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

147. (1) At least once every month, a qualified person shall inspect all fire protection equipment.

(2) The qualified person referred to in subsection (1) shall make a written report of the inspection to the mine manager.

148. (1) The employer shall, 90 days before commencing the operation of a coal mine, submit to the Coal Mining Safety Commission for approval a plan of the fire protection and water supply systems of the coal mine that shows

• (a) the location of fire protection equipment;

• (b) the size of the pipes that supply water to the working faces; and

• (c) the position of all valves and hydrants on the water supply system.

(2) The employer shall post copies of the plan referred to in subsection (1), as approved by the Coal Mining Safety Commission, in conspicuous places throughout the coal mine where they are readily available for examination by employees.

149. (1) A water supply system for fire protection shall be installed along the side of every conveyor that is in service at a coal mine.

(2) The flow pressure of the water in the system referred to in subsection (1) at any hydrant on the circuit shall be

• (a) not less than 340 kPa when two of the hydrants on that circuit are discharging water at a rate of 200 L/min; and

• (b) measured at a nozzle of 16 mm diameter that is attached to the hydrant.

150. (1) A qualified person shall, at least once every month, measure the flow quantity and flow pressure of water at the hydrants shown on the plan referred to in section 148.

(2) A record of the measurements referred to in subsection (1) shall be made by the qualified person in a book kept for that purpose.

(3) The mine manager and the underground manager shall, every day, examine the book referred to in subsection (2) and countersign the record of any measurement made that day.

151. (1) The mine manager shall, for each coal mine, appoint employees as mine rescue workers and organize them into one or more mine rescue teams, each consisting of not less than five mine rescue workers.

(2) The mine manager shall appoint

• (a) a mine rescue team captain for every mine rescue team referred to in subsection (1); and

• (b) for each coal mine, a mine rescue station superintendent to supervise the mine rescue teams at the coal mine.

(3) Every mine rescue worker shall be equipped with the equipment listed in Schedule III.

(4) During mine rescue work, for each mine rescue worker who is engaged in actual rescue work, one mine rescue worker shall remain in readiness at the fresh air base.

(5) Every mine rescue team shall be equipped with the equipment listed in Column I of each item of Schedule IV in the quantities set out in Column II of that item.

(6) Every mine rescue team shall take at least one training session every month.

(7) At least two of the training sessions referred to in subsection (6) shall be conducted annually under simulated emergency conditions underground.

(8) Emergency procedures shall be tested at least once every two years.

(9) The employer shall notify a safety officer at the district office of the day and time of each training session referred to in subsection (6) or (7) at least 24 hours before the training session.