Mine Safety and Health Administration June 19, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 and 30 CFR Part 44 govern the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for modification. This notice is a summary of petitions for modification filed by the parties listed below to modify the application of existing mandatory safety standards published in Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

This proposal addresses the recommendations of the Technical Study Panel (Panel) on the Utilization of Belt Air and the Composition and Fire Retardant Properties of Belt Materials in Underground Coal Mining. Section 11 of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006 required that this Panel be established. MSHA proposes new standards for: Conveyor belt flammability; qualifying Atmospheric Monitoring System operators; levels of methane and respirable dust in belt entries; airlocks between air courses; minimum and maximum air velocities; approval for the use of air from the belt entry to ventilate working sections; monitoring and remotely closing point-feed regulators; smoke sensors; standardized tactile signals on lifelines; replacing point-type heat sensors with carbon monoxide sensors; and belt conveyor and belt entry maintenance. Consistent with the MINER Act, the proposal includes MSHA's response to the Panel's report.