45.1-161.115 - Supplies of materials for supports. - Virginia Statutes

§ 45.1-161.115. Supplies of materials for supports.

A. The operator, or his agent, shall provide at or near the working places anample supply of suitable materials of proper size with which to secure allroofs, ribs and faces of working places in a safe manner. Suitable supplymaterials shall be provided for variations in seam height. If the operator,or his agent, fails to provide such suitable materials, the mine foremanshall cause the miners to withdraw from the mine, or the portion thereofaffected, until such material or supplies are received.

B. Safety posts, jacks or temporary crossbars shall be set close to the facebefore other operations are begun and as needed thereafter, if miners go inby the last permanent roof support.

C. Unless an automated temporary roof support system is used, safety posts orjacks shall be used to protect the miners when roof material is being takendown, crossbars are being installed, roof bolt holes are being drilled, roofbolts are being installed, or when any other work is being performed thatwould reasonably require roof support to protect the miners involved.

D. The operator, or his agent, shall make immediately available for emergencyuse at each mine site at least two lifting devices with a combined total ofat least 80 tons lifting capacity. Each individual lifting device shall have20 tons or greater lifting capacity.

(Code 1950, §§ 45-68.1, 45-68.3; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-41; 1975,c. 520; 1978, c. 118; 1980, c. 338; 1982, c. 234; 1988, c. 577; 1994, c. 28;1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2005, c. 3.)