Coal Mining Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/90-97)

Application

3 These Regulations apply in respect of coal mines subject to the Act.

Records, Reports, Plans and Procedures

• 4 (1) Every record, report, plan or procedure referred to in these Regulations, or any copy thereof, shall be kept by the employer above ground at the coal mine in respect of which it applies

  • (a) in such a manner that it is readily available for examination by a safety officer and by the safety and health committee or the safety and health representative for the work place in respect of which it applies; and

  • (b) subject to subsections 69(5) and 143(6), for a period of at least two years after the last entry therein.

• (2) Every record, report, plan or procedure referred to in these Regulations shall be dated and signed by the person who made the record, report, plan or procedure.

• (3) In addition to the requirements of subsection (2), every plan referred to in these Regulations shall be countersigned by the mine manager of the coal mine in respect of which the plan applies.

5 Where the employer submits plans or procedures in respect of a coal mine to the Coal Mining Safety Commission for approval, the employer shall

• (a) without delay after the submission, notify the safety and health committee or the safety and health representative in writing of the submission; and

• (b) keep a copy of the approved plans or procedures readily available at the coal mine for examination by the employees.

Inconsistent Provisions

6 In the event of an inconsistency between any standard incorporated by reference in a provision of these Regulations and any other provision of these Regulations, that other provision shall prevail to the extent of the inconsistency.

Qualifications

7 Before an employee is employed in a position of mine manager or is appointed to a position of underground manager or overman, the employee shall have obtained the qualifications required for all positions junior to that position.

Appointments and Supervision

• 8 (1) The employer shall employ a separate mine manager for each coal mine.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3), where a mine manager dies, resigns or is otherwise permanently prevented from discharging the responsibilities of mine manager, the employer shall

  • (a) identify in writing a person who holds a first class certificate as a mine official to perform the duties of the mine manager;

  • (b) identify in writing an underground manager to perform the duties of the mine manager; or

  • (c) stop the operation of the mine.

• (3) Within 90 days after an identification made under paragraph (2)(b), the employer shall comply with paragraph (2)(a) or (c).

9 Every coal mine shall be under the daily supervision of at least one underground manager and one overman.

PART IExplosives and Detonators

Storage and Handling

10 No explosive or detonator, other than an explosive or detonator set out in Schedule II, shall be used in a coal mine.

• 11 (1) No explosive or detonator shall be stored underground in a coal mine.

• (2) Explosives and detonators that are intended for use underground shall be stored in a structure above ground that has been approved by the Coal Mining Safety Commission.

• (3) The maximum quantity of explosives and detonators that are stored in accordance with subsection (2) shall be not more than the quantity required for use underground during the 24-hour period immediately following its storage.

• (4) Detonators shall be stored separately from explosives in a room that has a wall of masonry not less than 150 mm thick between it and any room in which explosives are stored.

• 12 (1) All explosives and detonators that are transported underground, other than explosives and detonators referred to in subsection 28(3) or 29(4), shall be in secure cases or canisters with the detonators in separate cases or canisters from the explosives.

• (2) No case or canister referred to in subsection (1) shall contain more than 5 kg of explosive unless approval for the transportation of the explosive in bulk has been given by the Coal Mining Safety Commission.

• 13 (1) Every employee who receives, transports or uses explosives or detonators shall return any explosive or detonator that is not used during the employee’s shift to the surface structure in which it had been stored.

• (2) Where an explosive or detonator is transported underground, it shall be kept in its secure case or canister until it is used.

• (3) Subject to subsection (4), each case or canister referred to in subsection (2) shall be kept separate from every other case or canister and from all equipment that is likely to cause the ignition of the explosive or the detonator, by as great a distance as is practicable in the area where the explosive or detonator is kept.

• (4) The distance referred to in subsection (3) shall be not less than 300 mm.

• 14 (1) A qualified person shall have control of the storage, issue and receipt of all explosives and detonators.

• (2) The qualified person referred to in subsection (1) shall

  • (a) test each detonator for electrical continuity before issuing it;

  • (b) issue detonators to no person other than a shotfirer; and

  • (c) receive and store unused explosives and detonators returned from underground.

Care of Blasting Machines

• 15 (1) A qualified person shall, at least once every three months, clean and thoroughly overhaul all blasting machines that are in service.

• (2) A record of the work performed pursuant to subsection (1) shall be made by the qualified person who performed the work.

Shotfirers

• 16 (1) No person other than a shotfirer shall fire a shot.

• (2) No shotfirer shall fire a shot unless the shotfirer has been authorized to fire that type of shot.

17 The handling of explosives and detonators in the preparation underground of a shot or shot hole shall be under the direct supervision and control of a shotfirer.

Shotfiring Procedures

18 Where shotfiring is to be done underground during a shift, the shotfirer shall verify that no more explosives or detonators than are required for the shotfiring are kept in the danger area referred to in paragraph 22(1)(a) in which the shotfiring is to be done.

• 19 (1) A shotfirer shall use

  • (a) only one class, grade or quality of explosive in a shot;

  • (b) an explosive that is in its original wrapping;

  • (c) no more explosive in any shot hole than the amount that is necessary for the work to be performed or the maximum amount of that type of explosive that is set out in column II of Part I of Schedule II, whichever is the lesser;

  • (d) tamping rods and stemmers that are constructed of non-metallic materials; and

  • (e) a cleaner and crack detector that is capable of cleaning the full length of the shot hole and detecting transverse and longitudinal cracks of 3 mm or more in the shot hole.

• (2) No shot shall be fired

  • (a) in broken coal or in a support pillar; or

  • (b) in an area where the concentration of flammable gas in the air exceeds 1.25 per cent.

• (3) Every coal-cutting machine shall be stopped before shots are fired at the return brushing face in a longwall section.

Preparations Before Charging a Shot Hole

20 Before initiating the preparations for charging a shot hole referred to in section 21, a shotfirer shall verify that all broken coal is removed from the area of the shot hole and shall allow sufficient time for dust in the air to settle.

21 A shotfirer shall, immediately before charging a shot hole underground,

• (a) subject to subsection 27(3), verify, using a methanometer and a locked-flame safety lamp, that the concentration of flammable gas in the general body of the air in the area of the shot hole and in any area contiguous thereto does not exceed 1.25 per cent;

• (b) examine the shot hole to verify that it has been thoroughly cleaned;

• (c) verify that the shot hole does not intersect any cracks or crevices greater than 3 mm;

• (d) verify that the shot hole is at least 3 mm larger than the diameter of the cartridge of the explosive to be used;

• (e) place a plug of stemming in the back of the shot hole; and

• (f) verify that any dust in the area of the shot hole has been treated with stone dust to a minimum of three 25 kg bags of stone dust per metre of advance.