reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
WV Code § 22A-2-8 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-8. Duties; Ventilation; Loose Coal, Slate or Rocks; Props; Drainage of Water; Man Doors; Instruction of Apprentice Miners

(a) The duties of the mine foreman shall be to keep a careful watch over the ventilating apparatus, the airways, traveling ways, pumps and drainage. He or she shall see that, as the miners advance their excavations, proper breakthroughs are made so as to ventilate properly the mine; that all loose coal, slate and rock overhead in the working places and along the haulways are removed or carefully secured so as to prevent danger to persons employed in such mines, and that sufficient suitable props, caps, timbers, roof bolts or other approved methods of roof supports are furnished for the places where they are to be used and delivered at suitable points. The mine foreman shall have all water drained or hauled out of the working places where practicable, before the miners enter, and such working places shall be kept dry as far as practicable while the miners are at work. It shall be the duty of the mine foreman to see that proper crosscuts are made, and that the ventilation is conducted by means of such crosscuts through the rooms by means of checks or doors placed on the entries or other suitable places, and he or she shall not permit any room to be opened in advance of the ventilation current. The mine foreman, or other certified persons designated by him or her, shall measure the air current with an anemometer or other approved device at least weekly at the inlet and outlet at or near the faces of the advanced headings, and shall keep a record of such measurements in a book or upon a form prescribed by the director. Signs directing the way to outlets or escapeways shall be conspicuously placed throughout the mine.(b) After July 1, 1971, hinged man doors, at least thirty inches square or the height of the coal seam, shall be installed between the intake and return at intervals of three hundred feet when the height of the coal is below forty-eight inches and at intervals of six hundred feet when the height of the coal is above forty-eight inches.(c) The duties of the mine foreman and assistant mine foreman shall include the instruction of apprentice miners in the hazards incident to any new work assignments; to assure that any individual given a work assignment in the working face without prior experience on the face is instructed in the hazards incident thereto and supervised by a miner with experience in the tasks to be performed.
WV Code § 22A-2-9 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-9. Slopes, Incline Planes and Haulage Roads

The mine foreman shall require that all slopes, incline planes and haulage roads used by any person in the mine shall conform to the provisions of this article.
WV Code § 22A-2-10 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-10. Signals on Haulways; Lights at Mouth and Bottom of Shaft; Operation of Cages

On all haulways, where hauling is done by machinery of any kind, the mine foreman shall provide for a proper system of signals, and a conspicuous light or approved trip reflector on the rear of every trip or train of cars when in motion in a mine. When hoisting or lowering of miners occurs in the morning before daylight, or in the evening after darkness, at any mine operated by shaft, the mine foreman shall provide and maintain at the shaft mouth a light of stationary character, sufficient to show the landing and all surrounding objects distinctly, and sufficient light of a stationary character shall be located at the bottom of the shaft so that persons coming to the bottom may clearly discern the cages and other objects contiguous thereto. The mine foreman shall require that no cages on which miners are riding shall be lifted or lowered at a rate of speed greater than one thousand feet per minute and that no mine cars, either empty or loaded, shall be hoisted while miners are being lowered, and no cage having an unstable self-dump platform shall be used for the carrying of miners unless the same is provided with some device by which it may be securely locked when miners are being hoisted or lowered into the mine: Provided, however, That during the initial development of a mine, and only until the shafts are joined, miners shall be permitted to ride cages with one empty car which has been bolted or strapped to the cage.
WV Code § 22A-2-11 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-11. Boreholes

It shall further be the duty of the mine foreman to have boreholes kept not less than twenty feet in advance of the face, one each twenty feet on sides of the working places that are being driven toward and in dangerous proximity to an abandoned mine or part of a mine which may contain inflammable gases or which is filled with water. These holes shall be drilled whenever any working place in an underground mine approaches within fifty feet of abandoned workings in such mine, as shown by surveys made and certified by a competent engineer or surveyor, or within two hundred feet of any abandoned workings of such mine which cannot be inspected.
WV Code § 22A-2-13 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-13. Daily Inspection of Working Places; Records

Before the beginning of any shift upon which they shall perform supervisory duties, the mine foreman or his or her assistant shall review carefully and countersign all books and records reflecting the conditions and the areas under their supervision, exclusive of equipment logs, which the operator is required to keep under this chapter. The mine foreman, assistant mine foreman, or fire boss shall visit and carefully examine each working place in which miners will be working at the beginning of each shift before any face equipment is energized and shall examine each working place in the mine at least once every two hours each shift while such miners are at work in such places, and shall direct that each working place shall be secured by props, timbers, roof bolts, or other approved methods of roof support or both where necessary to the end that the working places shall be made safe. The mine foreman or his or her assistants upon observing a violation or potential violation of §22A-2-1 et seq. of this code or any regulation or any plan or agreement promulgated or entered into thereunder shall arrange for the prompt correction thereof. The foreman shall not permit any miner other than a certified foreman, fire boss, assistant mine foreman, assistant mine foreman-fire boss or pumper to be on a working section by himself or herself. Should the mine foreman or his or her assistants find a place to be in a dangerous condition, they shall not leave the place until it is made safe or shall remove the persons working therein until the place is made safe by some competent person designated for that purpose.He or she shall place his or her initials, time and the date at or near each place he or she examines. He or she shall also record any dangerous conditions and practices found during his or her examination in a book provided for that purpose.
WV Code § 22A-2-14 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-14. Safety Inspections; Removal of Gases

It shall be the duty of the mine foreman, assistant mine foreman or fire boss to examine all working places under his or her supervision for hazards at least once every two hours during each coal-producing shift, or more often if necessary for safety. In all mines such examinations shall include tests with an approved detector for methane and oxygen deficiency. It shall also be his or her duty to remove as soon as possible after its discovery any accumulations of explosive or noxious gases in active workings, and where practicable, any accumulations of explosive or noxious gases in the worked out and abandoned portions of the mine. It shall be the duty of the mine foreman, assistant mine foreman or fire boss to examine each mine within three hours prior to the beginning of a shift and before any miner in such shift enters the active workings of the mine.
WV Code § 22A-2-15 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-15. Dangerous Places

The mine foreman shall direct and see that all dangerous places and the entrance or entrances to worked out and abandoned places in all mines are properly dangered off across the openings.
WV Code § 22A-2-16 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-16. Examinations of Reports of Fire Bosses

The mine foreman shall, each day, read carefully and countersign with ink or indelible pencil all reports entered in the record book of the fire bosses. The mine foreman shall supervise the fire boss or fire bosses, except as provided in section twenty-one of this article. No less frequently than bi-weekly, the superintendent or, if there is no superintendent, the senior person at the mine shall obtain complete copies of the books of the fire bosses, and acknowledge that he or she has reviewed such copies and acted accordingly. This acknowledgment shall be made by signing a book prescribed by the director for that purpose.
WV Code § 22A-2-17 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-17. Ascertainment, Record and Removal of All Dangers

The mine foreman shall give prompt attention to the removal of all dangers reported to him by his assistants, the fire boss or any other person working in the mine, and in case it is impracticable to remove the danger at once, he shall notify all persons whose safety is menaced thereby to remain away from the area where the dangerous condition exists. He or his assistants or certified persons designated by him shall at least once each week travel and examine the air courses, roads and openings that give access to old workings or falls and make a record of the condition of all places where danger has been found, with ink or indelible pencil in a book provided for that purpose.
WV Code § 22A-2-18 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-18. Duty of Mine Foreman to Notify Operator When Unable to Comply With Law; Duty of Operator

The mine foreman shall notify, in writing, the operator or superintendent of the mine, and the director, of his inability to comply with any of the requirements of this law, and it shall then become the duty of such operator or superintendent promptly to attend to the matter complained of by the mine foreman so as to enable him to comply with the provisions hereof. Every operator of a mine shall furnish all supplies necessary for the mine foreman to comply with the requirements of this law after being requested to do so in writing by the mine foreman.
WV Code § 22A-2-19 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-19. Death or Resignation of Mine Foreman; Successor

In case of the death or resignation of a mine foreman, the superintendent or manager shall appoint a certified man to act as mine foreman.
WV Code § 22A-2-21 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-21. Fire Bosses to Have No Superior Officers

In the performance of the duties devolving upon fire bosses, or certified persons acting as such, they shall have no superior officers, but all the employees working inside of such mine or mines shall be subordinate to them in their particular work.
WV Code § 22A-2-22 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-22. Unlawful to Enter Mine Until Fire Boss Reports It Safe; Exceptions

No person shall enter such mine or mines for any purpose at the beginning of work upon shift therein until such signal or warning has been given by the fire boss or bosses as to the safety thereof, as by statute provided, except under the direction of the fire boss or bosses, and then for the purpose of assisting in making the mine safe: Provided, however, That miners regularly employed on a shift during which the mine is being preshift examined by a fire boss or certified person shall be permitted to leave or enter the mine in the performance of their duties.
WV Code § 22A-2-23 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-23. Authority of Fire Boss to Perform Other Duties

Notwithstanding any other provision in this article contained, any person who holds a certificate issued by the Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training certifying his or her competency to act as fire boss may perform the duties of a fire boss and any other duties, statutory or otherwise, for which he or she is qualified, in the same mine or section and on the same day or shift.
WV Code § 22A-2-24 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-24. Control of Coal Dust; Rock Dusting

(a) In all mines, dangerous accumulations of fine, dry coal and coal dust shall be removed from the mine, and all dry and dusty operating sections and haulageways and conveyors and back entries shall be rock dusted or dust allayed by other methods as may be approved by the director.(b) All mines or locations in mines that are too wet or too high in incombustible content for a coal dust explosion to initiate or propagate are not required to be rock dusted during the time any of these conditions prevail. Coal dust and other dust in suspension in unusual quantities shall be allayed by sprinkling or other dust allaying devices.(c) In all dry and dusty mines or sections thereof, rock dust shall be applied and maintained upon the roof, floor and sides of all operating sections, haulageways and parallel entries connected thereto by open crosscuts. Back entries shall be rock dusted. Rock dust shall be so applied to include the last open crosscut of rooms and entries, and to within forty feet of faces. Rock dust shall be maintained in a quantity that the incombustible content of the mine dust that could initiate or propagate an explosion shall not be less than eighty percent. The incombustible content of mine dust in return entries shall also be equal to or greater than eighty percent.(d) Rock dust shall not contain more than five percent by volume of quartz or free silica particles and shall be pulverized so that one hundred percent will pass through a twenty mesh screen and seventy percent or more will pass through a two hundred mesh screen.(e) If requested by the director, an operator shall provide records establishing the quantity of bulk and bag rock dust purchased for a period not to exceed the immediately preceding six months.
WV Code § 22A-2-26 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-26. Roof Support; Specific Requirements

(a) Generally. — The method of mining followed in any coal mine may not expose the miner to unusual dangers from roof falls, and the MSHA-approved plan shall serve as the state-approved plan: Provided, That the MSHA-approved plan shall comply with all provisions of state mining law as set forth in this code or code of state rules.(b) Roadways, intersections, and arches. — The width of roadways shall not exceed 16 feet unless additional support is added cross sectional. During the development of intersections, the roof between the tangents of the arches in the entry or room shall be supported with artificial roof supports prior to the development of such intersections. All areas where the arch is broken shall be considered as having unsupported roof and such roof should have artificial roof supports installed prior to any other work being performed in the area.(c) Examinations and corrections. — Where miners are exposed to danger from falls of roof, face and ribs, the operator shall examine and test the roof, face and ribs before any work or machine is started, and as frequently thereafter as may be necessary to insure safety. When dangerous conditions are found, they shall be corrected immediately. A probe or probes for methane detectors shall be provided on each working section other than longwall sections and sections mined solely with continuous miners with integral roof bolters.(d) Roof bolt recovery. — Roof bolts shall not be recovered where complete extraction of pillars is attempted, where adjacent to clay veins or at the locations of other irregularities, whether natural or otherwise, that induce abnormal hazards. Where roof bolt recovery is permitted, it shall be conducted only in accordance with methods prescribed in the approved roof control plan, and shall be conducted by experienced miners and only where adequate temporary support is provided.
WV Code § 22A-2-27 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-27. Canopies or Cabs; Electric Face Equipment

An authorized representative of the director may require in any coal mine where the height of the coal bed permits that electric face equipment, including shuttle cars, be provided with substantially constructed canopies or cabs to protect the miners operating such equipment from roof falls and from rib and face rolls.
WV Code § 22A-2-28 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-28. Equipment to Conform With Height of Seam

The use of underground mining equipment of a size that does not conform to the height of the seam being mined, which creates unsafe working conditions for the miner operating the equipment or others, is prohibited: Provided, That the addition of or use of sideboards on shuttle cars shall be permitted if the shuttle car is equipped with cameras: Provided, however, That shuttle cars with sideboards as manufactured by an equipment manufacturer shall be permitted to be used without the use of cameras if permitted by the director. The Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety shall promulgate such rules as are necessary to effectuate this section.
WV Code § 22A-2-29 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-29. Use of Authorized Explosives; Storage or Use of Unauthorized Explosives

§22A-2-29. Use of authorized explosives; storage or use of unauthorized explosives. Permissible explosives or permissible blasting devices only shall be used in blasting coal or other material in underground coal mines. It shall be unlawful to have, use or store any nonpermissible explosives or nonpermissible blasting devices in any coal mine or on the premises of the mine, without a permit from the director.
WV Code § 22A-2-30 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-30. Surface Magazines for Explosives

Separate surface magazines shall be provided for storage of explosives, detonators and blasting heater elements. Surface magazines shall be constructed of incombustible materials, be reasonably bulletproof and with no metal or sparking material exposed inside the magazine. Surface magazines shall be provided with doors constructed of at least one-fourth inch steel plate lined with a two-inch thickness of wood or the equivalent, properly screened ventilators, and with no openings except for entrances and ventilation, and shall be kept locked securely when unattended. The area for a distance of at least twenty-five feet in all directions shall be kept free of materials of a combustible nature; suitable warning signs shall be erected, so located that a bullet passing directly through the face of the sign will not strike the magazine. The location of magazines shall be not less than two hundred feet from any mine openings, occupied buildings or public roads unless barricaded. If magazines are illuminated electrically, the lamps shall be of vapor-proof type, properly installed and wired, and smoking and open lights shall be prohibited in or near any magazine.
WV Code § 22A-2-31 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-31. Transportation of Explosives

Individual containers used to carry permissible explosives or detonators shall be constructed of substantial, nonconductive materials, kept closed and maintained in good condition. When explosives or detonators are transported underground in cars moved by means of locomotives, ropes, or other motive power, they shall be in substantially covered cars or in special substantially built covered containers used specifically for transporting detonators or explosives. Any container used for transportation or storage of explosives shall be properly identified or marked. Explosives or detonators shall not be hauled into or out of a mine within five minutes preceding or following a man trip. Where explosives and detonators are transported underground by belts, they shall be handled in the following manner: In the original and unopened cases, in special closed cases constructed of nonconductive material, or in suitable, individual containers. Clearance requirements shall be a minimum of eighteen inches; stop controls shall be provided at loading and unloading points, and an attendant shall supervise the loading and unloading. Neither explosives nor detonators shall be transported on flight or shaking conveyors, mechanical loading machines, locomotives, scrapers, cutting machines, drill trucks, or any self-propelled mobile equipment. If explosives and detonators are transported in the same explosives car or in the same special container, they shall be separated by at least four inches of hardwood partition or the equivalent; the bodies of such cars or containers shall be constructed or lined with nonconductive material. No hand loader shall take into any mine any larger quantity of explosives or detonators than he may reasonably expect to use in any one shift.
WV Code § 22A-2-32 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training|Article 2. Underground Mines|§22A-2-32. Underground Storage of Explosives

Explosives and detonators stored underground shall be kept in section boxes or magazines of substantial construction with no metal exposed on the inside, and be located at least fifteen feet from roadways and power wires in a well rock-dusted location, protected from falls of roof. If not kept in separate boxes or magazines not less than five feet apart, they may be kept in the same box or magazine if separated by at least a four-inch hardwood partition or the equivalent. Not more than a forty-eight hour supply of explosives or detonators shall be stored underground in section boxes or magazines. These boxes or magazines shall be kept at least one hundred feet from the faces and out of the direct line of blasting.