SECTION 45.1-161.195. Inspection of electric equipment and wiring; checking and testing methane monitors  


A. Electric equipment and wiring shall be inspected by a certified person at least weekly if located underground, and at least monthly if located on the surface, and more often if necessary to assure safe operating conditions, and any hazardous condition found shall be promptly corrected or the equipment or wiring shall be removed from service. Records of such examination shall be maintained at the mine for a period of one year.

B. A functional check of methane monitors on electrical face equipment shall be conducted to determine that such monitors are de-energizing the electrical face equipment properly. Such check shall be made on each production shift and shall be conducted by the equipment operator in the presence of a mine foreman, and shall be recorded in the on-shift report of the mine foreman.

C. Weekly calibration tests on methane monitors on electrical face equipment to determine the accuracy and operation of such monitors shall be conducted with a known mixture of methane at the flow rate recommended by the methane monitor manufacturer. A record of the results shall be maintained.

D. Required methane monitors shall be maintained in permissible and proper operating condition.

1966, c. 594, § 45.1-85; 1978, c. 118; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28 ; 1996, c. 28 ; 1999, c. 28 ; 2005, c. 28 .