§ 871. — Fire protection.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 30USC871]
TITLE 30--MINERAL LANDS AND MINING
CHAPTER 22--MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH
SUBCHAPTER III--INTERIM MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS FOR UNDERGROUND COAL
MINES
Sec. 871. Fire protection
(a) Firefighting equipment; promulgation of minimum requirements for
equipment; existing requirements; examinations after blasting
Each coal mine shall be provided with suitable firefighting
equipment adapted for the size and conditions of the mine. The Secretary
shall establish minimum requirements for the type, quality, and quantity
of such equipment, and the interpretations of the Secretary or the
Director of the United States Bureau of Mines relating to such equipment
in effect on the operative date of this subchapter shall continue in
effect until modified or superseded by the Secretary. After every
blasting operation, an examination shall be made to determine whether
fires have been started.
(b) Underground storage areas for lubricating oils and greases;
construction; exceptions
Underground storage places for lubricating oil and grease shall be
of fireproof construction. Except for specially prepared materials
approved by the Secretary, lubricating oil and grease kept in all
underground areas in a coal mine shall be in fireproof, closed metal
containers or other no less effective containers approved by the
Secretary.
(c) Housing of underground structures, stations, shops, and pumps;
construction; ventilation
Underground transformer stations, battery-charging stations,
substations, compressor stations, shops, and permanent pumps shall be
housed in fireproof structures or areas. Air currents used to ventilate
structures or areas enclosing electrical installations shall be coursed
directly into the return. Other underground structures installed in a
coal mine as the Secretary may prescribe shall be of fireproof
construction.
(d) Use of arc or flame in underground mines; fireproof enclosures;
operations outside fireproof enclosures; procedures; standards
All welding, cutting, or soldering with arc or flame in all
underground areas of a coal mine shall, whenever practicable, be
conducted in fireproof enclosures. Welding, cutting or soldering with
arc or flame in other than a fireproof enclosure shall be done under the
supervision of a qualified person who shall make a diligent search for
fire during and after such operations and shall, immediately before and
during such operations, continuously test for methane with means
approved by the Secretary for detecting methane. Welding, cutting, or
soldering shall not be conducted in air that contains 1.0 volume per
centum or more of methane. Rock dust or suitable fire extinguishers
shall be immediately available during such welding, cutting, or
soldering.
(e) Installation of fire suppression devices on unattended underground
equipment; flame-resistant hydraulic fluids
Within one year after the operative date of this subchapter, fire
suppression devices meeting specifications prescribed by the Secretary
shall be installed on unattended underground equipment and suitable
fire-resistant hydraulic fluids approved by the Secretary shall be used
in the hydraulic systems of such equipment. Such fluids shall be used in
the hydraulic systems of other underground equipment unless fire
suppression devices meeting specifications prescribed by the Secretary
are installed on such equipment.
(f) Deluge-type water sprays at main and secondary drives
Deluge-type water sprays or foam generators automatically actuated
by rise in temperature, or other no less effective means approved by the
Secretary of controlling fire, shall be installed at main and secondary
belt-conveyor drives. Where sprays or foam generators are used they
shall supply a sufficient quantity of water or foam to control fires.
(g) Installation of slippage and sequence switches on belt conveyors;
fire suppression devices on belt haulageways
Underground belt conveyors shall be equipped with slippage and
sequence switches. The Secretary shall, within sixty days after the
operative date of this subchapter, require that devices be installed on
all such belts which will give a warning automatically when a fire
occurs on or near such belt. The Secretary shall prescribe a schedule
for installing fire suppression devices on belt haulageways.
(h) Flame-resistant conveyor belt
On and after the operative date of this subchapter, all conveyor
belts acquired for use underground shall meet the requirements to be
established by the Secretary for flame-resistant conveyor belts.
(Pub. L. 91-173, title III, Sec. 311, Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 783; Pub.
L. 102-285, Sec. 10(b), May 18, 1992, 106 Stat. 172.)
References in Text
For the operative date of this subchapter, referred to subsecs. (a),
(e), (g), and (h), see section 509 of Pub. L. 91-173, set out as an
Effective Date note under section 801 of this title.
Change of Name
``United States Bureau of Mines'' substituted for ``Bureau of
Mines'' in subsec. (a) pursuant to section 10(b) of Pub. L. 102-285, set
out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 861, 877 of this title.
