Petitions for Modification

Federal RegisterMay 7, 1996

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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. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-24-C]

West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,

Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 75.1202-1(a) (temporary notations, revisions, and supplements) to

its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 36-07859) located in Schuylkill County,

Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to revise and supplement mine

maps annually instead of every 6 months, as required, and to update

maps daily by hand notations. The petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

2. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-25-C]

West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,

Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 75.1200(d) & (i) (mine map) to its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 36-

07859) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner

proposes to use cross-sections instead of contour lines through the

intake slope, at locations of rock tunnel connections between veins,

and at 1,000-foot intervals of advance from the intake slope and to

limit the required mapping of the mine workings above and below to

those present within 100 feet of the veins being mined except when

veins are interconnected to other veins beyond the 100-foot limit

through rock tunnel. The petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

3. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-26-C]

West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,

Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 75.364(b)(1), (4), and (5) (weekly examination) to its Last Chance

Slope (I.D. No. 36-07859) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.

Due to hazardous conditions and roof falls, certain areas of the intake

haulage slope and primary escapeway cannot be traveled safely. The

petitioner proposes to examine these areas from the gunboat/slope car

with an alternative air quality evaluation at the section's intake

level, and to travel and thoroughly examine these areas for hazardous

conditions once a month. The petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

4. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-27-C]

West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,

Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 75.360 (preshift examination) to its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No.

36-07859) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner

proposes to visually examine each seal for physical damage from the

slope gunboat during the preshift examination after an air quality

reading is taken in by the intake portal and to test for the quantity

and quality of air at the intake air split locations off the slope in

the gangway portion of the working section. The petitioner proposes to

physically examine the entire length of the slope once a month. The

petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide

at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory

standard.

5. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-28-C]

West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,

Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 75.335 (construction of seals) to its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No.

36-07859) 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 criteria

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

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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.

6. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-29-C]

West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,

Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30

CFR 75.1100 (quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to its

Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 36-07859) located in Schuylkill County,

Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use only portable fire

extinguishers to replace existing requirements where rock dust, water

cars, and other water storage are not practical. The petitioner asserts

that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same

measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

7. Amax Coal Company

[Docket No. M-96-30-C]

Amax Coal Company, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, 20th Floor,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-1410 has filed a petition to modify the

application of 30 CFR 75.503 (permissible electric face equipment;

maintenance) to its Wabash Mine (I.D. No. 11-00877) located in Wabash

County, Illinois. The petitioner proposes to extend the length of

portable trailing cables to 825 feet. These cables would carry

electrical power from the working face transformer to the mobile roof

supports. The trailing cables connecting the working section

transformer to the mobile roof supports are No. 4 3/C G-GC. The

petitioner is conducting second mining in certain areas of its mine

where Voest-Alpine mobile roof supports are used and asserts that a

safer mining process and more effective roof control is provided during

second mining than if timbers and other types of support are used. In

addition, the petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method

would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the

mandatory standard.

8. Eighty-Four Mining Company

[Docket No. M-96-31-C]

Eighty-Four Mining Company, 655 Church Street, Indiana,

Pennsylvania 15701 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30

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

its Mine 84 (I.D. No. 36-00958) located in Washington County,

Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to provide two portable fire

extinguishers or one portable fire extinguisher with twice the required

capacity at each temporary electrical installation instead of providing

one extinguisher and rock dust at temporary electrical installations.

The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would

provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory

standard.

9. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company

[Docket No. M-96-32-C]

Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood,

Colorado 80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of

30 CFR 75.325(b) (air quantity) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 15-

17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to

provide positive ventilation by using the stopping line constructed to

separate the intake and return air courses in the rooms previously

developed on the same panel. The petitioner states that the stopping

line would be constructed and maintained in accordance with the

requirements in 30 CFR 75.333; that permanent stopping lines would be

constructed when rooms are driven more than 600 feet deep and temporary

stopping lines would be used when rooms are driven 600 feet deep or

less, as measured from the centerline of the panel from which the rooms

are driven; and that air flow volumes would be measured in accordance

with 30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) and 75.362(c)(1). The petitioner asserts that

application of the standard would result in a diminution of safety to

the miners; and that the proposed alternative method would provide at

least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

10. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company

[Docket No. M-96-33-C]

Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood,

Colorado 80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of

30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) (preshift examination) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine

(I.D. No. 15-17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner

proposes to provide positive ventilation by using the stopping line

constructed to separate the intake and return air courses in the rooms

previously developed on the same panel. The petitioner states that the

stopping line would be constructed and maintained in accordance with

the requirements in 30 CFR 75.333; that permanent stopping lines would

be constructed when rooms are driven more than 600 feet deep and

temporary stopping lines would be used when rooms are driven 600 feet

deep or less, as measured from the centerline of the panel from which

the rooms are driven; and that air flow volumes would be measured in

accordance with 30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) and 75.362(c)(1). The petitioner

asserts that application of the standard would result in a diminution

of safety to the miners; and that the proposed alternative method would

provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory

standard.

11. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company

[Docket No. M-96-34-C]

Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood,

Colorado 80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of

30 CFR 75.362(c)(1) (on-shift examination) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine