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

117 All main fans and booster fans and associated equipment shall be inspected by a qualified person at intervals of not more than 30 minutes.

• 118 (1) Every qualified person who inspects a main fan, a booster fan or any associated equipment shall be authorized to do so and shall hold a certificate as a mine mechanic or a mine electrician.

• (2) Every qualified person who inspects a main fan, a booster fan or any associated equipment shall record the results of the inspection in a book kept for that purpose.

Procedures for Ventilation Surveys

• 119 (1) For every portion of a coal mine, the mine manager shall prepare and keep up to date written procedures for ventilation surveys.

• (2) The procedures referred to in subsection (1) shall

  • (a) include a requirement for a volumetric ventilation survey to be made in every underground portion of the coal mine at least once every month; and

  • (b) be certified by an engineer.

• (3) The mine manager shall submit a written report of each ventilation survey made in accordance with the procedures referred to in subsection (1) to a safety officer at the district office within 15 days after the end of the month in which the ventilation survey is made.

Deficiency in Air

120 Where the quality or quantity of air underground is not in accordance with subsection 110(1), the mine manager shall, without delay, take measures to correct the deficiency.

Ventilation Measurements and Reports

• 121 (1) Immediately before the beginning of every shift and at least once every day, the barometric pressure and temperature out of doors above ground at a coal mine shall be measured and recorded by a qualified person or by mechanical means.

• (2) The mine manager shall, within 24 hours after the making of a record referred to in subsection (1), countersign the record or a copy thereof.

• 122 (1) Immediately after the taking of a measurement referred to in subsection 121(1), a notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the lamp house setting out the barometric pressure and the trend of the barometric pressure at the time of the posting of the notice.

• (2) The notice referred to in subsection (1) shall be kept posted until it is replaced by a notice of a subsequent measurement.

Ventilation Inspections

• 123 (1) A qualified person who holds a certificate as a mine examiner and carries a locked-flame safety lamp shall

  • (a) inspect at least once every seven days all shafts, other than shafts that are used solely for ventilation, and all accessible stoppings underground;

  • (b) inspect at least once every seven days the bottom and top of each shaft that is used solely for ventilation; and

  • (c) make a written report of each inspection referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) to the underground manager.

• (2) The report referred to in paragraph (1)(c) shall set out

  • (a) the date and time of the inspection;

  • (b) a statement as to the condition of the airways and accessible stoppings; and

  • (c) the qualified person’s safety observations respecting the roof support, ventilation, stone dust and accumulations of water and concentrations of flammable or noxious gases in the airways and accessible stoppings.

124 A qualified person shall, at least once every seven days and whenever any alteration is made in the ventilation system serving a roadway on which a diesel engine is operated

• (a) measure the quantity of air passing over the roadway;

• (b) measure the concentration of flammable gas in the air in the roadway, using a methanometer;

• (c) measure the concentration of flammable gas in the air at the ends of the roadway and at a point 10 m from the downwind end of the diesel engine, using a methanometer;

• (d) measure the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air at a point 10 m from the downwind end of the diesel engine, using a carbon monoxide detector; and

• (e) record the measurements referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d) in a book kept for that purpose.

• 125 (1) A sample of the undiluted exhaust gas from every diesel engine that is operated underground shall be taken and analysed at least once every month.

• (2) Where a sample referred to in subsection (1) contains more than 2,000 ppm of carbon monoxide, the diesel engine shall be removed from service underground.

• (3) The employer shall record the result of each analysis referred to in subsection (1) in a book kept for that purpose.

PART VExplosion and Fire Protection

Flammable Gas Tests

• 126 (1) The mine manager shall designate the location and frequency of tests underground for flammable gas in such a manner that dangerous concentrations of gas are detected in time for

  • (a) corrective measures to be taken; and

  • (b) where necessary, employees to be evacuated safely and expeditiously.

• (2) Where an employee is required under these Regulations to test for flammable gas, the employer shall provide the employee with a methanometer that is capable of testing for flammable gas in layers, cracks, crevices and other locations that are normally beyond arm’s reach.

• (3) Every employee who tests for flammable gas shall make a record of each test in a book kept for that purpose.

Flammable Gas Exceeding 0.5 Per Cent

• 127 (1) Where six consecutive measurements, taken in accordance with the procedures for ventilation surveys referred to in subsection 119(1) at a location underground where electrical machinery or electrical equipment is used, show a concentration of flammable gas that exceeds 0.5 per cent, a methanometer shall be installed at the location.

• (2) Where an electrical machine or electrical equipment is operated at a longwall face, a methanometer shall be installed at each end of the face and one of those methanometers shall be installed as near to the return brushing face as is practicable.

Flammable Gas Exceeding 0.8 Per Cent

128 Where the concentration of flammable gas exceeds 0.8 per cent in a location underground where electrical equipment or a diesel engine is operated or where a source of ignition is present, a test for gas shall be made in that location, using a methanometer, at least once every eight hours for as long as the concentration of flammable gas exceeds 0.8 per cent.

Flammable Gas Exceeding 1.25 Per Cent

129 Where the concentration of flammable gas at the return end of a longwall face may exceed 1.25 per cent, the employer shall provide, at appropriate locations, a methanometer that automatically displays a visual indication of the concentration and sounds an audible alarm to warn employees working at or near the longwall face when the concentration exceeds 1.25 per cent.

130 Where the concentration of flammable gas in the air in an underground portion of a coal mine exceeds 1.25 per cent, the following procedures shall be followed:

• (a) during the period in which the concentration exceeds 1.25 per cent, the operation of all diesel engines and of all electrical equipment that is not intrinsically safe, other than electric safety lamps, shall be stopped in that portion of the coal mine; and

• (b) the employer shall, within seven days, make a written report of that concentration of flammable gas to a safety officer at the district office.

Flammable Gas Exceeding 2 Per Cent

• 131 (1) Where the concentration of flammable gas in the air in an area underground exceeds 2 per cent, all persons shall forthwith be evacuated from the area to a place that is ventilated in accordance with subsection 110(1).

• (2) Where an area has been evacuated in accordance with subsection (1),

  • (a) a warning sign bearing the words “DO NOT ENTER” and “ENTRÉE INTERDITE” shall be posted in a conspicuous place at the entrance to the area; and

  • (b) no person, other than an authorized person, shall enter the evacuated area unless the authorized person has informed the person that it is safe to enter.

Methanometers

• 132 (1) Methanometers at the intake and return ends of a longwall face shall be designed to continually

  • (a) measure the concentration of flammable gas in the air;

  • (b) display the concentration of flammable gas; and

  • (c) record the concentration of flammable gas.

• (2) The record referred to in paragraph (1)(c) shall be displayed

  • (a) where the concentration is recorded remotely, for a period of at least 24 hours after it is made; and

  • (b) in any other case, for a period of at least two hours after it is made.

• (3) Where remote monitoring of flammable gas is carried out, there shall be a qualified person at the remote monitoring station at all times.

• (4) The mine manager shall establish and keep at the remote monitoring station procedures to be followed by a qualified person referred to in subsection (3) whenever an audible alarm is sounded.

Dust Reduction Measures

• 133 (1) Every area underground shall be kept free from accumulations of coal dust.

• (2) Dry areas underground in which coal dust is produced shall be systematically wetted down with water.

• (3) To reduce coal dust underground,

  • (a) where dry coal is cut by a coal-cutting machine, a jet of water shall be directed over the picks of the machine; and

  • (b) mined coal shall be kept wet during handling.

Dusting Procedures

• 134 (1) Every roadway underground shall be treated with incombustible dust in such a way that the dust on the floor, roof and sides of the roadway contains

  • (a) where the concentration of flammable gas in the air in the roadway does not exceed 1 per cent, not less than 75 per cent by weight of incombustible dust; and

  • (b) where the concentration of flammable gas in the air in the roadway exceeds 1 per cent, not less than 80 per cent by weight of incombustible dust.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3), the incombustible dust referred to in subsection (1) shall contain not less than 70 per cent by weight of fine material that is capable, when dry, of passing through a sieve of 200 mesh.

• (3) Where a larger percentage of incombustible dust than the percentage referred to in subsection (1) is used, the percentage of fine material referred to in subsection (2) may be reduced in proportion to the increase in the amount of incombustible dust, but in no case shall it be less than 25 per cent.

• 135 (1) At least once every month, samples of dust shall be taken from the floor, roof and sides along the length of each roadway underground and shall be analysed to determine the percentage of combustible material therein.

• (2) The employer shall, in respect of the analysis referred to in subsection (1),

  • (a) keep a record of the analysis; and

  • (b) submit a written report of the results of the analysis to a safety officer at the district office before the 15th day of the month following the analysis.

136 Not less than 20 bags of incombustible dust, each weighing not less than 25 kg, shall be stored for emergency use within 150 m of each working face in the intake airway and within 40 m of each working face in the return airway.

Explosion Protection Barriers

• 137 (1) In each intake airway leading to a working face, a stone-dust barrier or a water barrier shall be placed within 300 m of the working face.

• (2) A stone-dust barrier referred to in subsection (1) shall hold not less than 100 kg of stone dust per square metre of area of the roadway that it serves.

• (3) A water barrier referred to in subsection (1) shall contain not less than 200 L of water per square metre of area of the roadway that it serves.

Sources of Ignition

138 All electrical equipment that is used underground shall be intrinsically safe or shall be flameproof.

• 139 (1) Where an employee uses a locked-flame safety lamp, the employee shall inspect the lamp to determine that it is securely locked and is safe for use underground

  • (a) before the employee takes the lamp underground; and

  • (b) at regular intervals during the employee’s shift underground.

• (2) An employee who holds a certificate as a mine examiner shall inspect every locked-flame safety lamp before it is taken underground to determine that it is securely locked and is safe for use underground.