Mine Safety and Health Administration Petitions for Modification

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration Petitions for Modification

The following parties have filed petitions to modify the

application of mandatory safety standards under section 101(c) of the

Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.

1. Joshco Mining, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-65-C]

Joshco Mining, Inc., P.O. Box 400, Virgie, Kentucky 41572 has filed

a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1710-1 (canopies or

cabs; electric face equipment) to its Mine No. 4 (I.D. No. 15-13497)

located in Floyd County, Kentucky. The petitioner requests a

modification of the standard to eliminate the use of canopies on its

shuttle cars and continuous miner. The petitioner states that due to

dips and rises in the mine's coal seam the use of canopies would result

in a diminution of safety to the operators of the equipment as well as

other miners.

2. Blue Arc Coal Corporation, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-66-C]

Blue Arc Coal Corporation, 24-B Daniel Boone Drive, Barbourville,

Kentucky 40906 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR

75.342 (methane monitors) to its Mine No. 2 (I.D. No. 15-14577) located

in Knox County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to monitor

continuously with a hand-held deck-mounted methane and oxygen detector

instead of using a methane monitoring system on permissible three-wheel

tractors with drag bottom buckets. The petitioner asserts that the

proposed alternate method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

3. Andalex Resources, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-67-C]

Andalex Resources, Inc., P.O. Box 902, Price, Utah 84501 has filed

a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.352 (return air

courses) to its Pinnacle Mine (I.D. No. 42-01474) and its Aberdeen Mine

(I.D. No. 42-02028) both located in Carbon County, Utah. The petitioner

proposes to install a beltline in the return air course during

development of two-entry longwall gate entries. The petitioner states

that this petition applies to a previously submitted petition for 30

CFR 75.350, docket number M-93-280-C; and that development of the first

two-entry longwall gate entries would begin approximately three months

from June 2, 1994 (the date of this petition). The petitioner asserts

that the proposed alternate method would provide at least the same

measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

4. Island Creek Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-68-C]

Island Creek Coal Company, 1800 Washington Road, Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania 15241 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 75.1100-2 (b) (quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to

its VP-8 Mine (I.D. No. 44-03795) located in Buchanan County, Virginia.

The petitioner requests a modification of the standard to keep the

waterline and outlets in the track entry which is adjacent to the belt

entry (headgate entry). The petitioner proposes to have a fire hose

strategically located of sufficient length so that any affected area of

the belt would be covered from the most proximate fire hose outlet; to

have 700 feet of fire hose instead of the required 500 feet at a

location in the immediate area of the longwall belt drive; to have

crosscuts leading to the fire hose outlets passable from the belt entry

by removing a portion of the stoppings at or near the fire hose outlets

or by providing stopping doors at or near the fire hose outlets. The

petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide

at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory

standard.

5. Martin County Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-69-C]

Martin County Coal Corporation, P.O. Box 5002, Inez, Kentucky 41224

has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.361(b)

(supplemental examination) to its No. 1-C Mine (I.D. No. 15-03752)

located in Martin County, Kentucky. Due to the clearance being less

than 24 inches from the supplemental roof support and the conveyor

system, traveling one area of the beltline would be unsafe. The

petitioner requests a modification of the standard to defer the placing

of dates, times, and initials along a length of the underground

beltline in the section number one West Belt. The petitioner states

that to travel the affected area would result in undue risks to the

miners. In addition, the petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

6. B & B Anthracite Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-70-C]

B & B Anthracite Coal Company, 225 Main Street, Joliett,

Pennsylvania 17981 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 75.335 (construction of seals) to its Rock Ridge Slope (I.D. No.

36-07175) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner

requests a modification of the standard to permit alternative methods

of construction using wooden materials of moderate size and weight due

to the difficulty in accessing previously driven headings and breasts

containing inaccessible abandoned workings; to accept a design

criterion in the 10 psi range; and to permit the water trap to be

installed in the gangway seal and sampling tube in the monkey seal for

seals installed in pairs. The petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

7. West Cameron Mining

[Docket No. M-94-71-C]

West Cameron Mining, R.D. #2, Box 630, Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872

has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.335

(construction of seals) to its Lenig Tunnel (I.D. No. 36-08288) located

in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests a

modification of the standard to permit alternative methods of

construction using wooden materials of moderate size and weight due to

the difficulty in accessing previously driven headings and breasts

containing inaccessible abandoned workings; to accept a design

criterion in the 10 psi range; and to permit the water trap to be

installed in the gangway seal and sampling tube in the monkey seal for

seals installed in pairs. The petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternate method would provide at least the same measure of protection

as would the mandatory standard.

Request for Comments

Persons interested in these petitions may furnish written comments.

These comments must be filed with the Office of Standards, Regulations

and Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Room 627, 4015

Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22203. All comments must be

postmarked or received in that office on or before July 25, 1994.

Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.

Dated: June 14, 1994.

Patricia W. Silvey,

Director, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances.

[FR Doc. 94-15217 Filed 6-22-94; 8:45 am]

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