<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>57825</law_id><section_number>45.2-709</section_number><catch_line> Roof, face, and ribs to be secure</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="45.2">Mines, Minerals, and Energy</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Coal Mining</unit><unit label="part" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="B">Underground Coal Mines</unit><unit label="chapter" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="7">Requirements Applicable to Underground Coal Mines; Mine Construction</unit><unit label="article" level="5" order_by="1" identifier="4">Roof, Face, and Rib Control</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> All underground active workings and travel ways shall be secured and controlled to protect miners from a fall of roof, face, or ribs. Loose roof and any loose or overhanging ribs or face shall be taken down or supported. <a id="paragraph-211744" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-709/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The mining method that the mine operator follows shall not expose any miner to a hazardous condition caused by the excessive width of a room or entry, a faulty pillar-recovery method, or any other hazardous mining method or working condition. <a id="paragraph-211745" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-709/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 45-68.1 to 45-68.3; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, &#xA7;&#xA7; 45.1-40, 45.1-41; 1975, c. 520; 1978, cc. 118, 729; 1980, c. 338; 1982, c. 234; 1984, c. 590; 1988, c. 577; 1994, c. 28, &#xA7; 45.1-161.108; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
