Rock dusting; samples of dust; testing; records
Sec. 2. (a) All underground mines, except those mines or areas of
mines in which the dust is too wet or too high in incombustible
content to propagate an explosion, shall be rock dusted to within
forty (40) feet of all faces, and, if open breakthroughs near such faces
are less than forty (40) feet therefrom, such breakthroughs shall be
rock dusted.
(b) In mines partially rock dusted or in mines that are required to
start rock dustings, all haulageways and parallel entries connected
thereto by open breakthroughs shall be rock dusted. Back entries
shall be rock dusted for at least one thousand (1,000) feet outby the
junction with the first active entry. Inby this junction, the rooms,
entries, and breakthroughs shall be rock dusted.
(c) Where rock dust is applied, it shall be distributed upon the top,
floor, and sides of all open places and maintained in such quantity
that the incombustible content of the combined coal dust, rock dust,
and other dust will not be less than sixty-five percent (65%). Where
methane is present in any ventilating current, the sixty-five percent
(65%) of incombustible content of such combined dust shall be
increased one percent (1%) for each one-tenth of one percent (0.1%)
of methane.
(d) Samples of dust shall be gathered every month from the road,
roof, rib, and timbers on each split of air, and tested to determine if
any part of the mine requires redusting. The method of analyzing or
testing approved by the director shall be employed. Analysis of dust
samples by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration shall
be an acceptable method of analysis and testing.
(e) A written record shall be entered in a book kept for that
purpose in the mine office, showing the location at which samples
have been taken, and the results of the analysis. A map of the mine
shall be kept available for inspection by interested persons to show
the extent of rock dusting. If the director approves the analysis of
dust samples by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration
as the method of analyzing and testing dust samples to be employed
under this section, then the operator shall not be required to maintain
the written record showing the location of samples taken and results
of the analysis and the map of the mine showing the extent of rock
dusting.
(Formerly: Acts 1955, c.168, s.60.) As amended by P.L.231-1983,
SEC.18.
Last modified: May 27, 2006