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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79750</law_id><section_number>45.2-852</section_number><catch_line> Rock dusting</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="8">Requirements Applicable to Underground Coal Mines; Electricity, Safety, Etc</unit><unit label="article" level="5" order_by="1" identifier="4">Ventilation, Mine Gases, and Other Hazardous Conditions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Every underground area of a mine, except an area in which the coal dust is too wet or too high in incombustible content to propagate an explosion, shall be rock-dusted to within 40 feet of every working face, unless such area is inaccessible or unsafe to enter or unless the <span class="dictionary">Chief</span> or his authorized representative permits an exception upon his <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that such exception does not pose a hazard to any miner. Every crosscut that is less than 40 feet from a working face shall also be rock-dusted. <a id="paragraph-285757" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-852/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Every other area of a mine shall be rock-dusted if conditions are found by a proper inspection to be so dusty as to constitute a hazard. If such conditions are found to exist, the <span class="dictionary">Chief</span> or his authorized representative shall require the necessary rock dusting to make every such area of the mine safe. <a id="paragraph-285758" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-852/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Coal dust, including float coal dust deposited on rock-dusted surfaces, loose coal, and other combustible <span class="dictionary">material</span>, shall be cleaned up and shall not be permitted to accumulate excessively in active workings or on electric equipment therein. <a id="paragraph-285759" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-852/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 45-77; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, &#xA7; 45.1-67; 1978, c. 120; 1994, c. 28, &#xA7; 45.1-161.235; 1999, c. 256; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
