[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 30, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 30CFR48.5]

[Page 220-222]
 
                       TITLE 30--MINERAL RESOURCES
 
  CHAPTER I--MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
 
PART 48--TRAINING AND RETRAINING OF MINERS--Table of Contents
 
        Subpart A--Training and Retraining of Underground Miners
 
Sec. 48.5  Training of new miners; minimum courses of instruction; hours of instruction.

    (a) Each new miner shall receive no less than 40 hours of training 
as prescribed in this section before such miner is assigned to work 
duties. Such training shall be conducted in conditions which as closely 
as practicable duplicate actual underground conditions, and 
approximately 8 hours of training shall be given at the minesite.
    (b) The training program for new miners shall include the following 
courses:
    (1) Instruction in the statutory rights of miners and their 
representatives under the Act; authority and responsibility of 
supervisors. The course shall include instruction in the statutory 
rights of miners and their representatives under the Act, including a 
discussion of section 2 of the Act; a review and description of the line 
of authority of supervisors and miners' representatives and the 
responsibilities of such supervisors and miners' representatives; and an 
introduction to the operator's rules and the procedures for reporting 
hazards.
    (2) Self-rescue and respiratory devices. The course shall include 
instruction and demonstration in the use, care, and maintenance of self-
rescue and respiratory devices used at the mine. Training in the use of 
self-contained self-rescue devices shall include complete donning 
procedures in which each person assumes a donning position, opens the 
device, activates the device, inserts the mouthpiece or simulates this 
task while explaining proper insertion of the mouthpiece, and puts on 
the nose clip. The course shall be given before the new miner goes 
underground.
    (3) Entering and leaving the mine; transportation; communications. 
The course shall include instruction on the procedures in effect for 
entering and leaving the mine; the check-in and checkout system in 
effect at the mine;

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the procedures for riding on and in mine conveyances; the controls in 
effect for the transportation of miners and materials; and the use of 
the mine communication systems, warning signals, and directional signs.
    (4) Introduction to the work environment. The course shall include a 
visit and tour of the mine, or portions of the mine which are 
representative of the entire mine. A method of mining utilized at the 
mine shall be observed and explained.
    (5) Mine map; escapeways; emergency evacuation; barricading. The 
course shall include a review of the mine map; the escapeway system; the 
escape, firefighting, and emergency evacuation plans in effect at the 
mine; and the location of abandoned areas. Also included shall be an 
introduction to the methods of barricading and the locations of the 
barricading materials, where applicable. The program of instruction for 
escapeways and emergency evacuation plans approved by the District 
Manager shall be used for this course.
    (6) Roof or ground control and ventilation plans. The course shall 
include an introduction to and instruction on the roof or ground control 
plan in effect at the mine and procedures for roof and rib or ground 
control; and an introduction to and instruction on the ventilation plan 
in effect at the mine and the procedures for maintaining and controlling 
ventilation.
    (7) Health. The course shall include instruction on the purpose of 
taking dust, noise, and other health measurements, and any health 
control plan in effect at the mine shall be explained. The health 
provisions of the act and warning labels shall also be explained.
    (8) Cleanup; rock dusting. The course shall include instruction on 
the purpose of rock dusting and the cleanup and rock dusting program in 
effect at the mine, where applicable.
    (9) Hazard recognition. The course shall include the recognition and 
avoidance of hazards present in the mine, particularly any hazards 
related to explosives where explosives are used or stored at the mine.
    (10) Electrical hazards. The course shall include recognition and 
avoidance of electrical hazards.
    (11) First aid. The course shall include instruction in first aid 
methods acceptable to MSHA.
    (12) Mine gases. The course shall include instruction in the 
detection and avoidance of hazards associated with mine gases.
    (13) Health and safety aspects of the tasks to which the new miner 
will be assigned. The course shall include instruction in the health and 
safety aspects of the tasks to be assigned, the safe work procedures of 
such tasks, and the mandatory health and safety standards pertinent to 
such tasks.
    (14) Such other courses as may be required by the District Manager 
based on circumstances and conditions at the mine.
    (c) Methods, including oral, written, or practical demonstration, to 
determine successful completion of the training shall be included in the 
training plan. The methods for determining such completion shall be 
administered to the miner before he is assigned work duties.
    (d) A newly employed miner who has less than 12 months of mining 
experience and has received the courses and hours of instruction in 
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, within 36 months preceding 
employment at a mine, does not have to repeat this training. Before the 
miner starts work, the operator must provide the miner with the 
experienced miner training in Sec. 48.6(b) of this part and, if 
applicable, the new task training in Sec. 48.7 of this part. The 
operator must also provide the miner with annual refresher training and 
additional new task training, as applicable.

[43 FR 47459, Oct. 13, 1978, as amended at 47 FR 23640, May 28, 1982; 53 
FR 10335, Mar. 30, 1988; 63 FR 53760, Oct. 6, 1998]

    Effective Date Note: At 67 FR 42388, June 21, 2002, Sec. 48.5 was 
amended by revising paragraph (b)(13), effective Sept. 23, 2002. For the 
convenience of the user, the revised text is set forth as follows:

Sec. 48.5  Training of new miners; minimum courses of instruction; hours 
          of instruction.

                                * * * * *

    (b) * * *
    (13) Health and safety aspects of the tasks to which the new miner 
will be assigned. The

[[Page 222]]

course shall include instruction in the health and safety aspects of the 
tasks to be assigned, including the safe work procedures of such tasks, 
the mandatory health and safety standards pertinent to such tasks, 
information about the physical and health hazards of chemicals in the 
miner's work area, the protective measures a miner can take against 
these hazards, and the contents of the mine's HazCom program.

                                * * * * *