[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 30 (Monday, February 14, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3389]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 14, 1994]
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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. Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mining Company
[Docket No. M-94-06-C]
Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood,
Colorado 80155 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
77.1304 (blasting agents; special provisions) to its McKinley Mine
(I.D. No. 29-00096) located in McKinley County, New Mexico. The
petitioner requests a modification of the standard to permit the use of
fuel oil, blended with recycled oil as a blasting agent. The petitioner
proposes to blend recycled oil with No. 2 fuel oil to use in the ANFO
blasting media; to use a 10,000 gallon recycled oil/diesel fuel blend
tank, transfer pump, valves, flow meter, filter housing, and necessary
piping; to isolate the 10,000 gallon tank from the 250,000 gallon tank
to eliminate the possibility of fuel contamination; and to visually
inspect the filter element bypass each time the system is used. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternate method would provide at
least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.
2. Interstate Thermal Energy Conversion Corporation (ITEC)
[Docket No. M-94-07-C]
Interstate Thermal Energy Conversion Corporation, 50 West Main
Street, P.O. Drawer 1187, Uniontown, Pennsylvania 15401 has filed a
petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(2) (weekly
examination) to its Clyde Mine (I.D. No. 36-00967) located in
Washington County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to maintain
proper ventilation in the return air course by traveling the right 1
West Main return airway to the piping overcast in order to view
through, then enter the adjacent entry by a man door in the stopping
wall to examine the entry the piping goes through, and exit the entry
by a man door into the next adjacent entry and look back through the
piping for that examination with the other return pipe overcasts. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternate method would provide at
least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.
3. SBM Coal Company
[Docket No. M-94-08-C]
SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.335
(construction of seals) to its M&R Slope (I.D. No. 36-05495) 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 criteria
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.
4. SBM Coal Company
[Docket No. M-94-09-C]
SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1100-2(a)(2)
(quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to its M&R Slope
(I.D. No. 36-05495) located in Northumberland 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
alternate method would provide at least the same measure of protection
as would the mandatory standard.
5. SBM Coal Company
[Docket No. M-94-10-C]
SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.360 (preshift
examination) to its M&R Slope (I.D. No. 36-05495) located in
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to examine
each seal for physical damage from the slope gunboat during the
preshift examination after an air quantity reading is taken in by the
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.
6. SBM Coal Company
[Docket No. M-94-11-C]
SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1202-1(a)
(temporary notations, revisions, and supplements) to its M&R Slope
(I.D. No. 36-05495) located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The
petitioner proposes to revise and supplement mine maps on an annual
basis instead of the required 6 month interval and to update maps daily
by hand notations. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternate
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as would
the mandatory standard.
7. SBM Coal Company
[Docket No. M-94-12-C]
SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1200(i) (mine
map) to its M & R Slope (I.D. No. 36-05495) located in Northumberland
County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to limit the mapping of
mine workings above and below to those present within 100 feet of the
vein being mined except when veins are interconnected to other veins
beyond the 100 feet limit through rock tunnels. The petitioner asserts
that the proposed alternate method would provide at least the same
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.
8. Gatliff Coal Company
[Docket No. M-94-13-C]
Gatliff Coal Company, P.O. Box 39, Nevisdale, Kentucky 40754 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.360(b)(6)
(preshift examination) to its Blue Gem #6 Deep Mine (I.D. No. 15-12475)
located in Whitley County, Kentucky. Due to adverse roof conditions in
the parallel intake air course, the area cannot be traveled safely. The
petitioner states that the area involved was driven off a parallel pure
intake air course prior to the new ventilation regulation of November
1992, that even with extensive cribbing the intake area has developed
adverse roof conditions, and that to perform preshift examinations of
the room necks would be unsafe. The petitioner proposes to install
methane detecting sensors at the areas of approach in the parallel
intakes and an additional methane detecting sensor where the air which
has coursed by these room necks, driven in excess of 20 feet deep,
joins with the main mine intake. The petitioner asserts that the
proposed alternate method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as would the mandatory standard.
9. Arclar Company
[Docket No. M-94-14-C]
Arclar Company, 29 West Raymond, P.O. Box 444, Harrisburg, Illinois
62946 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 18.41 to
its Big Ridge Mine (I.D. No. 11-02879) located in Saline County,
Illinois. The petitioner proposes to use fabricated metal locking
devices with a locking screw threaded through a steel bracket to lock
battery plugs to machine-mounted battery receptacles on permissible,
mobile, battery-powered machines instead of using padlocks; and to
submit a training plan for all operators of this equipment concerning
this proposed alternate method to the Agency and District Manager.
10. AKZO Salt, Inc.
[Docket No. M-94-05-M]
AKZO Salt, Inc., P.O. Box 6920, Cleveland, Ohio 44101 has filed a
petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 57.19109 to its Cleveland
Mine (I.D. No. 33-01994) located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The
petitioner proposes to install pairs of cables approximately 4 feet
above and parallel to the divider timbers to enhance the function of
the timbers; to cover the sides of each divider timber with ultra-high
molecular weight polyethylene material to reduce abrasion to the
timbers; in addition to water slicing, to inspect the shaft prior to
conducting any work on the platform to ensure that there are no loose
material on the sides of the shaft; to place barricades around the
shaft at both the collar and mine level prior to doing work on the
platform; and to provide training to all personnel working on the
platform. The petitioner states that to place boards across the shaft
at the mine level when personnel are required to work on the dividers
would result in a diminution of safety and would expose miners to
hazardous conditions. In addition, 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 March 16, 1994.
Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.
Dated: February 8, 1994
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances.
[FR Doc. 94-3389 Filed 2-11-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P
