Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 41, October 12, 2024
Section 209a.42 - Accident reporting(a) Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, as used in this subchapter, an accident is an incident that results in one or more of the following: (1) A death of an individual at a mine.(2) Serious bodily injury to an individual at a mine or an injury to an individual at a mine which has a reasonable potential to cause death.(3) An entrapment of an individual for more than 30 minutes or which has a reasonable potential to cause death.(4) An unplanned inundation of a mine by a liquid or gas.(5) An unplanned ignition or explosion of gas or dust.(6) An unplanned mine fire not extinguished within 30 minutes of discovery.(7) An unplanned ignition or explosion of a blasting agent or an explosive.(8) A failure of an impoundment, refuse pile or culm bank; or an unstable condition at an impoundment, refuse pile or culm bank which requires emergency action to prevent failure, or which causes individuals to evacuate an area.(9) A coal or rock outburst that causes withdrawal of miners or which disrupts regular mining activity for more than 1 hour.(10) An event at a mine which causes death or bodily injury to an individual not at the mine at the time the event occurs.(b) If an accident occurs, an operator shall contact the Department's district mining office with jurisdiction for the mine within 1 hour of discovery of the accident. If an operator cannot make contact with the appropriate district mining office, it shall contact the Department's 24 hour emergency number within 1 hour of the accident.(c) The operator of a mine at which an accident occurs shall mail copies of the completed MSHA accident reporting forms to the Department's district mining office with jurisdiction for the mine. These copies are in addition to accident reporting forms sent to MSHA and shall be mailed to the Department within 10 working days after the accident occurs.