                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

 WEEKLY EXAMINATIONS (§ 45.2-828)

A. At least once every seven days, a mine foreman shall examine each unsealed
worked-out area where no pillars have been recovered.

B. At least once every seven days, a mine foreman shall evaluate the
effectiveness of each bleeder system used pursuant to &#xA7; 45.2-837.

C. At least once every seven days, a mine foreman shall examine each of the
following locations for hazardous conditions:

   1. At least one entry of each intake air course, in its entirety, so that the
   entire air course is traveled.

   2. At least one entry of each return air course, in its entirety, so that the
   entire air course is traveled.

   3. Each longwall or shortwall travel way, in its entirety, so that the entire
   travel way is traveled.

   4. Each seal along each return or bleeder air course and each seal along each
   intake air course not examined pursuant to &#xA7; 45.2-826.

   5. Each escapeway, in its entirety, so that the entire escapeway is traveled.

   6. Each working section not examined pursuant to &#xA7; 45.2-826 during the
   previous seven days.

D. At least once every seven days, a certified person shall:

   1. Determine the volume of air entering each main intake and each intake
   split;

   2. Determine the volume of air and test for methane in the last open crosscut
   in any pair or set of developing entries or rooms. Such determination and test
   shall be conducted in the return of each split of air immediately before it
   enters the main returns and where the air leaves the main returns; and

   3. Test for methane in the return entry nearest each set of seals immediately
   after the air passes the seals.

E. Any hazardous condition shall be corrected immediately. If the condition
creates an imminent danger, everyone except those persons necessary to correct
the hazardous condition shall be withdrawn from the area affected to a safe area
until the hazardous condition is corrected.

F. No weekly examination is required during any seven-day period in which no
person enters any underground area of a mine. If a mine is idled or is in a
nonproducing status with entry only for maintenance of the mine, weekly
examinations may be conducted in accordance with a plan approved by the Chief.

G. Except for certified persons required to make examinations, no person shall
enter any underground area of a coal mine if no weekly examination has been
completed within the preceding seven days. The weekly examination may be
conducted at the same time as the pre-shift examination.

H. A person making a weekly examination shall certify completion of the
examination by initials, date, and time at enough locations to show that the
entire area has been examined.

I. Any examination of surface areas of underground coal mines shall be made in
accordance with the requirements for weekly examinations at surface coal mines
pursuant to &#xA7; 45.2-903.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 45-32, 45-33, 45-35, 45-40, 45-60.4, 45-68.1, 45-69.7;
1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, §§ 45.1-17, 45.1-56, 45.1-65; 1968, c. 310; 1978,
cc. 120, 729; 1993, cc. 170, 442; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.210; 1996, c. 774;
1999, c. 256; 2005, c. 3; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.