[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 221 (Thursday, November 17, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-28433]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 17, 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. Eastern Associated Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-158-C]

    Eastern Associated Coal Corporation, 800 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box 
1233, Charleston, West Virginia 25324 has filed a petition to modify 
the application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(2) & (4) (weekly examination) to 
its Lightfoot No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 46-04332) located in Boone County, 
West Virginia. Due to current roof conditions and roof falls in certain 
locations of the return airway, traveling the area in its entirety 
would be unsafe. The petitioner proposes to establish two positive 
return evaluation points, one in the No. 6 entry and one in the No. 4 
entry, to measure the return airflow; to maintain and check evaluation 
points Nos. 17 and 18 at least once every twenty-four hours; and to 
designate a certified person to make these examinations and record the 
results in an approved book. The petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

2. Clark Elkhorn Coal Company, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-159-C]

    Clark Elkhorn Coal Company, Inc., P.O. Box 2805, Pikeville, 
Kentucky 41502 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
75.900 (low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase 
alternating current equipment; circuit breakers) to its Sunset No. 1 
Mine (I.D. No. 15-11905) located in Pike County, Kentucky. The 
petitioner proposes to use contactors for undervoltage protection 
instead of using circuit breakers. The petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternate method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

3. Eastern Associated Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-160-C]

    Eastern Associated Coal Corporation, 800 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box 
1233, Charleston, West Virginia 25324 has filed a petition to modify 
the application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(1) (weekly examination) to its 
Federal No. 2 Mine (I.D. No. 46-01456) located in Monongalia County, 
West Virginia. Due to large falls and deteriorating roof conditions in 
certain areas of the intake air course, traveling the affected area 
would be unsafe. The petitioner proposes to have a certified person 
monitor the direction of the airflow and the methane and oxygen 
concentrations at two check points on a weekly basis and record the 
results on a date board. The petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

4. Pontiki Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-161-C]

    Pontiki Coal Corporation, P.O. Box 801, Lovely, Kentucky 41231 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.350 (air 
courses and belt haulage entries) to its Pontiki No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 
15-08413) located in Martin County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes 
to use belt haulage entries as intake air courses to ventilate active 
working places. The petitioner proposes to install a low-level carbon 
monoxide detection system as an early warning fire detection system in 
all belt entries used as intake air courses. The petitioner asserts 
that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same 
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

5. Pontiki Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-162-C]

    Pontiki Coal Corporation, P.O. Box 801, Lovely, Kentucky 41231 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.350 (air 
courses and belt haulage entries) to its Pontiki No. 2 Mine (I.D. No. 
15-09571) located in Martin County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes 
to use belt haulage entries as intake air courses to ventilate active 
working places. The petitioner proposes to install a low-level carbon 
monoxide detection system as an early warning fire detection system in 
all belt entries used as intake air courses. The petitioner asserts 
that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same 
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

6. D.G.W. Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-163-C]

    D.G.W. Coal Company, P.O. Box 425-B2, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania 
17963 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1405 
(automatic couplers) to its No. 7 Vein Slope (I.D. No. 36-07093) 
located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to 
use bar and pin or link and pin couplers on its underground haulage 
equipment instead of automatic couplers. The petitioner asserts that 
the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure 
of protection as would the mandatory standard.

7. Mallie Coal Company, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-164-C]

    Mallie Coal Company, Inc., Rt. 1, Box 211, Woodbine, Kentucky 30771 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.342 
(methane monitors) to its No. 4 Mine (I.D. No. 15- 17603) located in 
Knox County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to monitor continuously 
with a hand-held methane and oxygen detector instead of using a methane 
monitoring system on permissible three-wheel tractors with drag bottom 
buckets. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method 
would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the 
mandatory standard.

8. Eastern Associated Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-165-C]

    Eastern Associated Coal Corporation, 800 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box 
1233, Charleston, West Virginia 25324 has filed a petition to modify 
the application of 30 CFR 75.503 (permissible electric face equipment; 
maintenance) to its Federal No. 2 Mine (I.D. No. 46-01456) located in 
Monongalia County, West Virginia. The petitioner proposes to increase 
the maximum length of its trailing cables supplying shuttle cars, 
loading machines, and roof bolters to 900 feet from a nominal 480 volt, 
3-phase alternating current system during longwall development; to have 
the cables for shuttle cars and loading machines not smaller than #2 
AWG with the maximum setting at 800 amps; to have the roof bolter cable 
not smaller than #4 AWG with the maximum setting at 500 amps; and to 
have the trip settings of these circuit breakers sealed or otherwise 
fixed so that the unit settings cannot be set above the maximum 
allowable value. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative 
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as would 
the mandatory standard.

9. Gray Quarries, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-43-M]

    Gray Quarries, Inc., P.O. Box 386, Hamilton, Illinois 62341 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 56.6131(a)(1) 
(location of explosive material storage facilities) to its Gray 
Quarries (I.D. No. 11-00073) located in Hancock County, Illinois. The 
petitioner requests a modification of the mandatory safety standard to 
allow the storage facility to remain in its present location until a 
new location can be established. The petitioner states that the only 
other location that is within the mine site that would not create a 
hazard cannot be used until mining is complete in that location.

10. J. M. Huber Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-44-M]

    J. M. Huber Corporation, P.O. Box 306, Langley, South Carolina 
29834 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
56.14101(a)(2) (brakes) to its Langley Plant (I.D. No. 38-00052) 
located in Aiken County, South Carolina. The petitioner requests a 
modification of the mandatory safety standard to allow the use of a 
different type of parking device for its Case W-11B loaders because the 
operator is not able to pull the handle into position when the parking 
brakes are adjusted tight enough to hold on a ramp. The petitioner 
proposes to park this mobile equipment between two mounds (speed brake 
type) to ensure the safety of employees, equipment, and surrounding 
area; to train designated loader operators in job requirement and safe 
work practices; and to post a sign in each loader and at each 
designated parking area stating the requirement for parking in the 
designated area.

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 December 19, 1994. 
Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.

    Dated: November 10, 1994
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances.
[FR Doc. 94-28433 Filed 11-16-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-M