that the operator will assure that the examiner should have broad knowledge of these plans.
Unlike the proposal, the final rule does not require operators to have examiners to look for violations of § 75.1725(a) related to mobile and stationary machinery and equipment (one of the most frequently cited standards). Many commenters opposed inclusion of this standard stating that it would require examiners to check permissibility, brakes, and electrical components. They stated that such tasks are beyond an examiner's knowledge and skills and that such tasks would consume most of the time allotted to conduct preshift examinations. In addition, they pointed out that other standards require the examination of mobile and stationary machinery and equipment and that adding a similar requirement to the preshift examination would be duplicative and unnecessary. Although § 75.1725(a) was part of the Rules to Live By I, available on MSHA's Web site at http://www.msha.gov/focuson/RulestoLiveBy/RulestoLiveByI.asp, the types of accidents in which the standard was cited would likely not have required a preshift, supplemental, on-shift, or weekly examination of the equipment involved.
In response to questions from the MSHA Panel at the public hearings, some commenters provided information as to how they examine for violations of safety and health standards. The examinations in this final rule should represent only part of an operator's program for finding and fixing violations. Since this final rule requires examinations for hazards and violations of nine safety or health standards which present unsafe conditions and risks to miners, MSHA does not believe that there is a need for any additional requirement for training mine examiners. In addition, MSHA believes that the new requirement in § 75.363(e) (that the operator review with examiners on a quarterly basis all citations and orders issued in areas where preshift, supplemental, on-shift, and weekly examinations are required discussed elsewhere in the preamble), when conducted properly, provides examiners with necessary instruction to identify hazards and violations.
The final rule makes conforming changes to the existing requirement in § 75.360(a)(2) that allows pumpers, who are certified persons, to perform the preshift examination for themselves. Under the final rule, examinations conducted by pumpers must include hazardous conditions and violations of the nine standards. Like the existing rule, pumpers often work alone in remote areas of the mine. MSHA expects that the pumper would examine for hazardous conditions and violations of the nine standards. The pumper must record hazardous conditions and violations of the nine health or safety standards found during the preshift examination.
Some commenters addressed proposed § 75.360(e) that would permit the District Manager to require examinations in other areas of the mine for other hazards or violations of safety or health standards. Most of those commenters stated that this would add to the existing burden on both the District Managers and mine operators. Commenters were concerned that this would give the District Manager broad powers to dictate additional areas, other hazards, or violations to be examined by certified persons. Under the existing standard, the District Manager may require the certified person to examine other areas of the mine or examine for other hazards during the preshift examination.
For example, if a mine is experiencing safety issues and violations due to obstructed walkways on the off side of the belt conveyor, it would be appropriate for the District Manager to require that the mine operator focus on this area. Most operators do not routinely examine the off side of the belt conveyor, but there are occasions when miners are required to work or travel on the off side, such as to align the belt, replace a roller, or remove accumulations. As another example, the District Manager may require a mine operator to verify that battery charging stations are adequately ventilated if a mine operator has received violations of § 75.340(a)(1)(i) for failure to ventilate battery charging stations with intake air that is directly coursed into a return air course or to the surface or with air that is not used to ventilate working places. MSHA believes that this provision is consistent with the Mine Act and is necessary to protect the safety and health of miners.
A number of commenters were concerned about the recordkeeping requirements in proposed §§ 75.360(g), 75.363(a) and (b), and 75.364(h). Although commenters recognized the importance of recordkeeping, some were concerned that the proposal would increase recordkeeping dramatically.
The final rule revises existing § 75.361(a) to require that the supplemental examination identify hazards and violations of nine standards to provide necessary protection for miners. As with the existing rule, operators cannot ignore violations of other standards seen during the examination. As discussed above, in response to comments, MSHA is adding language to make clear which violations operators are required to identify. The same language referencing these standards is also being added to the final requirements for preshift, on-shift, and weekly examinations.
Some commenters were concerned about the recordkeeping requirements in proposed §§ 75.363(a) and (b) and 75.364(h); those comments were addressed above under the discussion of recordkeeping in § 75.360(g).
Some commenters opposed proposed § 75.363(e), the requirement for quarterly reviews of citations and orders. They stated that quarterly meetings to review citations and orders with mine examiners are not needed because all citations are required to be posted in a conspicuous area. Other commenters supported the proposed requirement. They agreed that it makes sense to make mine examiners aware of citations, orders, and violations identified by inspectors in areas where examinations are required so the examiners can improve identification of recurring violations. Therefore, if citations and orders are being issued for violations other than the nine standards identified in the rule, the mine examiner will be better able to find and correct those violations as well.
The weekly examination involving § 75.1403 will require operators to address maintenance of track haulage, off track haulage roadways, track switches, and other components for haulage. Since weekly examinations are required in worked out areas, bleeder entries, and air courses where equipment and conveyor belts are not typically installed, mine examiners are unlikely to encounter conditions related to § 75.1403—other safeguards, maintenance of travelways along belt conveyors; § 75.1722(a)—guarding moving machine parts; and § 75.1731(a)—maintenance of belt conveyor components.
The final rule includes conforming changes to require the identification, recording, and correcting of hazardous conditions and violations of the nine health or safety standards found during the weekly examinations. V. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563: Regulatory Planning and Review Back to Top
Table 1—Underground Coal Mines and Miners, 12-Month Average as of January 2011, by Mine Size Back to Top
Table 2—Coal Production in Short Tons and Coal Revenues in 2010 for Underground Coal Mines Back to Top
Violations of the standards listed in the final rule create unsafe conditions for underground coal miners and are directly linked to fatalities and injuries. The final rule includes a new requirement in § 75.363(e) that the operator review with examiners, on a quarterly basis, all citations and orders issued in areas where preshift, supplemental, on-shift, and weekly examinations are required. This new requirement may provide qualitative benefits that increase over time.
Table 3—Summary of Annual Costs to All Underground Coal Mine Operators Back to Top
14,203,100
16,955,900
Final § 75.360 requires examiners conducting preshift examinations to identify violations of nine standards, in addition to examining for hazards, and record all violations found along with the corrective actions taken. MSHA estimates that it will take an examiner an additional 30 minutes (0.5 hr) per preshift examination to identify and record these violations and the corrective actions taken. Although the final rule narrows the scope of the preshift examination, from requiring the examiner to identify violations of all standards to requiring the examiner to identify violations of nine standards, the time estimates for the proposal were based on violations of ten of the most frequently cited standards by MSHA inspectors. MSHA, therefore, is using the same estimate for additional examination time (0.5 hr) as used in the proposed rule.
Final § 75.361 requires examiners conducting supplemental examinations to identify violations of nine standards, in addition to identifying hazards. MSHA estimates that it will take an examiner an additional 15 minutes (0.25 hr) to identify and record these violations and the corrective actions taken. Supplemental examinations are only performed in areas where a preshift examination has not been conducted. MSHA estimates that examiners would perform four supplemental examinations per year at mines with 1-19 employees and 24 supplemental examinations per year at mines with 20-500 employees and 501+ employees.
Final § 75.362 requires examiners conducting on-shift examinations to identify violations of nine standards, in addition to identifying hazards. MSHA estimates that it would take an examiner an additional 15 minutes (0.25 hr) to identify and record these violations and the corrective actions taken. Because on-shift examinations are performed during each production shift, MSHA used the quarterly average of active mines reporting production (424) to estimate the costs below.
Final § 75.363(b) requires examiners to record all violations noted and the corrective actions taken for supplemental and on-shift examinations (preshift and weekly examinations have separate recordkeeping requirements and are not covered by this provision). The costs associated with this final requirement are included in cost estimates for final §§ 75.361 and 75.362 above.
Final § 75.363(e) is a new provision that requires the operator to review with mine examiners, on a quarterly basis, citations and orders issued in areas where preshift, supplemental, on-shift, and weekly examinations are required. MSHA estimates that 80 percent of underground coal mine operators currently discuss violations with examiners. Although some operators and examiners may meet less frequently and some more frequently, for costing purposes, MSHA assumes that these operators and examiners are meeting on a quarterly basis.
Final § 75.364 requires operators to conduct examinations at least every 7 days to identify and record hazards and violations of nine health or safety standards.
Table 4—Underground Anthracite Coal Mines, 2010 Quarterly Average as of January 2011, By Mine Size Back to Top
1-19 Miners
20-500 Miners
5,887,324
MSHA has included the results of the Agency's separate anthracite cost analysis for each provision in the final rule. Table 5 below presents the summary cost data for underground anthracite coal mines. Table 5—Summary of Annual Costs to Underground Anthracite Coal Mine Operators Back to Top
75.360Preshift Exam
75.361Supplemental Exam
75.362On-Shift Exam
75.363(e)Review of Citations and Orders
75.364Weekly Exam
VI. Feasibility Back to Top
VII. Regulatory Flexibility Act and Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act Back to Top
Using either MSHA's traditional definition of a small mine (one having fewer than 20 employees) or SBA's definition of a small mine (one having 500 or fewer employees), the yearly costs for underground coal mines to comply with the final rule will not exceed 1 percent of their estimated revenues. Accordingly, MSHA certifies that the final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. VIII. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Back to Top
Table 6—Summary of Burden Hours and Costs Back to Top
75.360Pre-Shift exam
75.363Record of Hazards
1,237,344
Final § 75.363 requires operators to record any violations of mandatory health or safety standards found on supplemental and on-shift examinations and any corrective actions taken. The final preshift (§ 75.360) and weekly (§ 75.364) examinations have their own recordkeeping requirements. The final supplemental (§ 75.361) and on-shift (§ 75.362) standards contain new recordkeeping requirements if a violation of a mandatory health or safety standard is found. The recordkeeping for these final standards would be recorded under final § 75.363.
Final § 75.364 requires operators to conduct examinations every 7 days and record hazardous conditions and violations of standards found and corrective actions taken. MSHA estimates that it will take a certified examiner approximately 3 minutes (0.05 hr) out of the total time needed to conduct the examination to record the violations found and corrective actions taken. An examiner conducting these weekly examinations earns a non-supervisory wage of $36.92 an hour (includes benefits). MSHA also estimates that, on average, mines operate for 50 weeks per year. MSHA's estimates of underground coal operators' annual burden hours and related costs for weekly examinations are presented below.
IX. Other Regulatory Considerations Back to Top
Hintermann, B., Alberini, A., and Markandya, A. (2010). “Estimating the Value of Safety with Labor Market Data: Are the Results Trustworthy?”Applied Economics, pages 1085-1100. Published electronically in July 2008.
Sunstein, C. (2004). “Valuing Life: A Plea for Disaggregation.”Duke Law Journal, 54 (November 2004): 385-445.
1.The authority citation for part 75 subpart D is added to read as follows: Authority:
30 U.S.C. 811, 863.
Subpart D—Ventilation Back to Top
2.Section 75.360 is amended by revising paragraphs (a)(2), (b) introductory text, (e), and (g), and adding new paragraph (b)(11) to read as follows: § 75.360 Preshift examination at fixed intervals.
(i) §§ 75.202(a) and 75.220(a)(1)—roof control;
(ii) §§ 75.333(h) and 75.370(a)(1)—ventilation, methane;
(iii) §§ 75.400 and 75.403—accumulations of combustible materials and application of rock dust;
(iv) § 75.1403—other safeguards, limited to maintenance of travelways along belt conveyors, off track haulage roadways, and track haulage, track switches, and other components for haulage;
(v) § 75.1722(a)—guarding moving machine parts; and
(vi) § 75.1731(a)—maintenance of belt conveyor components.
3.Section 75.361 is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows: § 75.361 Supplemental examination.
4.Section 75.362 is amended by revising paragraphs (a)(1) and (b), and adding new paragraph (a)(3) to read as follows: § 75.362 On-shift examination.
5.Section 75.363 is amended by adding new paragraph (e) and revising the section heading and paragraphs (a) and (b) to read as follows: § 75.363 Hazardous conditions and violations of mandatory health or safety standards; posting, correcting, and recording.
6.Section 75.364 is amended by revising the introductory text of paragraph (b) and paragraphs (d) and (h), and adding new paragraph (b)(8) to read as follows: § 75.364 Weekly examination.
(iii) §§ 75.400 and 75.403—accumulations of combustible materials and application of rock dust; and
(iv) § 75.1403—maintenance of off track haulage roadways, and track haulage, track switches, and other components for haulage;