(a) Examinations of slope and shaft areas shall be made by a certified person for hazardous conditions, including tests for methane and oxygen deficiency:

(1) Within 90 minutes before each shift;

(2) At least once on any shift during which men are employed inside any slope or shaft during development; and

(3) Both before and after blasting.

(b) The surface area surrounding each slope and shaft shall be inspected by a certified person and all hazards in the vicinity shall be corrected before men are permitted to enter the excavation.

(c) All hazards found during any preshift or onshift inspection shall be corrected before men are allowed to enter, or continue to work in such slope or shaft. If hazardous conditions cannot be corrected, or excessive methane concentrations cannot be diluted, the excavation shall be vacated and no person shall be permitted to reenter the slope or shaft to continue excavation operations until the hazardous condition has been abated.

(d) No work shall be performed in any slope or shaft, no drilling equipment shall be started, and no electrical equipment shall be energized if the methane content in such slope or shaft is 1.0 volume per centum, or more.

(e) Nothing in this §77.1901 shall prevent the specific assignment of men in the slope or shaft for purposes of abating excessive methane concentrations or any other hazardous condition.

(f) The results of all inspections conducted in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section shall be recorded in a book approved by the Secretary.

(Pub. L. No. 96-511, 94 Stat. 2812 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.))

[36 FR 9364, May 22, 1971, as amended at 60 FR 33723, June 29, 1995]