Show NEW SAFETY regulations FOR OPERATING UTAH COAL MINES alteration of the state coal mine safety code so as to require the use of electric lamps of a standard approved by the united states bureau of mines and to prohibit the utilization of flame lamps except for testing purposes as suggested by the state industrial commission was agreed to by the special committee representing coal mine operators of the state a few days ago the approval of this and other proposed safety regulations za came as a result of the meeting Z of mine operators with the industrial commission at the capitol to hear the report of state mine officials regarding the castlegate Cast legate disaster the committee concluded that the explosions which claimed lives were caused when a fire boss attempted to relight his open flame safety lamp which had become extinguished the action of the mine operators committee will be considered by the industrial commission in amending the safety code 0 F mcshane chairman said he explained to the committee that the mines will be given until july I 1 to comply with any orders the commission may issue and that the time may be extended in emergency cases the su suggested 2 ested lighting regulation approved follows f 0 allows all men entering coal mines in utah in which more than five men are arc employed on any one shift shall be equipped with electric lamps approved by the united states bureau of mines and no flame lamps shall be permitted in the mine except for testing purpose sAll lamps used for testing purposes shall bear the approval of the united states bureau of mines and shall be magnetically 6 locked and the igniters ig niters shall be maintained in a serviceable servi cable condition cc mines employing five men of less on any one shift may be required to comply with the above regulation at the discretion of the industrial commission commission of utah other precautions to be taken the committee approved the proposed order that would require that main entries and of coal mines be rock dusted as a precaution against dust explosions it was suggested by the industrial commission that intake air courses be dusted with powdered rock at least as far as the most distant points where water pipes are likely to freeze in the winter and thus prevent sprinkling of the coal dust with water the proposed orders of tile the industrial commission provide that the companies be required to take samples of the rock dusted coal particles and analyze the samples to determine the total incombustible content the operators expressed the desire to have the cominis commission sion take the samples make analyses and send reports to tile the mining companies use of water to prevent the raising of excessive amounts of dust during operation of coal aultin cutting machines and mechanical loading 21 equipment as was dee deemed i ned advisable by the industrial commission was approved rock dust barriers provided the following recommendation was indorsed endorsed indor sed at every opening opening from each working panel or level connecting to any an y other level or panel b entry or slope there ther e shall be installed rock dust barriers so placed that an explosion originating in that level or panel cannot extend to other parts of the mine these rock dust barriers shall be of a type which has been tested and approved by the united states bureau of mines and shall be correctly installed the committee favored an order requiring that all shots be fired from the surface by means of an electrically operated shot mifot firing system the members agreed that firing should be done all miners were out of the properties but did not concur i the industrial commissions belief that the man firing t th t shot should also be above ground when the powder i jbf s discharged the coal company representatives were favori favor able to a regulation prohibiting the use of any powder dri except that classed as permissible by the united state stat int bureau of mines gas control planned indorsement endorsement Indor was given the suggested order that 9 accumulations mia might ht not be removed while men aree are shift even in properties operated on a closed light basis another proposed regulation which met with upp was that before the track is pulled out of any air cours cour abando abandoned tied rooms or other places all coal and coal dust in be cleaned up and loaded out pv the committee went on record as favoring 4 sv i compel all mines to provide and maintain water 11 lc j working 1 1 places to wet down coal dust that is f ila 0 operations and keep all parts of the face region tho IN J sprinkled ein d the members a agreed reed also that sprinklers lers be rebur to make a signed daily report and that there be no tran tra to other work of any man used for sprinkling unless change is approved by the superintendent and some qualified sprinkler appointed to take the place 0 assi assigned b ned to other work the recommendation w wa that violation of the suggested requirements be ruid breach of the state mining laws co uli |