{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/45.2-1148.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/45.2-1148.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/45.2-1148.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/45.2-1148.html"}],"law_id":80286,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80286,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1148","catch_line":" Frequency of mine inspections","history":"1997, c. 390, \u00a7 45.1-161.292:54; 1998, c. 695; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Director shall conduct a complete inspection of each underground mineral mine at least every 180 days, and of any surface mineral mine that is not inspected by MSHA at least once per year. An additional inspection of such mineral mine shall be made when deemed appropriate by the Director based on an evaluation of risks at such mine or if requested by miners employed at a mine or the licensed operator of a mine.B\n\nThe Director shall not conduct an inspection of a surface mineral mine that is inspected by MSHA; however, a mine inspector or other employee of the Department may enter such mine in order to (i) respond to a complaint of a violation of the Act; (ii) respond to and investigate any serious personal injury or death; and (iii) with the consent of the licensed operator, conduct training programs.C\n\nThe Director shall determine whether a particular surface mineral mine is inspected by MSHA. The Director shall make such determination based on information provided by MSHA and Department records.D\n\nThe Director shall request representatives of MSHA to serve with Department personnel on a joint committee of cooperation. The committee shall include the Director of the Division and such additional Division employees as the Director designates. The committee shall meet at least twice annually at the call of the Director for the purpose of facilitating communication and resolving discrepancies regarding the inspection responsibilities of state and federal agencies with respect to surface mineral mines in the Commonwealth.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":287428,"text":"The Director shall conduct a complete inspection of each underground mineral mine at least every 180 days, and of any surface mineral mine that is not inspected by MSHA at least once per year. An additional inspection of such mineral mine shall be made when deemed appropriate by the Director based on an evaluation of risks at such mine or if requested by miners employed at a mine or the licensed operator of a mine.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":287429,"text":"The Director shall not conduct an inspection of a surface mineral mine that is inspected by MSHA; however, a mine inspector or other employee of the Department may enter such mine in order to (i) respond to a complaint of a violation of the Act; (ii) respond to and investigate any serious personal injury or death; and (iii) with the consent of the licensed operator, conduct training programs.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":287430,"text":"The Director shall determine whether a particular surface mineral mine is inspected by MSHA. The Director shall make such determination based on information provided by MSHA and Department records.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":287431,"text":"The Director shall request representatives of MSHA to serve with Department personnel on a joint committee of cooperation. The committee shall include the Director of the Division and such additional Division employees as the Director designates. The committee shall meet at least twice annually at the call of the Director for the purpose of facilitating communication and resolving discrepancies regarding the inspection responsibilities of state and federal agencies with respect to surface mineral mines in the Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13619,"edition_id":1,"name":"Mine Inspections","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":5,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12951,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:23","permalink":{"id":224319,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13619,"identifier":"7","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7","url":"\/45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12951,"edition_id":1,"name":"Mineral Mine Safety Act","identifier":"11","label":"chapter","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12950,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":224113,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12951,"identifier":"11","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11","url":"\/45.2\/III\/A\/11\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12950,"edition_id":1,"name":"Mineral Mines Generally","identifier":"A","label":"part","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12949,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":224111,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12950,"identifier":"A","token":"45.2\/III\/A","url":"\/45.2\/III\/A\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12949,"edition_id":1,"name":"Mineral Mines","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12713,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":224109,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12949,"identifier":"III","token":"45.2\/III","url":"\/45.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12713,"edition_id":1,"name":"Mines, Minerals, and Energy","identifier":"45.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":222539,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12713,"identifier":"45.2","token":"45.2","url":"\/45.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":80286,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1148","catch_line":" Frequency of mine inspections","url":"\/45.2-1148\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1148","metadata":false},{"id":79721,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1149","catch_line":" Evaluation of risks at mines","url":"\/45.2-1149\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1149","metadata":false},{"id":60821,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1150","catch_line":" Review of inspection reports and records","url":"\/45.2-1150\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1150","metadata":false},{"id":55914,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1151","catch_line":" Advance notice of inspections; confidentiality of trade secrets","url":"\/45.2-1151\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1151","metadata":false},{"id":62683,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1152","catch_line":" Scheduling of mine inspections","url":"\/45.2-1152\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1152","metadata":false},{"id":54585,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1153","catch_line":" Denial of entry","url":"\/45.2-1153\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1153","metadata":false},{"id":75543,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1154","catch_line":" Duties of operator","url":"\/45.2-1154\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1154","metadata":false},{"id":72100,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1155","catch_line":" Duties of inspectors","url":"\/45.2-1155\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1155","metadata":false},{"id":65966,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1156","catch_line":" Certificates of inspection","url":"\/45.2-1156\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1156","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":79721,"structure_id":13619,"section_number":"45.2-1149","catch_line":" Evaluation of risks at mines","url":"\/45.2-1149\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1149","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/45.2-1148\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1997. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 390<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 1998, chapter 695<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":60029,"section_number":"45.2-1505","catch_line":" Health regulations","order_by":null,"url":"\/45.2-1505\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":224321,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80286,"identifier":"45.2-1148","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1148","url":"\/45.2-1148\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/45.2-1148\/","token":"45.2\/III\/A\/11\/7\/45.2-1148","dublin_core":{"Title":" Frequency of mine inspections","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 45.2-1148","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Director<\/span> shall conduct a complete inspection of each underground mineral mine at least every 180 days, and of any surface mineral mine that is not inspected by MSHA at least once per year. An additional inspection of such mineral mine shall be made when deemed appropriate by the Director<\/span> based on an evaluation of risks at such mine or if requested by miners employed at a mine or the licensed operator of a mine. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Director<\/span> shall not conduct an inspection of a surface mineral mine that is inspected by MSHA; however, a mine inspector or other employee of the Department<\/span> may enter such mine in order<\/span> to (i) respond to a complaint of a violation of the Act; (ii) respond to and investigate any serious personal injury or death; and (iii) with the consent of the licensed operator, conduct training programs. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Director<\/span> shall determine whether a particular surface mineral mine is inspected by MSHA. The Director<\/span> shall make such determination based on information provided by MSHA and Department<\/span> records. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The Director<\/span> shall request representatives of MSHA to serve with Department<\/span> personnel on a joint committee of cooperation. The committee shall include the Director<\/span> of the Division and such additional Division employees as the Director<\/span> designates. The committee shall meet at least twice annually at the call of the Director<\/span> for the purpose of facilitating communication and resolving discrepancies regarding the inspection responsibilities of state and federal agencies with respect to surface mineral mines in the Commonwealth. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\n FREQUENCY OF MINE INSPECTIONS (\u00a7 45.2-1148)\n\nA. The Director shall conduct a complete inspection of each underground mineral\nmine at least every 180 days, and of any surface mineral mine that is not\ninspected by MSHA at least once per year. An additional inspection of such\nmineral mine shall be made when deemed appropriate by the Director based on an\nevaluation of risks at such mine or if requested by miners employed at a mine or\nthe licensed operator of a mine.\n\nB. The Director shall not conduct an inspection of a surface mineral mine that\nis inspected by MSHA; however, a mine inspector or other employee of the\nDepartment may enter such mine in order to (i) respond to a complaint of a\nviolation of the Act; (ii) respond to and investigate any serious personal\ninjury or death; and (iii) with the consent of the licensed operator, conduct\ntraining programs.\n\nC. The Director shall determine whether a particular surface mineral mine is\ninspected by MSHA. The Director shall make such determination based on\ninformation provided by MSHA and Department records.\n\nD. The Director shall request representatives of MSHA to serve with Department\npersonnel on a joint committee of cooperation. The committee shall include the\nDirector of the Division and such additional Division employees as the Director\ndesignates. The committee shall meet at least twice annually at the call of the\nDirector for the purpose of facilitating communication and resolving\ndiscrepancies regarding the inspection responsibilities of state and federal\nagencies with respect to surface mineral mines in the Commonwealth.\n\nHISTORY: 1997, c. 390, \u00a7 45.1-161.292:54; 1998, c. 695; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c.\n387.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}