PART 50 REVIEW Accident And Manhour Reporting

30 CFR § Immediate notification. If an “accident” occurs, an operator shall immediately contact the MSHA District or Subdistrict Office having jurisdiction over its mine. If an operator cannot contact the appropriate MSHA District or Subdistrict Office, it shall immediately contact the MSHA Headquarters Office in Arlington, Virginia by telephone, at (800)

Fines for New Emergency Response Act of 2006 Require mine operators to make notification of all incidents/accidents which pose a reasonable risk of death within 15 minutes (immediately-reportable accidents – see below – Definition of An Accident).

Fines for New Emergency Response Act of 2006 Set a civil penalty of $5,000 to $60,000 for mine operators who fail to provide immediate (within 15-minute) notification, and raises the criminal penalty cap to $250,000 for first offenses and $500,000 for second offenses, as well as establishing a maximum civil penalty of $220,000 for flagrant violations.

1) A death of an individual at a mine; 2) An injury to an individual at a mine which has a reasonable potential to cause death; 3) An entrapment of an individual for more than thirty minutes; Definition of Accident

4) An unplanned inundation of a mine by a liquid or gas; 5) An unplanned ignition or explosion of gas or dust; 6) An unplanned mine fire not extinguished within 30 minutes of discovery; Definition of Accident Contd.

7) An unplanned ignition or explosion of a blasting agent or an explosive; 8) An unplanned roof fall at or above the anchorage zone in active workings where roof bolts are in use; or, an un- planned roof or rib fall in active workings that impairs ventilation or impedes passage; Definition of Accident Contd.

9) A coal or rock outburst that causes withdrawal of miners or which disrupts regular mining activity for more than one hour; Definition of Accident Contd.

10)An unstable condition at an impoundment, refuse pile, or culm bank which requires emergency action in order to prevent failure, or which causes individuals to evacuate an area; or, failure of an impoundment, refuse pile, or culm bank; Definition of Accident Contd.

11)Damage to hoisting equipment in a shaft or slope which endangers an individual or which interferes with use of the equipment for more than thirty minutes; and Definition of Accident Contd.

12) An event at a mine which causes death or bodily injury to an individual not at the mine at the time the event occurs. Definition of Accident Contd.

30 CFR § Investigation. (a) After notification of an accident by an operator, the MSHA District or Subdistrict Manager will promptly decide whether to conduct an accident investigation and will promptly inform the operator of his decision. If MSHA decides to investigate an accident, it will initiate the investigation within 24 hours of notification.

(b) Each operator of a mine shall investigate each accident and each occupational injury at the mine. Each operator of a mine shall develop a report of each investigation. No operator may use Form as a report, except that an operator of a mine at which fewer than twenty miners are employed may, with respect to that mine, use Form as an investigation report respecting an occupational injury not related to an “accident”. No operator may use an investigation or an investigation report conducted or prepared by MSHA to comply with this paragraph. An operator shall submit a copy of any investigation report to MSHA at its request. Each report prepared by the operator shall include:

(1) The date and hour of occurrence; (2) The date the investigation began; (3) The names of individuals participating in the investigation; (4) A description of the site; (5) An explanation of the accident or injury, including a description of any equipment involved and relevant events before and after the occurrence, and any explanation of the cause of any injury, the cause of any accident or cause of any other event which caused an injury;

(6) The name, occupation, and experience of any miner involved; (7) A sketch, where pertinent, including dimensions depicting the occurrence; (8) A description of steps taken to prevent a similar ocurrence in the future; and (9) Identification of any report submitted under §50.20 of this part.

30 CFR § Preservation of evidence. Unless granted permission by a MSHA District Manager or Subdistrict Manager, no operator may alter an accident site or an accident related area until completion of all investigations pertaining to the accident except to the extent necessary to rescue or recover an individual, prevent or eliminate an imminent danger, or prevent destruction of mining equipment.

THE PART 50 REGULATIONS REQUIRE : 1) Operators and contractors are to investigate mine accidents and injuries and report certain ones to msha. 2) Operators and contractors are to report employment data to MSHA.

3) The principal officer in charge of health and safety at the mine or the supervisor of the mine area in which an accident, injury, or occupational illness may have occurred shall complete or review the completed form

Medical Treatment Vs First Aid

§ 50.2 Definitions. (g) First aid means one-time treatment, and any follow-up visit for observational purposes, of a minor injury.

(e) Occupational injury means any injury to a miner which occurs at a mine for which medical treatment is administered, or which results in death or loss of consciousness, inability to perform all job duties on any day after an injury, temporary assignment to other duties, or transfer to another job.

Occupational illness means an illness or disease of a miner which may have resulted from work at a mine or for which an award of compensation is made.

§ Preparation and submission of MSHA Form 7000–2 Quarterly Employment and Coal Production Report.

Calendar Quarter: First quarter is- January, February, and March (in by April 15). Second quarter is - April, May, and June (in by July 15). Third quarter is- July, August, and September. (in by Oct. 15). Fourth quarter is - October, November, and December.(in by Jan. 15).

Each operator shall maintain a copy of each report submitted (7000-1, , and Investi- gative reports) for five years after submission.

MSHA Data Analysis Incidence Rate is no. of cases per 200,000 hours worked. Calculated as follows: IR= no. of cases x 200,000 divided by hours of employee exposure – If you under-report man-hours your IR goes up!!!

MSHA Data Analysis Severity Measure is the no. of days away from work and days of restricted work activity per 200,000 hours worked or exposed. Calculated as: SM=sum of days x 200,000 divided by hours of employee exposure – Note -- If you under-report man- hours, your severity measure goes up. MSHA Data Analysis Severity Measure is the no. of days away from work and days of restricted work activity per 200,000 hours worked or exposed. Calculated as: SM=sum of days x 200,000 divided by hours of employee exposure – Note -- If you under-report man- hours, your severity measure goes up.

Filling in Form Average number of employees – Add no. of employees working during each pay period, divide by the number of pay periods and round off to nearest whole number.

Filling in Form Total employee-hours worked during quarter – Actual hours employees on duty (exclude time off, even if it is paid leave). Report each overtime hour as 1 hour, not 1.5 hours.

Filling in Form Production of clean coal – For coal mine use only. Other Reportable Data – Put in number of reportable injuries during the quarter – MSHA crosschecks this number by computer with your form

Part 50 Reports – Common Errors Placing the information in the wrong categories Late or not filing the reports (Remember 10 days (7000-1) and the 15 th (7000-2) (Remember 10 days (7000-1) and the 15 th (7000-2) Failure to list the number of accidents (7000-2)

Part 50 Reports – Common Errors Not averaging the number of persons working (7000-2) Not using exact numbers – remember to round off the figures (7000-2)!

Part 50 Reports – Common Errors Location of Injury Left Blank (7000-1) Missing Equipment make and model nos. (7000-1) Using extra paper – use forms only! Late Submission (>10 days , >15 days past end of quarter ) Contractor failure to use ID No. of mine where work actually done

Part 50 Reports – Common Errors Part B of not filled in correctly – i.e.calling a cut finger a serious injury.