Coal Mining Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/90-97)

• 133. (1) Every area underground shall be kept free from accumulations of coal dust.

• (2) Dry areas underground in which coal dust is produced shall be systematically wetted down with water.

• (3) To reduce coal dust underground,

  • (a) where dry coal is cut by a coal-cutting machine, a jet of water shall be directed over the picks of the machine; and

  • (b) mined coal shall be kept wet during handling.

• 134. (1) Every roadway underground shall be treated with incombustible dust in such a way that the dust on the floor, roof and sides of the roadway contains

  • (a) where the concentration of flammable gas in the air in the roadway does not exceed 1 per cent, not less than 75 per cent by weight of incombustible dust; and

  • (b) where the concentration of flammable gas in the air in the roadway exceeds 1 per cent, not less than 80 per cent by weight of incombustible dust.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3), the incombustible dust referred to in subsection (1) shall contain not less than 70 per cent by weight of fine material that is capable, when dry, of passing through a sieve of 200 mesh.

• (3) Where a larger percentage of incombustible dust than the percentage referred to in subsection (1) is used, the percentage of fine material referred to in subsection (2) may be reduced in proportion to the increase in the amount of incombustible dust, but in no case shall it be less than 25 per cent.

• 135. (1) At least once every month, samples of dust shall be taken from the floor, roof and sides along the length of each roadway underground and shall be analysed to determine the percentage of combustible material therein.

• (2) The employer shall, in respect of the analysis referred to in subsection (1),

  • (a) keep a record of the analysis; and

  • (b) submit a written report of the results of the analysis to a safety officer at the district office before the 15th day of the month following the analysis.

136. Not less than 20 bags of incombustible dust, each weighing not less than 25 kg, shall be stored for emergency use within 150 m of each working face in the intake airway and within 40 m of each working face in the return airway.

• 137. (1) In each intake airway leading to a working face, a stone-dust barrier or a water barrier shall be placed within 300 m of the working face.

• (2) A stone-dust barrier referred to in subsection (1) shall hold not less than 100 kg of stone dust per square metre of area of the roadway that it serves.

• (3) A water barrier referred to in subsection (1) shall contain not less than 200 L of water per square metre of area of the roadway that it serves.

138. All electrical equipment that is used underground shall be intrinsically safe or shall be flameproof.

• 139. (1) Where an employee uses a locked-flame safety lamp, the employee shall inspect the lamp to determine that it is securely locked and is safe for use underground

  • (a) before the employee takes the lamp underground; and

  • (b) at regular intervals during the employee’s shift underground.

• (2) An employee who holds a certificate as a mine examiner shall inspect every locked-flame safety lamp before it is taken underground to determine that it is securely locked and is safe for use underground.