H. B. 2798
(By Delegates Caputo, Collins, Sparks,
Kuhn, Tucker, Varner and Butcher)
[Introduced February 17, 1999; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section forty, article two, chapter
twenty-two-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to requiring that
permanent and temporary battery charging stations in mines
be put on a separate split of air or be ventilated to the
return air.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section forty, article two, chapter twenty-two-a of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. UNDERGROUND MINES.
§22A-2-40. General provisions.
Operators of coal mines in which electricity is used as a
means of power shall comply with the following provisions:
(1) All surface transformers, unless of a construction which will eliminate shock hazards, or unless installed at least eight
feet above ground, shall be enclosed in a house or surrounded by
a fence at least six feet high. If the enclosure is of metal, it
shall be grounded effectively. The gate or door to the enclosure
shall be kept locked at all times, unless authorized persons are
present.
(2) Underground transformers shall be air cooled or cooled
with noninflammable liquid or inert gas.
(3) Underground stations containing circuit breakers filled
with inflammable liquids shall be put on a separate split of air
or ventilated to the return air, and shall be of fireproof
construction.
(4) Transformers shall be provided with adequate overload
protection.
(5) "Danger -- High Voltage" signs with the voltage
indicated shall be posted conspicuously on all transformer
enclosures, high-potential switchboards and other high-potential
installations.
(6) Dry insulating platforms of rubber or other suitable
nonconductive material shall be kept in place at each switchboard
and at stationary machinery where shock hazards exist.
(7) Capacitors used for power factor connection shall be
noninflammable liquid filled. Suitable drain-off resistors or
other means to protect miners against electric shock following removal of power shall be provided.
(8) All unattended underground loading points where electric
driven hydraulic systems are used shall utilize a fireproof oil
or emulsion.
(9) Before electrical changes are made to permissible
equipment for use in a mine, they shall be approved by the
director.
(10) Reverse current protection shall be provided at storage
battery charging stations to prevent the storage batteries from
energizing the power circuits in the event of power failure.
(11) In all mines all junction or distribution boxes used
for making multiple power connections inby the last open crosscut
shall be permissible.
(12) All hand-held electric drills, blower and exhaust fans,
electric pumps and such other low horsepower electric face
equipment which are taken into or used inby the last open
crosscut of any coal mine shall be permissible.
(13) All electric face equipment which is taken into or used
inby the last open crosscut of any coal mine shall be
permissible.
(14) In mines operated in coal seams which are located at
elevations above the water table, the phrase "coal seams above
the water table" means coal seams in a mine which are located at
an elevation above a river or the tributary of a river into which a local surface water system naturally drains.
(15) The operator of each coal mine shall maintain in
permissible condition all electric face equipment, which is taken
into or used inby the last open crosscut of any mine.
(16) Except where permissible power connection units are
used, all power-connection points outby the last open crosscut
shall be in intake air.
(17) All power circuits and electric equipment shall be
deenergized before work is done on such circuits and equipment,
except when necessary for trouble shooting or testing.
(18) Energized trolley wires may be repaired only by a
person trained to perform electrical work and to maintain
electrical equipment and the operator of a mine shall require
that such persons wear approved and tested insulated shoes and
wireman's gloves.
(19) No electrical work shall be performed on
low-, medium- or high-voltage distribution circuits or equipment,
except by a qualified person or by a person trained to perform
electrical work and to maintain electrical equipment under the
direct supervision of a qualified person. Disconnecting devices
shall be locked out and suitably tagged by the persons who
perform
such the work, except that in cases where locking out is
not possible,
such the devices shall be opened and suitably
tagged by such persons who installed them, or, if such persons are unavailable, by persons authorized by the operator or his
or
her agent.
(20) All electric equipment shall be examined weekly,
tested, and properly maintained by a qualified person to assure
safe operating conditions. When a potentially dangerous
condition is found on electric equipment,
such the equipment
shall be removed from service until such condition is corrected.
A record of
such the examinations shall be kept and made
available to an authorized representative of the director and to
the miners in
such the mine.
(21) All electric conductors shall be sufficient in size and
have adequate current-carrying capacity and be of such
construction that a rise in temperature resulting from normal
operation will not damage the insulating material.
(22) All electrical connections or splices in conductors
shall be mechanically and electrically efficient, and suitable
connectors shall be used. All electrical connections or splices
in insulated wire shall be reinsulated at least to the same
degree of protection as the remainder of the wire.
(23) Cables shall enter metal frames of motors, splice boxes
and electric compartment only through proper fittings. When
insulated wire, other than cables, pass through metal frames, the
holes shall be substantially bushed with insulated bushings.
(24) All power wire (except trailing cables on mobile equipment, specially designed cables conducting high-voltage
power to underground rectifying equipment or transformers, or
bare or insulated ground and return wires) shall be supported on
well-installed insulators and shall not contact combustible
material, roof or ribs.
(25) Power wires and cables, including, but not limited to,
phone communication and control wires, except trolley wires,
trolley feeder wires and bare signal wires, shall be insulated
adequately and fully protected. The provisions of this
subdivision shall not become effective until the first day of
January, one thousand nine hundred seventy-eight.
(26) Automatic circuit-breaking devices or fuses of the
correct type and capacity shall be installed so as to protect all
electric equipment and circuits against short circuit and
overloads. Three-phase motors on all electric equipment shall
be provided with overload protection that will deenergize all
three phases in the event that any phase is overloaded.
(27) Incandescent lamps installed along haulageways and at
other locations shall not contact combustible material, and if
powered from trolley or direct current feeder circuits, need not
be provided with separate short circuits or overload protection,
if the lamp is not more than eight feet in distance from such
circuits.
(28) In all main power circuits, disconnecting switches shall be installed underground within five hundred feet of the
bottoms of shafts and boreholes through which main power circuits
enter the underground area of the mine and within five hundred
feet of all other places where main power circuits enter the
underground area of the mine.
(29) All electric equipment shall be provided with switches
or other controls that are safely designed, constructed and
installed.
(30) Each underground, exposed power conductor that leads
underground shall be equipped with suitable lightning arrestors
of approved type within one hundred feet of the point where the
circuit enters the mine. Lightning arrestors shall be connected
to a low-resistance grounding medium on the surface which shall
be separated from neutral ground by a distance of not less than
twenty-five feet.
(31) Except for areas of a coal mine inby the last open
crosscut, incandescent lamps may be used to illuminate
underground areas. When incandescent lamps are used in a track
entry or belt entry or near track entries to illuminate special
areas other than structures, the lamps shall be installed in
weatherproof sockets located in positions
such that the lamps
will not come in contact with any combustible material. Lamps
used in all other places must be of substantial construction and
be fitted with a glass enclosure.
(32) An authorized representative of the director may
require in any mine that electric face equipment be provided with
devices that will permit the equipment to be deenergized quickly
in the event of an emergency.
(33) An authorized representative of the director shall
require manually operated emergency stop switches, designed to
deenergize the traction motor circuit when the contractors or
controller fail to open, to be installed on all battery powered
tractors, taken into or used inby the last open crosscut of any
entry or room.
(34) Trailing cables used in coal mines shall meet the
requirements for flame-resistant cables.
(35) Short circuit protection for trailing cables shall be
provided by an automatic circuit breaker or other no less
effective device approved by the director of adequate current- interrupting capacity in each ungrounded conductor. Disconnecting
devices used to disconnect power from trailing cables shall be
plainly marked and identified and
such the devices shall be
equipped or designed in
such a manner that it can be determined
by visual observation that the power is disconnected.
(36) When two or more trailing cables junction to the same
distribution center, means shall be provided to assure against
connecting a trailing cable to the wrong size circuit breaker.
(37) One temporary splice may be made in any trailing cable. Such trailing cable may only be used for the next twenty-four
hour period. No temporary splice shall be made in a trailing
cable within twenty-five feet of the machine, except cable reel
equipment. Temporary splices in trailing cables shall be made in
a workmanlike manner and shall be mechanically strong and well
insulated. Trailing cables or hand cables which have exposed
wires or which have splices that heat or spark under load shall
not be used. As used in this section, the term "splice" means a
mechanical joining of one or more conductors that have been
severed.
(38) When permanent splices in trailing cables are made,
they shall be:
(A) Mechanically strong with adequate electrical
conductivity and flexibility,
(B) Effectively insulated and sealed so as to exclude
moisture, and
(C) Vulcanized or otherwise treated with suitable materials
to provide flame-resistant qualities and good bonding to the
outer jacket.
(39) Trailing cables shall be clamped to machines in a
manner to protect the cables from damage and to prevent strain on
the electrical connections. No cables will be hung in a manner
which will damage the insulation or conductors.
(40) Trailing cables shall be adequately protected to prevent damage by mobile equipment.
(41) Trailing cable and power cable connections to junction
boxes and to electrical equipment shall not be made or broken
under load.
(42) All metallic sheaths, armors and conduits enclosing
power conductors shall be electrically continuous throughout and
shall be grounded by methods approved by an authorized
representative of the director.
(43) Except where waived by the director, metallic frames,
casings and other enclosures of electric equipment that can
become alive through failure of insulation or by contact with
energized parts shall be grounded, and on or before the first day
of January, one thousand nine hundred seventy-eight, shall have
a ground monitoring system.
(44) In instance where single-phase 110-220 volt circuits
are used to feed electrical equipment, the only method of
grounding that will be approved is the connection of all metallic
frames, casings and other enclosure of
such the equipment to a
separate grounding conductor which establishes a continuous
connection to a grounded center tap of the transformer.
(45) The attachment of grounding wires to a mine tract or
other grounded power conductor will be approved if separate
clamps, suitable for
such the purpose, are used and installed to
provide a solid connection.
(46) The frames of all offtrack direct-current machines and
the enclosures of related detached components shall be
effectively grounded or otherwise maintained at no less safe
voltages.
(47) Installation of silicon diodes shall be restricted to
electric equipment receiving power from a direct-current system
with one polarity grounded. Where
such the diodes are used on
circuits having a nominal voltage rating of two hundred fifty,
they must have a forward current rating of four hundred amperes
or more, and have a peak inverse voltage rating of four hundred
or more. Where
such the diodes are used on circuits having
nominal voltage rating of five hundred fifty, they must have a
forward current rating of two hundred fifty amperes or more, and
have a peak inverse voltage rating of eight hundred or more.
(48) In addition to the grounding diode, a polarizing diode
must be installed in the machine control circuit to prevent
operation of the machine when the polarity of a trailing cable is
reversed.
(49) When installed on permissible equipment, all grounding
diodes, over-current devices, and polarizing diodes must be
placed in explosion-proof compartments.
(50) High-voltage lines, both on the surface and
underground, shall be deenergized and grounded before work is
performed on them, except that repairs may be permitted, in the case of energized surface high-voltage lines, if
such the repairs
are made by a qualified person in accordance with procedures and
safeguards, including, but not limited to, a requirement that the
operator of
such the mine provide, test and maintain protective
devices in making
such the repairs.
(51) When two or more persons are working on an energized
high-voltage surface line simultaneously, and any one of them is
within reach of another, such persons shall not be allowed to
work on different phases or on equipment with different
potentials.
(52) All persons performing work on energized high-voltage
surface lines shall wear protective rubber gloves, sleeves, and
climber guards if climbers are worn. Protective rubber gloves
shall not be worn wrong side out or without protective leather
gloves. Protective devices worn by a person assigned to perform
repairs on high-voltage surface lines shall be worn continuously
from the time he leaves the ground until he returns to the
ground, and, if
such the devices are employed for extended
periods, such person shall visually inspect the equipment
assigned him for defects before each use and, in no case, less
than twice each day.
(53) Disconnecting or cutout switches on energized high- voltage surface lines shall be operated only with insulated
sticks, fuse tongs or pullers which are adequately insulated and maintained to protect the operator from the voltage to which he
is exposed. When
such the switches are operated from the ground,
the person operating
such the devices shall wear protective
rubber gloves.
(54) Solely for purposes of grounding ungrounded high- voltage power systems, grounded messenger wires used to suspend
the cables of
such the systems may be used as a grounding medium.
(55) When not in use, power circuits underground shall be
deenergized on idle days and idle shifts, except that rectifiers
and transformers may remain energized.
(56) High-voltage circuits entering the underground area of
any coal mine shall be protected by suitable circuit breakers of
adequate interrupting capacity. Such breakers shall be equipped
with devices to provide protection against undervoltage, grounded
phase, short circuit and overcurrent.
(57) Circuit breakers protecting high-voltage circuits
entering an underground area of any coal mine shall be located on
the surface and in no case installed either underground or within
a drift.
(58) One circuit breaker may be used to protect two or more
branch circuits, if the circuit breaker is adjusted to afford
overcurrent protection for the smallest conductor.
(59) The grounding resistor, where required, shall be of the
proper ohmic value to limit the voltage drop in the grounding circuit external to the resistor to not more than one hundred
volts under fault conditions. The grounding resistor shall be
rated for maximum fault current continuously and insulated from
ground for a voltage equal to the phase-to-phase voltage of the
system.
(60) High-voltage circuits extending underground and
supplying portable mobile or stationary high-voltage equipment
shall contain either a direct or derived neutral which shall be
grounded through a suitable resistor at the source transformers,
and a grounding circuit, originating at the grounded side of the
grounding resistor, shall extend along with the power conductors
and serve as a grounding conductor for the frames of all
high-voltage equipment supplied power from the circuit, except
that the director or his
or her authorized representative may
permit ungrounded high-voltage circuits to be extended
underground to feed stationary electrical equipment if
such the
circuits are either steel armored or installed in grounded, rigid
steel conduit throughout their entire length, and upon his
or her
finding that such exception does not pose a hazard to the miners.
Within one hundred feet of the point on the surface where
high-voltage circuits enter the underground portion of the mine,
disconnecting devices shall be installed and so equipped or
designed in
such a manner that it can be determined by visual
observation that the power is disconnected, except that the director or his
or her authorized representative may permit
such
the devices to be installed at a greater distance from
such the
area of the mine if he
or she determines, based on existing
physical conditions, that
such the installation will be more
accessible at a greater distance and will not pose any hazard to
the miners.
(61) High-voltage resistance grounded systems serving
portable or mobile equipment shall include a fail-safe ground
check circuit to monitor continuously the grounding circuit to
assure continuity, and the fail-safe ground check circuit shall
cause the circuit breaker to open when either the ground or pilot
check wire is broken, or other no less effective device approved
by the director or his
or her authorized representative to assure
such continuity.
(62) Underground high-voltage cables used in resistance
grounded systems shall be equipped with metallic shields around
each power conductor with one or more ground conductors having a
total cross-sectional area of not less than one half the power
conductor, and with an insulated internal or external conductor
not smaller than No. 10 (A.W.G.) for the ground continuity check
circuit.
(63) All
such cables shall be adequate for the intended
current and voltage. Splices made in
such the cables shall
provide continuity of all components.
(64) Single-phase loads, such as transformer primaries,
shall be connected phase-to-phase.
(65) All underground high-voltage transmission cables shall
be installed only in regularly inspected air courses and
haulageways, and shall be covered, buried, or placed so as to
afford protection against damage, guarded where men regularly
work or pass under them unless they are six and one-half feet or
more above the floor or rail, securely anchored, properly
insulated and guarded at ends and covered, insulated or placed to
prevent contact with trolley wires and other low-voltage
circuits.
(66) Disconnecting devices shall be installed at the
beginning of branch lines in underground high-voltage circuits
and equipped or designed in
such a manner that it can be
determined by visual observation that the circuit is deenergized
when the switches are open.
(67) Circuit breakers and disconnecting switches underground
shall be marked for identification.
(68) In the case of high-voltage cables used as trailing
cables, temporary splices shall not be used and all permanent
splices shall be made in accordance with the manufacturers'
specifications.
(69) Frames, supporting structures and enclosures of
stationary, portable or mobile underground high-voltage equipment and all high-voltage equipment supplying power to
such the
equipment receiving power from resistance grounded systems shall
be effectively grounded to the high-voltage ground.
(70) Low-and medium-voltage power circuits serving three- phase alternating current equipment serving portable or mobile
equipment shall be protected by suitable circuit breakers of
adequate interrupting capacity which are properly tested and
maintained as prescribed by the director.
Such The breakers
shall be equipped with devices to provide protection
against under-voltage, grounded phase, short circuit and
overcurrent.
(71) Power centers and portable transformers shall be
deenergized before they are moved from one location to another,
except that, when equipment powered by sources other than
such
the centers or transformers is not available, the director may
permit
such the centers and transformers to be moved while
energized, if he
or she determines that another equivalent or
greater hazard may otherwise be created, and if they are moved
under the supervision of a qualified person, and if
such the
centers and transformers are examined prior to
such the movement
by such person and found to be grounded by methods approved by an
authorized representative of the director and otherwise protected
from hazards to the miner. A record shall be kept of such
examinations. High-voltage cables, other than trailing cables, shall not be moved or handled at any time while energized, except
that when
such the centers and transformers are moved while
energized as permitted under this section, energized high-voltage
cables attached to
such the centers and transformers may be moved
only by a qualified person and the operator of
such the mine
shall require that such person wear approved and tested insulated
wireman's gloves.
(72) Low-and medium-voltage three-phase alternating-current
circuits used underground shall contain either a direct or
derived neutral which shall be grounded through a suitable
resistor at the power center, and a grounding circuit,
originating at the grounded side of the grounding resistor, shall
extend along with the power conductors and serve as a grounding
conductor for the frames of all the electrical equipment supplied
power from the circuit, except that the director or his
or her
authorized representative may permit underground low- and medium- voltage circuits to be used underground to feed
such the
stationary electrical equipment if
such the circuits are either
steel armored or installed in grounded rigid steel conduit
throughout their entire length. The grounding resistor, where
required, shall be of the proper ohmic value to limit the
ground fault current to twenty-five amperes. The grounding
resistor shall be rated for maximum fault current continuously
and insulated from ground for a voltage equal to the phase-to-phase voltage of the system.
(73) Low-and medium-voltage resistance grounded systems
serving portable or mobile equipment shall include a fail-safe
ground check circuit to monitor continuously the grounding
circuit to assure continuity which ground check circuit shall
cause the circuit breaker to open when either the ground or pilot
check wire is broken, or other not less effective device approved
by the director or his
or her authorized representative to assure
such continuity, except that an extension of time, not in excess
of twelve months, may be permitted by the director on a mine-to- mine basis if he
or she determines that
such the equipment is not
available. Cable couplers shall be constructed so that the
ground check continuity conductor shall be broken first and the
ground conductors shall be broken last when the coupler is being
uncoupled.
(74) Disconnecting devices shall be installed in conjunction
with circuit breakers serving portable or mobile equipment to
provide visual evidence that the power is connected.
(75) Circuit breakers shall be marked for identification.
(76) Single-phase loads shall be connected phase-to-phase.
(77) Trailing cables for medium-voltage circuits shall
include grounding conductors, a ground check conductor, and
grounded metallic shields around each power conductor or a ground
metallic shield over the assembly, except that on equipment employing cable reels, cables without shields may be used if the
insulation is rated two thousand volts or more.
(78) Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires shall be
provided with cutout switches at intervals of not more than two
thousand feet and near the beginning of all branch lines.
(79) Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires shall be
provided with overcurrent protection.
(80) Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires, high-voltage
cables and transformers shall not be located within fifteen feet
of the last open crosscut and shall be kept at least one hundred
fifty feet from pillar workings.
(81) Trolley wires, trolley feeder wires and bare signal
wires shall be insulated adequately where they pass through doors
and stoppings and where they cross other power wires and cables.
Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires shall be guarded
adequately:
(A) At all points where men are required to work or pass
regularly under the wires.
(B) On both sides of all doors and stoppings.
(C) At man-trip stations.
(82) Temporary guards shall be provided where trackmen and
other persons work in close proximity to trolley wires and
trolley feeder wires.
(83) Adequate precaution shall be taken to ensure that equipment being moved along haulageways will not come in contact
with trolley wires or trolley feeder wires.
(84) Trolley and feeder wires shall be installed as follows:
Where installed on permanent haulage, they shall be:
(A) At least six inches outside the track gauge line.
(B) Kept taut and not permitted to touch the roof, rib or
crossbars. Particular care shall be taken where they pass
through door openings to preclude bare wires from coming in
contact with combustible material.
(C) Installations of trolley wire hangers shall be provided
within three feet of each splice in a trolley wire.
(85) Permanent and temporary battery charging stations shall
be put on a separate split of air or ventilated to the return
air.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require that permanent
and temporary battery charging stations in mines be put on a
separate split of air or be ventilated to the return air.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.