Coal Company Petitions to Tweak Mine Safety Rules, Yawn
Published Date: 2/19/2025
Notice
Summary
Blue Diamond Coal Co. wants to change some safety rules at their mine to use a different method that keeps miners just as safe. They’ve asked the Mine Safety and Health Administration to approve this change, and everyone has until March 21, 2025, to share their thoughts. This could mean safer or more efficient mining without extra costs or delays.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Mine seeks OK to use two PAPRs underground
Blue Diamond Coal Co. has asked MSHA to allow unapproved Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) — the CleanSpace EX and the 3M Versaflo TR-800 — to be taken into or used inby the last open crosscut and used in return air outby the last open crosscut at Mine No. 77 (MSHA ID No. 15-09636). The petition asks MSHA to modify 30 CFR 75.507-1(a) so these models may be used as alternatives to the NIOSH-approved series 100 respirators currently available at the mine.
Mandatory training and inspection rules for PAPR use
If the petition is adopted, miners who use the 3M Versaflo TR-800 or CleanSpace EX PAPRs must be trained per 30 CFR 48.7 before first use and receive annual retraining per 30 CFR 48.8, with new- and experienced-miner training per 30 CFR 48.5 and 48.6. Units must be inspected prior to use, examined at least weekly by a qualified person per 30 CFR 75.512-1, assigned unique IDs, and examination records must be kept for one year.
Operator must meet battery, charging, recordkeeping requirements
The petitioner would require the mine operator to follow specific battery and charging rules (use only the 3M TR-830 battery pack or CleanSpace EX power unit that meet UL 1642 or IEC 62133; charge batteries only in intake air outby the last open crosscut using specified chargers; perform change-outs in intake air outby the last open crosscut) and to maintain logbooks, training records, and weekly examination records available to MSHA. The operator must also prevent disassembly/modification of lithium packs, avoid exposure to water, and follow manufacturer's maintenance.
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-02768, Petition for Modification of Application of Existing Mandatory Safety Standards
Blue Diamond Coal Co. wants to change some safety rules at their mine to use a different method that keeps miners just as safe. They’ve asked the Mine Safety and Health Administration to approve this change, and everyone has until March 21, 2025, to share their thoughts. This could mean safer or more efficient mining without extra costs or delays.
Next: 2025-02770, Petition for Modification of Application of Existing Mandatory Safety Standards
Blue Diamond Coal Co. wants to change some safety rules at their mine to use a different method that keeps miners just as safe. They’ve asked the Mine Safety and Health Administration to approve this change, and everyone has until March 21, 2025, to share their thoughts. This could affect how safety is managed but won’t cut corners on protecting miners or add extra costs.