30-3-112. Roofs of mines; minimum standards; supports; inspection.

(a) Minimum standards for systematic roof control suitable to the roof conditions and mining system of each mine shall be adopted and complied with. A copy of any roof control plan approved by federal authorities shall be submitted to the inspector within thirty (30) days of its approval. Additional supports shall be installed where necessary to afford adequate protection. The inspector shall establish by rule requirements for roof bolting, other supports required to protect persons from falling or loose material, training requirements for persons involved with roof, rib and face testing and extraction of permanent and temporary timber.

(b) Repealed by Laws 1995, ch. 31, § 2.

(c) Repealed by Laws 1995, ch. 31, § 2.

(d) Every shaft, incline, winze, adit, tunnel level or drift, and every working place in an underground mine shall be properly protected and sufficiently timbered or supported where necessary to protect persons from injury from falls of roof, ribs or face. Loose top and overhanging or loose faces and ribs shall be timbered adequately or taken down.

(e) Timbers removed or knocked out deliberately or inadvertently shall be replaced promptly unless unnecessary for adequate roof support or protection.

(f) The mine foreman and mine inspectors shall ascertain if employees understand roof, rib and face testing. Uninformed and new employees shall be instructed properly in correct methods of testing.

(g) Face workers and other employees exposed to hazards from falls of rock and coal shall, unless this testing is specifically and satisfactorily performed by others, examine and test the roof, ribs and face before starting work or before starting a machine and frequently thereafter. When dangerous conditions are found, they shall be corrected immediately by taking down loose materials or by proper and adequate support before any other work is done.

(h) At least once each day, the mine foreman shall examine roof, ribs, and face of working places and passageways, where men work or travel, for dangerous conditions. Where found, such dangerous conditions shall be corrected promptly.

(j) Repealed by Laws 1995, ch. 31, § 2.

(k) Permanent timber extraction shall be done only by mechanical means. Persons engaged in this work shall not be permitted to work alone. Persons assigned to this work shall have not less than the practical mining experience under comparable conditions as required by rule of the inspector.