[Federal Register: October 5, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 193)]
[Notices]
[Page 58877-58878]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Petitions for Modification
The following parties have filed petitions to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.1714-4(a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) (Additional
Self-Contained Self-Rescuers), for their anthracite underground coal
mines, under section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act
of 1977 and 30 CFR Part 44:
(1) Orchard Coal Company, Orchard Slope Mine, 214 Vaux Road,
Tremont Pennsylvania 17981 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-08346), located in
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
[Docket No. M-2006-031-C]
(2) R S & W Coal Company, Inc., R S & W Slope Mine; 207 Creek Road,
Klingerstown, Pennsylvania 17941 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-01818), located in
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
[Docket No. M-2006-032-C]
(3) S & M Coal Company, Buck Mountain Slope Mine, 1744 E. Grand
Avenue, Tower City, Pennsylvania 17980 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-02022),
located in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
[Docket No. M-2006-040-C]
(4) FKZ Coal Company, No. 1 Slope Mine, P.O. Box 62, Locust Gap,
Pennsylvania 17840 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-08637), located in Northumberland
County, Pennsylvania.
[Docket No. M-2006-048-C]
(5) Tito Coal Company, No. 2 Slope Mine, 118 Fairview Lane,
Williamstown, Pennsylvania 17098 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-06815), located in
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.
[Docket No. M-2006-052-C]
(6) D & D Coal Company, Primrose Slope Mine, D & D Coal Company,
409 W. Centre Street, Donaldson, Pennsylvania 17981 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-
08341), located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
[Docket No. M-2006-055-C]
These petitioners request a modification of the existing standard
to eliminate the requirement for providing an additional self-contained
self-rescue (SCSR) device, and to eliminate the requirement for
providing additional SCSRs on mantrips or mobile equipment and in
alternate and primary escapeways. The petitioners state that:
(i) An SCSR has never been used in an anthracite mine and no
statistical data exists to support the need to use an SCSR;
(ii) The potential hazard which would require wearing an SCSR and
traveling the escapeway does not exist;
(iii) There is no hazard scenario where traveling the escapeway
with an SCSR would be likely; and
(iv) The travel time on foot from the working face through the
primary escapeway is less than fifteen minutes. The petitioners further
state that, historically, fires in anthracite mines have not been a
significant hazard, as a result of the low volatile matter of the coal,
which is reflected in numerous granted petitions for modification
relating to firefighting.
The petitioners propose to have each miner wear an SCSR correctly
for one hour to give the full affect of proper usage when actually
wearing the SCSR, because the petitioners believe that to train the
miner with one SCSR is a safer act than to have multiple SCSRs without
proper training and the miner will know how to use the SCSR in the
event of an actual emergency. The petitioners also propose to have
hand-held multi-gas detectors located at each working face and have the
SCSR stored on the locomotive for the locomotive operator.
The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method for use
of the SCSR would in no way provide less than the same measure of
protection than that afforded the miners under the existing standard.
Request for Comments
Persons interested in these petitions are encouraged to submit
comments via E-mail to Standards-Petitions@dol.gov. Include ``petitions
for modification'' in the subject line of the email. Comments can also
be submitted by fax, regular mail, or hand-delivery. If faxing your
comments, include ``petitions for modification'' on the subject line of
the fax. Comments by regular mail or hand-delivery should be submitted
to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350,
Arlington, Virginia 22209. If hand-delivered, you are required to stop
by the 21st floor to check in with the receptionist. All comments must
be postmarked or received by the Office of Standards, Regulations, and
Variances on or before November 6, 2006. Copies of the petitions are
available for inspection at that address.
Dated at Arlington, Virginia, this 29th day of September 2006.
Cherie A. Hutchison,
Acting Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. E6-16489 Filed 10-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P
