Monitoring and Sampling Approaches to Assess Underground Coal Mine Dust Exposures (2018) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix G: Mandatory Airborne Dust Standards for U.S. Underground Coal Mines
Appendix G: Mandatory Airborne Dust Standards for U.S. Underground Coal Mines
Pages 143-150
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From page 143... ...
THE COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969 In Title II of the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, Congress stated that the purpose of the act is "to provide to the greatest extent possible, that the working conditions in each underground coal mine are sufficiently free of respirable dust concentrations in the mine atmosphere to permit each miner the opportunity to work underground during the period of his entire adult working life without incurring any disability from pneumoconiosis or any other occupa tion-related disease during or at the end of such period." Specifications in Title II included allowable airborne RCMD concentration in coal mines, sampling technology, procedures determining average RCMD concentrations, allowable quartz content in airborne RCMD, medical examinations (chest x-ray, other tests) , and transfer of miners, who show early indications of developing pneumoconiosis, to work areas where the RCMD concentration is lower than the allowable level.
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From page 144... ...
Compliance determinations were based on the average RCMD concentration by five valid RCMD samples taken by the operator during five consecutive normal production shifts or five normal production shifts worked on consecutive days. Compliance was also based on the average of multiple measurements taken by an MSHA inspector over a single shift or on the average of multiple measurements obtained for the same occupation on multiple days.
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From page 145... ...
Recommendations of the task force included the use of continuous monitoring of the mine environment and parameters relevant to control RCMD, development of a personal sampling device capable of measuring short-term exposures and cumulative exposures over a full shift, greater use of more tamper-resistant cassettes, and submission of improved RCMD control plans by operators. Recommendations also addressed topics concerning MSHA inspections, education and training, and the role of miners in improving compliance sampling.
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From page 146... ...
In October 2010, MSHA proposed a rule titled "Lowering Miners' Exposure to Respirable Coal Mine Dust, Including Continuous Personal Dust Monitors" that included a lowering of the allowable RCMD concentration, full-shift sampling, and redefining "normal production shift," among other requirements. Following the publication of the proposed rules, public hearings were held, written comments were submitted, and GAO issued reports on lowering the RCMD standard and single-shift sampling procedures (GAO, 2012, 2014)
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From page 147... ...
. Mine operators are required to use the CPDM to monitor the exposures of underground coal miners in occupations exposed to the highest RCMD concentrations and the expo sures of Part 90 miners.
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From page 148... ...
1 639 3 99.5% 0.999 1 6553 4 99.9% 0.712 2 626 2 99.7% 0.866 2 6745 11 99.8% 0.664 3 581 8 98.6% 0.903 3 7051 21 99.7% 0.651 4 628 2 99.7% 0.861 4 7409 22 99.7% 0.688 Total 2474 15 99.4% 0.907 Total 27758 58 99.8% 0.679 SOURCE: Meikle, 2017. TABLE G-3 Other Designated Occupation Exposures to RCMD in Underground Coal Mines by Mining Method, April 2016 to March 2017 Valid CPDM Dust Sample Counts by Type Valid CPDM Dust Sample Counts by Type Longwall Other-Designated Occupation Sampling Results Continuous Miner Other-Designated Occupation Sampling Results for a 4 Quarter Period April 2016 - March 2017 for a 4 Quarter Period April 2016 - March 2017 Number Number of Average Total Number of Samples Average Concentration Total Number Samples Concentration Quarter of Samples Non-Compliant Compliance % (mg/m3)
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From page 149... ...
2012. Mine Safety: Reports and Key Studies Support the Scientific Conclusions Underlying the Pro posed Exposure Limit for Respirable Coal Mine Dust.
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From page 150... ...
Papers and Proceedings of the National Conference on Medicine and the Federal Coal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1969.
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