293.210. Shaft coal mines, ventilation requirements.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

293.210. Shaft coal mines, ventilation requirements.

Shaft coal mines, ventilation requirements.

293.210. 1. The owner, agent or operator of every coalmine, whether operated by shaft, slope or drift, shall provideand maintain for every such mine a good and sufficient amount ofventilation for such men as may be employed therein, the amountof air in circulation to be in no case less than one hundredcubic feet for each man per minute, measured at the foot of thedowncast, and the same to be increased at the discretion of thedirector of the division according to the character and extent ofthe workings, or to the amount of powder used in blasting andsaid volume of air shall be forced and circulated to the face ofevery working place throughout the mine, so that such mine shallbe free from standing powder smoke and gases of every kind.

2. All doors set on main entries for the purpose ofconducting the ventilation shall be so constructed and hung as toclose of themselves when opened, and shall be made sufficientlytight to effectually obstruct the air currents. In all minesemploying fifty or more men a trapper shall be kept in attendanceupon such doors to see that they are kept securely closed and theair currents properly controlled.

3. Whenever the director shall find men working withoutsufficient air, or under any unsafe conditions, he shall firstgive the operator a reasonable notice to rectify the same, andupon his refusal to do so, may himself order them out until saidportions of said mine shall be put in proper condition.

4. The ventilation required by this section may be producedby any suitable appliances, but in case a furnace shall be usedfor ventilating purposes, it shall be built in such a manner asto prevent the communication of fire to any part of the works, bylining the upcast with incombustible material for a sufficientdistance up from said furnace.

5. The currents of air in coal mines shall be so split as togive a separate current to at least every fifty men at work, andthe director shall have discretion to order a separate currentfor a smaller number of men, if special conditions render itnecessary.