Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy

Operator Assistance

Roof Control	Electrical
Ventilation	Reopening Inspections

The Division of Mines Operator Assistance Section provides assistance to underground mine operators in the areas of roof control, ventilation, and electrical systems. Technical specialists in this section help mine operators solve problems in addition to providing advice on health and safety matters within their field of expertise. This includes reviewing and evaluating required health and safety plans submitted by the mine operator. Technical specialists do not perform enforcement activities, such as issuing notices of violations. However, they may issue closure orders in cases of imminent danger. Additional duties of the technical specialist staff include conducting mine site safety talks and participating in investigations of complaints and accidents.

Roof Control
The Operator Assistance Group employs three roof control specialists, one based out of the Division of Mines' Big Stone Gap and two out of the Keen Mountain offices. The roof control specialists are well equipped with stratascopes, roof bolt pull-test equipment, computers, and other state of the art equipment used in evaluating mine roof.

A roof control specialist will visit your mine, upon request, and evaluate the type of roof support system that you are currently installing. Roof bolt pull tests can be performed to evaluate the installation of different types of roof bolting systems. The roof specialist can also evaluate mine pillar design by using computer applications. At an operator's request, roof control specialists will assist in developing a roof control plan or supplement for the conditions found at the mine. The Division of Mines and the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration jointly review and approve roof control plans and supplements. Roof control specialists are available to give safety talks, discuss health and safety issues, and teach certain classes such as new miner training, annual retraining, and continuing education classes.

Ventilation
The Operator Assistance Group employs two ventilation specialists. In addition, we have a technical specialist that functions as a Roof/Ventilation Specialist. The ventilation specialists are based one at the Big Stone Gap office and one at the Keen Mountain office. The ventilation specialists are well equipped with specialized equipment such as altimeters, magnahelics, and pitot tubes.

Ventilation specialists will visit your mine, upon request, and evaluate the mine ventilation system. The specialist will assist in the development of the bleeder plan and other plans required by the Division of Mines and the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Ventilation specialists are available to perform detailed ventilation surveys at your mine. Also, ventilation specialists will conduct safety talks and other meetings at your mine, and they are available to aid in the instruction of certain classes such as new miner training, annual retraining, and continuing education.

Electrical
The Division of Mines employs two electrical specialists. One works out of the Big Stone Gap office and the other from the Keen Mountain office. Electrical specialists are fully equipped with modern instruments which are used to test and evaluate mine surface high voltage substations and underground and surface electrical systems and installations.

Electrical specialists are available, upon request, to perform an evaluation of the electrical system in use at your mine. The electrical specialist will make recommendations to improve the efficiency and safety of your electrical system.

Electrical specialists are also available to give safety talks and conduct scheduled classes in electrical retraining.

Reopening Inspections
An inactive coal mine may not resume production until a mine inspector has inspected the mine and any identified deficiencies have been corrected. An "inactive mine" is defined as a mine where coal has not been excavated or processed, or work other than examinations by a certified person or emergency work to preserve the mine, has been performed for a period of thirty days.

In order to meet this requirement of the Coal Mine Safety Act, the Operator Assistance group will perform, at the request of the operator, a "re-opening inspection" of the coal mine. Specialists of the Operator Assistance group will perform a complete inspection of your coal mine including the roof, ventilation, electrical, and record books. Any discrepancies will be noted. However, no violations will be issued. The coal mine operator must correct all deficiencies identified and call the specialists for a return visit. If all deficiencies have been corrected, the operator may then begin production activities.

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