[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: 30CFR49.2]

[Page 236-237]
 
                       TITLE 30--MINERAL RESOURCES
 
  CHAPTER I--MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
 
PART 49--MINE RESCUE TEAMS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 49.2  Availability of mine rescue teams.

    (a) Except where alternative compliance is permitted for small and 
remote mines (Sec. 49.3) or those mines operating under special mining 
conditions (Sec. 49.4), every operator of an underground mine shall:
    (1) Establish at least two mine rescue teams which are available at 
all times when miners are underground; or
    (2) Enter into an arrangement for mine rescue services which assures 
that at least two mine rescue teams are available at all times when 
miners are underground.
    (b) Each mine rescue team shall consist of five members and one 
alternate, who are fully qualified, trained, and equipped for providing 
emergency mine rescue service.
    (c) To be considered for membership on a mine rescue team, each 
person must have been employed in an underground mine for a minimum of 
one year within the past five years. For the purpose of mine rescue work 
only, miners who are employed on the surface but work regularly 
underground shall meet the experience requirement. The underground 
experience requirement is waived for those miners on a mine rescue team 
on the effective date of this rule.
    (d) Each operator shall arrange, in advance, ground transportation 
for rescue teams and equipment to the mine or mines served.
    (e) Upon the effective date of this part, the required rescue 
capability shall be present at all existing underground mines, upon 
initial excavation of a new underground mine entrance, or the re-opening 
of an existing underground mine.

[[Page 237]]

    (f) Except where alternative compliance is permitted under Sec. 49.3 
or Sec. 49.4, no mine served by a mine rescue team shall be located more 
than two hours ground travel time from the mine rescue station with 
which the rescue team is associated.
    (g) As used in this part, mine rescue teams shall be considered 
available where teams are capable presenting themselves at the mine 
site(s) within a reasonable time after notification of an occurrence 
which might require their services. Rescue team members will be 
considered available even though performing regular work duties or in an 
off-duty capacity. The requirement that mine rescue teams be available 
shall not apply when teams are participating in mine rescue contests or 
providing services to another mine.
    (h) Each operator of an underground mine who provides rescue teams 
under this section shall send the District Manager a statement 
describing the mine's method of compliance with this part. The statement 
shall disclose whether the operator has independently provided mine 
rescue teams or entered into an agreement for the services of mine 
rescue teams. The name of the provider and the location of the services 
shall be included in the statement. A copy of the statement shall be 
posted at the mine for the miners' information. Where a miners' 
representative has been designated, the operator shall also provide the 
representative with a copy of the statement.