§ 873. — Blasting and explosives.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 30USC873]
TITLE 30--MINERAL LANDS AND MINING
CHAPTER 22--MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH
SUBCHAPTER III--INTERIM MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS FOR UNDERGROUND COAL
MINES
Sec. 873. Blasting and explosives
(a) Limitations on storage and use of black powder and mudcaps
Black blasting powder shall not be stored or used underground.
Mudcaps (adobes) or other unconfined shots shall not be fired
underground.
(b) Storage of explosives and detonators; mudcaps in anthracite mines;
restrictions; tests
Explosives and detonators shall be kept in separate containers until
immediately before blasting. In underground anthracite mines, (1)
mudcaps or other open, unconfined shake shots may be fired, if
restricted to battery starting when methane or a fire hazard is not
present, and if it is otherwise impracticable to start the battery; (2)
open, unconfined shake shots in pitching veins may be fired, when no
methane or fire hazard is present, if the taking down of loose hanging
coal by other means is too hazardous; and (3) tests for methane shall be
made immediately before such shots are fired and if 1.0 volume per
centum or more of methane is present, when tested, such shot shall not
be made until the methane content is reduced below 1.0 volume per
centum.
(c) Permissible explosives, detonators, and devices; firing; stem
boreholes; nonpermissible explosives; compressed air blasting
Except as provided in this subsection, in all underground areas of a
coal mine only permissible explosives, electric detonators of proper
strength, and permissible blasting devices shall be used and all
explosives and blasting devices shall be used in a permissible manner.
Permissible explosives shall be fired only with permissible shot firing
units. Only incombustible materials shall be used for stemming
boreholes. The Secretary may, under such safeguards as he may prescribe,
permit the firing of more than twenty shots and allow the use of
nonpermissible explosives in sinking shafts and slopes from the surface
in rock. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of compressed
air blasting.
(d) Container construction for carrying explosives or detonators in
underground mines
Explosives or detonators carried anywhere underground in a coal mine
by any person shall be in containers constructed of nonconductive
material, maintained in good condition, and kept closed.
(e) Transportation of explosives or detonators in underground mines
Explosives or detonators shall be transported in special closed
containers (1) in cars moved by means of a locomotive or rope, (2) on
belts, (3) in shuttle cars, or (4) in equipment designed especially to
transport such explosives or detonators.
(f) Storage of explosives and detonators in working sections of
underground mines; containers; locations
When supplies of explosives and detonators for use in one or more
working sections are stored underground, they shall be kept in section
boxes or magazines of substantial construction with no metal exposed on
the inside, located at least twenty-five feet from roadways and power
wires, and in a dry, well rock-dusted location protected from falls of
roof, except in pitching beds, where it is not possible to comply with
the location requirement, such boxes shall be placed in niches cut into
the solid coal or rock.
(g) Location of explosive and detonator containers in working places of
underground mines
Explosives and detonators stored in the working places shall be kept
in separate closed containers which shall be located out of the line of
blast and not less than fifty feet from the working face and fifteen
feet from any pipeline, powerline, rail, or conveyor, except that, if
kept in niches in the rib, the distance from any pipeline, powerline,
rail, or conveyor shall be at least five feet. Such explosives and
detonators, when stored, shall be separated by a distance of at least
five feet.
(Pub. L. 91-173, title III, Sec. 313, Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 785.)
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 861 of this title.
