West Virginia Code
Article 2. Underground Mines
§22A-2-62. Thermal Coal Dryers and Plants

Thermal coal dryer plants shall be hereafter constructed, maintained and operated in compliance with the following provisions:
(1) Good housekeeping shall be practiced in and around thermal dryer plants.
(2) Adequate firefighting facilities shall be provided on all floors.
(3) When welding and cutting operations are to be performed in a dryer structure, the area shall be wetted down thoroughly and adequate firefighting apparatus shall be readily available during the operation.
(4) Only qualified persons shall be permitted to operate dryers; however, this provision shall not prohibit qualified persons from training other persons to become qualified operators.
(5) Dryer control panels shall be provided with audible and visible alarm devices; such devices should be adjusted to function at somewhat less than maximum dryer temperature.
(6) A bypass or relief stack equipped with an automatically operated damper shall be provided for bypassing gases from the heating units to the outside atmosphere during emergency or normal shutdown operations.
(7) Thermal coal dryers hereafter installed shall not be enclosed except that roofs may be used. Whenever it is deemed necessary to enclose thermal dryers, such equipment shall be in a fireproof structure.
(8) Dryer installations and discharge stacks shall be protected with adequate explosion release vents that open to the outside atmosphere.
(9) Thermal coal dryers shall be located at a safe distance from tipples, cleaning plants, mine openings and surface buildings, such as oil storage areas, explosive magazines, and other buildings where coal dust, sparks and flames are likely to enter and become ignited or otherwise cause danger of fires.
(10) Dryers shall be equipped with quick-response heat control devices which, in the event of superelevated temperatures, will automatically divert the hot inlet gases into a bypass stack, thereby bypassing the drying chamber and at the same time stopping the fuel from being supplied to the air heater.
(11) All dryers, conveyors and other fine coal transporting machines shall be constructed as dust-tight as practicable. Where necessary, such equipment shall be provided with removable covers for inspection and cleaning and shall be provided with vent pipes to the outside atmosphere to permit the escape of distilled gases.
(12) Dryers shall be examined thoroughly after normal and emergency shutdown for fires and coal dust accumulations.
(13) Dryer controls, valves and mechanical equipment shall be frequently inspected, and no dryer shall be operated with defective mechanical equipment.
(14) The gauges of temperature control instruments shall be of the recording type.
(15) Operating rules suitable for the characteristics of each dryer system and the materials processed shall be developed and shall be available at the control panel.
(16) Electrical equipment, electrical wiring and lighting fixtures shall be of dust-tight construction.
(17) Adequate illumination shall be provided.
(18) Dryers shall not be operated beyond their rated evaporation capacity.
(19) Fluid bed dryers shall be provided with water sprays of sufficient capacity for use in event of fire.
(20) After shutdowns, thermal dryers shall be cleared of hot coals so as to minimize ignitions on succeeding startups.
(21) Thermal coal dryers previously installed in a tipple or cleaning plant shall be separated where practicable from other working areas by substantial partitions capable of providing greater resistance to explosion pressures than an exterior wall or walls.
(22) When it is necessary to use extension cables for emergency illumination, such lighting devices shall be dust-tight and adequately guarded. When it becomes necessary to perform work in dryer system bins or any other dusty areas, permissible cap lamps shall be used for illumination.

Structure West Virginia Code

West Virginia Code

Chapter 22A. Miners' Health, Safety and Training

Article 2. Underground Mines

§22A-2-1. Supervision by Professional Engineer or Licensed Land Surveyor; Seal and Certification; Contents; Extensions; Repository; Availability; Traversing; Copies; Archive; Final Survey and Map; Penalties

§22A-2-2. Submittal of Detailed Ventilation Plan to Director

§22A-2-3. Fans

§22A-2-4. Ventilation of Mines in General

§22A-2-4a. Use of Belt Air

§22A-2-5. Unused and Abandoned Parts of Mine

§22A-2-6. Requirements for Movement of Off-Track Mining Equipment in Areas of Active Workings Where Energized Trolley Wires or Trolley Feeder Wires Are Present; Premovement Requirements; Certified and Qualified Persons

§22A-2-7. When Underground Mine Foreman-Fire Boss Required; Assistants; Certification

§22A-2-8. Duties; Ventilation; Loose Coal, Slate or Rocks; Props; Drainage of Water; Man Doors; Instruction of Apprentice Miners

§22A-2-9. Slopes, Incline Planes and Haulage Roads

§22A-2-10. Signals on Haulways; Lights at Mouth and Bottom of Shaft; Operation of Cages

§22A-2-11. Boreholes

§22A-2-12. Instruction of Employees and Supervision of Apprentices; Annual Examination of Persons Using Approved Methane-Detecting Devices; Records of Examination; Maintenance of Methane Detectors, etc.

§22A-2-13. Daily Inspection of Working Places; Records

§22A-2-14. Safety Inspections; Removal of Gases

§22A-2-15. Dangerous Places

§22A-2-16. Examinations of Reports of Fire Bosses

§22A-2-17. Ascertainment, Record and Removal of All Dangers

§22A-2-18. Duty of Mine Foreman to Notify Operator When Unable to Comply With Law; Duty of Operator

§22A-2-19. Death or Resignation of Mine Foreman; Successor

§22A-2-20. Preparation of Danger Signal by Fire Boss or Certified Person Acting as Such Prior to Examination; Report; Records Open for Inspection

§22A-2-21. Fire Bosses to Have No Superior Officers

§22A-2-22. Unlawful to Enter Mine Until Fire Boss Reports It Safe; Exceptions

§22A-2-23. Authority of Fire Boss to Perform Other Duties

§22A-2-24. Control of Coal Dust; Rock Dusting

§22A-2-25. Roof Control Programs and Plans; Refusal to Work Under Unsupported Roof

§22A-2-26. Roof Support; Specific Requirements

§22A-2-27. Canopies or Cabs; Electric Face Equipment

§22A-2-28. Equipment to Conform With Height of Seam

§22A-2-29. Use of Authorized Explosives; Storage or Use of Unauthorized Explosives

§22A-2-30. Surface Magazines for Explosives

§22A-2-31. Transportation of Explosives

§22A-2-32. Underground Storage of Explosives

§22A-2-33. Preparation of Shots; Blasting Practices

§22A-2-34. Misfires of Explosives

§22A-2-35. Other Blasting Devices

§22A-2-36. Hoisting Machinery; Telephones; Safety Devices; Hoisting Engineers and Drum Runners

§22A-2-37. Haulage Roads and Equipment; Shelter Holes; Prohibited Practices; Signals; Inspection

§22A-2-38. Transportation of Miners by Cars; Self-Propelled Equipment; Belts

§22A-2-39. Belt Conveyor; Installation; Maintenance; Examination of Belt Conveyors and Belt Entries

§22A-2-40. General Provisions

§22A-2-41. Bonding Track Used as Power Conductor

§22A-2-42. Telephone Service or Communication Facilities

§22A-2-43. Actions to Detect and Respond to Excess Methane

§22A-2-43a. Operation of Cutting and Mining Machines; Repair and Maintenance of Same

§22A-2-44. Hand-Held Electric Drills and Rotating Tools; Trailing Cables

§22A-2-45. Installation of Lighting

§22A-2-46. Welding and Cutting

§22A-2-47. Responsibility for Care and Maintenance of Face Equipment

§22A-2-48. When Respiratory Equipment to Be Worn; Control of Dust

§22A-2-49. Safeguards for Mechanical Equipment

§22A-2-50. Procurement of Dust-Tight Electrical Equipment; Fireproof Construction; Dust Control; Repairs; Welding; Handrails and Toeboards; Protection of Personnel on Conveyors; Back Guards on Ladders; Walkways or Safety Devices Around Thickeners

§22A-2-51. Housekeeping

§22A-2-52. Storage of Flammable Liquids in Lamphouse

§22A-2-53. Smoking in and Around Surface Structures

§22A-2-53a. Railroad Cars; Dumping Areas; Other Surface Areas

§22A-2-53b. Haulage or Surface Areas

§22A-2-53c. Ramps; Tipples; Cleaning Plants; Other Surface Areas

§22A-2-54. Duties of Persons Subject to Article; Rules and Regulations of Operators

§22A-2-55. Protective Equipment and Clothing

§22A-2-55a. Safety Helmets

§22A-2-56. Checking Systems

§22A-2-57. No Act Permitted Endangering Security of Mine; Search for Intoxicants, Matches, etc.

§22A-2-58. Fire Protection

§22A-2-59. First-Aid Equipment

§22A-2-60. Accessible Outlets; Safe Roadways for Emergencies; Accessibility of First Aid Equipment; Use of Special Capsule for Removal of Personnel

§22A-2-61. Coal Storage Bins; Recovery Tunnels; Coal Storage Piles

§22A-2-62. Thermal Coal Dryers and Plants

§22A-2-63. No Mine to Be Opened or Reopened Without Prior Approval of the Director of the Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training; Certificate of Approval; Approval Fees; Extension of Certificate of Approval; Certificates of Approval Not Transf...

§22A-2-64. Sealing Permanently Closed or Abandoned Mines

§22A-2-65. Mining Close to Abandoned Workings

§22A-2-66. Accident; Notice; Investigation by Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training

§22A-2-67. Written Report of Accident

§22A-2-68. Preservation of Evidence Following Accident or Disaster

§22A-2-70. Shafts and Slopes

§22A-2-71. Right of Miner to Refuse to Operate Unsafe Equipment; Procedure; Discrimination

§22A-2-71a. Right of Miner to Refuse to Work in an Unsafe Area or Unsafe Manner

§22A-2-72. Long Wall and Short Wall Mining

§22A-2-73. Construction of Shafts, Slopes, Surface Facilities and the Safety Hazards Attendant Therewith; Duties of Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety to Promulgate Rules; Time Limits Therefor

§22A-2-74. Control of Respirable Dust

§22A-2-75. Coal Operators -- Procedure Before Operating Near Oil and Gas Wells

§22A-2-76. Reopening Old or Abandoned Mines

§22A-2-77. Quarterly Report by Operator of Mine; Exception as to Certain Inactive Mines

§22A-2-78. Examinations to Determine Compliance With Permits

§22A-2-79. Provisions of Article Severable

§22A-2-80. Existing Regulations to Be Revised