Each operator of an underground coal mine shall adopt and follow a mine emergency evacuation and firefighting program that instructs all miners in the proper procedures they must follow if a mine emergency occurs.

(a) Program approval. The operator shall submit this program of instruction, and any revisions, for approval to the District Manager of the Coal Mine Safety and Health district in which the mine is located. Within 30 days of approval, the operator shall conduct training in accordance with the revised program.

(b) New or revised provisions. Before implementing any new or revised approved provision in the program of instruction, the operator shall instruct miners in the change.

(c) Instruction plan. The approved program shall include a specific plan designed to instruct miners on all shifts on the following:

(1) Procedures for—

(i) Evacuating the mine for mine emergencies that present an imminent danger to miners due to fire, explosion, or gas or water inundation;

(ii) Evacuating all miners not required for a mine emergency response; and

(iii) The rapid assembly and transportation of necessary miners, fire suppression equipment, and rescue apparatus to the scene of the mine emergency.

(2) The use, care, and maintenance of self-rescue devices, including hands-on training in the complete donning and transferring of all types of self-rescue devices used at the mine.

(3) The deployment, use, and maintenance of refuge alternatives.

(4) Scenarios requiring a discussion of options and a decision as to the best option for evacuation under each of the various mine emergencies (fires, explosions, or gas or water inundations). These options shall include:

(i) Encountering conditions in the mine or circumstances that require immediate donning of self-rescue devices.

(ii) Using continuous directional lifelines or equivalent devices, tethers, and doors;

(iii) Traversing undercasts or overcasts;

(iv) Switching escapeways, as applicable;

(v) Negotiating any other unique escapeway conditions; and

(vi) Using refuge alternatives.

(5) Location and use of the fire suppression and firefighting equipment and materials available in the mine.

(6) Location of the escapeways, exits, routes of travel to the surface, including the location of continuous directional lifelines or equivalent devices.

(7) Location, quantity, types, and use of stored SCSRs, as applicable.

(8) A review of the mine map; the escapeway system; the escape, firefighting, and emergency evacuation plan in effect at the mine; and the locations of refuge alternatives and abandoned areas.

(9) A description of how miners will receive annual expectations training that includes practical experience in donning and transferring SCSRs in smoke, simulated smoke, or an equivalent environment and breathing through a realistic SCSR training unit or device that provides the sensation of SCSR airflow resistance and heat.

(10) A summary of the procedures related to deploying refuge alternatives.

(11) A summary of the construction methods for 15 psi stoppings constructed prior to an event.

(12) A summary of the procedures related to refuge alternative use.

(d) Instructors.

(1) The mine operator shall designate a person who has the ability, training, knowledge, or experience to conduct the mine emergency evacuation instruction and drills in his or her area of expertise.

(2) Persons conducting SCSR donning and transferring training shall be able to effectively train and evaluate whether miners can successfully don the SCSR and transfer to additional SCSR devices.

[71 FR 71452, Dec. 8, 2006, as amended at 73 FR 80697, Dec. 31, 2008]