West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 36 - Coal Mine Health And Safety › Title 36 - LEGISLATIVE EXEMPT RULE BOARD OF COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY › Series 36-43 - Rules And Regulations Governing Remote Controlled Extended Or Deep-Cut Mining Operations › Section 36-43-3 - Requirements for Remote Controlled Extended or Deep-Cut Mining Operations; Special Consideration of Roof Control and Mine Ventilation Plans; Roof Bolting Procedures; Additional Precautions for Increased Worker Safety

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
3.1. Required Roof
				Control and Methane and Dust Control Plans and the compatibility of each system
				shall be applied on a mine-by-mine basis.
3.2. During mining and place changing with
				remote control miners, all persons shall be positioned in an area that will
				afford protection to themselves and others from unsupported roof and moving
				equipment. The remote control unit shall not be placed on top of the mining
				machine and operated from this position.
3.3. All persons shall remain under
				permanently supported top at all times during the mining operations. While the
				continuous miner is in operation extracting coal, no person shall proceed inby
				the next to last row of permanent supports, provided however, that the inby
				edge of the canopy of manned face haulage equipment or the manned continuous
				miner may be advanced to the last row of permanent supports.
3.4. No person shall be inby the continuous
				miner operator's work position while coal is being mined unless he notifies the
				operator and can be located in a safe position. Exception: Equipment operator's
				transporting the material being cut/loaded.
3.5. In the event of a continuous miner
				breakdown that requires persons to go inby existing permanent roof support to
				make repairs, the unsupported area where practical, will be permanently
				supported and the remaining unsupported roof supported with temporary supports
				set on 5-foot centers lengthwise and crosswise where miners are present or
				working. However, to reset the continuous miner breaker, a minimum of two rows
				of temporary supports on five foot centers to the breaker will be required,
				unless the side of the machine where the breaker is located is five feet or
				less from the rib, one row of temporary supports located not more than five
				feet from the rib will be acceptable. The installation of temporary supports
				required by this section shall be performed under the direct supervision of a
				certified foreman.
3.6. A
				conspicuous reference mark or some other visual means shall be provided for the
				workers to determine when the maximum depth of cut is attained. (Chalk marks
				are not acceptable)
3.7. An
				approved ATRS System will be maintained and used during bolting
				operations.
3.8. When a sidecut is
				planned to be turned from any mine entry, permanent roof supports shall be
				installed inby the projected inby rib of the proposed sidecut for a distance of
				ten feet or totally supported if the distance is less.
3.9. Roof supports shall be installed in
				sequence and spacing specified in the approved roof control plan.
3.10. All openings of unsupported crosscuts
				shall be supported with at least two rows of temporary supports on 4-foot
				center (crosswise) across the openings prior to work or travel in the
				intersection. This does not prevent preshift and on shift
				examination.
3.11. When crosscuts,
				in excess of a normal cut are developed on a working section, no more than two
				open, unsupported adjacent crosscuts in direct line with one another shall be
				permitted.
3.12. Where adverse roof
				conditions are encountered, the depth of the cuts shall be reduced to a depth
				sufficient to effectively control the mine roof.
3.13. During the mining of a final push-out
				only those persons necessary shall be allowed in the area of the immediate
				intersection.
3.14. All remote
				control continuous miners shall be equipped with a strobe light or equivalent
				device to give warning when methane gas concentrations reach one percent of
				more. In addition, a device to remotely activate the fire suppression system
				and the water supply shall be provided on the remote control panel (unit) or at
				another remote location under supported roof.
3.15. Methane examinations shall be made
				according to the requirements of W. Va Code '22A-2-43.
3.16
(a)
				Face ventilation shall be established according to the approved ventilation
				plan and W. Va. Code '22a-2-4.
				Air quality measurements to determine compliance with this requirement may be
				taken at the end of the line brattice or tubing.
(b) Notwithstanding W. Va. Code
				'22A-2-4(f),
				during remote control deep-cut mining operations, crosscuts for air shall be
				made not more than 120 feet apart and working places shall not be advanced more
				than 50 feet inby the projected crosscut prior to it's completion.