Section 690-230 - Ventilation requirements(a) General rule.--The operator or superintendent of a mine shall provide and maintain ample means of ventilation to furnish a constant and adequate supply of pure air for the employees. The quantity and velocity of the current of air shall be sufficient to dilute so as to render harmless and carry away flammable or harmful gases.(b) Specification.--The quantity of air reaching the last open crosscut in any pair or set of entries shall not be less than 9,000 cubic feet per minute. All active underground work areas in a mine shall be ventilated by a current of air containing not less than 19.5% oxygen and not more than .5% carbon dioxide and no harmful quantities of other noxious or poisonous gases.(c) Ventilating belt entries.--A belt conveyor entry shall be isolated from the adjacent entries.(1) The following requirements apply: (i) The quantity of air traveling in the belt conveyor shall be kept to the minimum quantity necessary for effective ventilation by means of permanent stoppings and regulators.(ii) The belt conveyor entry shall be provided with a separate split of intake air.(iii) The belt conveyor entry shall provide an intake escapeway to the main air current.(2) If an operator proposes to use entries in common with the belt conveyor entry, the operator must submit a plan to and obtain approval by the department that addresses the following criteria: (i) The belt conveyor is cleaned and maintained to minimize float dust in the common entries.(ii) Stoppings and regulators are arranged to reduce the quantity of air traveling in the belt and common entries to a minimum for effective ventilation of the belt and common entries and to provide an intake air split as an escapeway to the main air current.(iii) Fire protection is installed and maintained on all belt conveyors in compliance with appropriate standards.(iv) There is an early warning fire detection system and carbon monoxide (CO) or smoke sensors that meet the requirements of 30 CFR 75.351 (relating to atmospheric monitoring systems). The spacing of the CO or smoke sensors shall not exceed 1,000 feet. The belt air velocity shall be a minimum of 50 fpm or CO or smoke sensor spacing shall be reduced to provide an adequate alarm time not to exceed 20 minutes. The CO or smoke sensors shall be set to alarm at the lowest practicable setting and be positioned in the ventilation current to provide the most effective detection.(v) The number of common entries may not exceed three entries, including the belt entry.(vi) Development for common entries is designed to be at a lower ventilation pressure than the main intake escapeway.(vii) If a condition develops that causes the belt and common entries to be at a higher ventilation pressure than the main intake escapeway, efforts are undertaken to immediately correct the condition. If the condition cannot practicably be corrected, the mine operator must notify the department of the condition, the specific cause, the area affected and the steps that will be taken to maintain the pressure in the belt and common entries at the lowest attainable level.(viii) When the belt ventilation current travels away from the working section, no ignition sources, except equipment necessary to maintain the escapeway and personnel carriers, shall be permitted in the intake escapeway unless CO or smoke sensors that meet Federal fire detection standards are installed in the intake escapeway. Equipment operated in the intake escapeway shall be equipped with an automatic fire suppression system or comply with 30 CFR 75.380(f)(4) (relating to escapeways; bituminous and lignite mines). CO detectors shall give an audible alarm over the mine communication system. The alarm shall indicate the conveyor belt flight where the alarm occurred. Both visual and audible alarm signals must automatically be provided at all affected working sections and affected areas where mechanized mining equipment is being installed or removed and on the surface at a monitored location. Two-way underground communications shall be maintained between the monitored surface location and all underground working sections and areas where mechanized mining equipment is being installed or removed.(ix) A copy of the mine's federally approved firefighting and evacuation plan is included with the plan.(d) Actions to detect and respond to excess methane.--The following actions are required to detect and respond to excess methane:(1) Location of tests. Tests for methane concentrations under this section shall be made at least 12 inches from the roof, face, ribs and floor.(2) Working places and intake air courses. (i) When 1% or more methane is present in a working place or an intake air course, including an air course in which a belt conveyor is located or in an area where mechanized mining equipment is being installed or removed:(A) Except intrinsically safe atmospheric monitoring systems (AMS), electrically powered equipment in the affected area shall be deenergized and other mechanized equipment shall be shut off.(B) Changes or adjustments shall be made immediately to the ventilation system to reduce the concentration of methane to less than 1%.(C) No other work shall be permitted in the affected area until the methane concentration is less than 1%.(ii) When 1.5% or more methane is present in a working place or an intake air course, including an air course in which a belt conveyor is located or in an area where mechanized mining equipment is being installed or removed:(A) Except for Federal or State mine inspectors, the mine foreman or assistant mine foreman or individuals authorized by the mine foreman or assistant mine foreman, all individuals shall be withdrawn from the affected area.(B) Except for intrinsically safe AMS, electrically powered equipment in the affected area shall be disconnected at the power source.(3) Return air split. (i) When 1% or more methane is present in a return air split between the last working place on a working section and where that split of air meets another split of air or the location at which the split is used to ventilate seals or worked-out areas, changes or adjustments shall be made immediately to the ventilation system to reduce the concentration of methane in the return air to less than 1%.(ii) When 1.5% or more methane is present in a return air split between the last working place on a working section and where that split of air meets another split of air or the location where the split is used to ventilate seals or worked-out areas, except for Federal or State mine inspectors, the mine foreman, assistant mine foreman or individuals authorized by the mine foreman or assistant mine foreman, all individuals shall be withdrawn from the affected area.(iii) Other than intrinsically safe AMS, equipment in the affected area shall be deenergized, electric power shall be disconnected at the power source and other mechanized equipment shall be shut off.(iv) No other work shall be permitted in the affected area until the methane concentration in the return air is less than 1%.(4) Return air split alternative.(i) The provisions of this paragraph may apply if:(A) The quantity of air in the split ventilating the active workings is at least 27,000 cubic feet per minute in the last open crosscut or the quantity specified in the approved ventilation plan, whichever is greater.(B) The methane content of the air in the split is continuously monitored during mining operations by an AMS that gives a visual and audible signal on the working section when the methane in the return air reaches 1.5% and the methane content is monitored as specified in the approved ventilation plan.(C) Rock dust is continuously applied with a mechanical duster to the return air course during coal production at a location in the air course immediately outby the most inby monitoring point.(ii) When 1.5% or more methane is present in a return air split between a point in the return opposite the section loading point and where that split of air meets another split of air or where the split of air is used to ventilate seals or worked-out areas: (A) Changes or adjustments shall be made immediately to the ventilation system to reduce the concentration of methane in the return air less than 1.5%.(B) Except for Federal or State mine inspectors, the mine foreman, assistant mine foreman or individuals authorized by the mine foreman or assistant mine foreman, all individuals shall be withdrawn from the affected area.(C) Except for intrinsically safe AMS, equipment in the affected area shall be deenergized, electric power shall be disconnected at the power source and other mechanized equipment shall be shut off.(D) No other work shall be permitted in the affected area until the methane concentration in the return air is less than 1.5%.(e) Changes and adjustments in ventilation.--(1) If either the concentration of methane in a bleeder split of air immediately before the air in the split joins another split of air, or in a return air course other than as described in subsection (d)(3) and (4), contains methane gas in an amount of 2% or greater, as detected by an approved gas detection device, changes or adjustments shall be made immediately in the ventilation in the mine so that returning air contains less than 2% of methane gas.(2) When 2% of methane is exceeded beyond the mixing point with another split in the main return, the operator shall submit a written plan to abate the problem to the department for approval.(f) Submittal of detailed ventilation plan to department.--(1) A mine operator shall submit a detailed ventilation plan and any addendums to the department for review and comment. The mine operator shall review the plan with the department and address concerns to the extent practicable. The department shall submit any concern that is not addressed to MSHA through comments to the plan. The mine operator shall provide a copy of the plan to the department and the representative of the miners, if applicable, ten days prior to the submittal of the plan to MSHA.(2) The operator shall give the department a copy of the MSHA-approved plan and any addendums as soon as the operator receives the approval.(3) In the event of an unforeseen situation requiring immediate action on a plan revision, the operator shall submit the proposed revision to the department and the representative of the miners when the proposed revision is submitted to MSHA. The department shall work with the operator to review and comment on the proposed plan revision to MSHA as quickly as possible.(4) Upon approval by MSHA, the plan is enforceable by the department.2008, July 7, P.L. 654, No. 55, §230, effective in 180 days [ 1/5/2009].