TABLE 2.—Analyses of dust samples collected November 1946, mine No. 5, COAL-MINE INSPECTION REPORT, NO. 5 MINE, CENTRALIA COAL CO., CENTRALIA, MARION COUNTY, ILL., MARCH 17-20, 1947 (By Frank Perz, coal-mine inspector) INTRODUCTION This report is based on an inspection made in accordance with the Coal Mine Inspection and Investigation Act of 1941, Public Law 49, Seventy-seventh Congress, H. R. 2082, and the terms of the agreement of May 29, 1946, between the Secretary of the Interior, acting as Coal Mines Administrator, and the United Mine Workers of America. The purpose of this report is to inform the Coal Mines Administrator and other persons concerned of violations of the Federal Mine Safety Code and to suggest means of correcting hazards. The application and enforcement of State laws and rules or regulations made pursuant to such laws are in no manner affected by the Federal Mine Safety Code. Compliance with the Federal Mine Safety Code in no way excuses noncompliance with State laws and rules or regulations made pursuant thereto. Violations of the Code and recommendations for correcting them that are repeated from the last report are indicated by asterisks. GENERAL INFORMATION A new superintendent, W. J. Johnson, of Tuscola, Ill., is in charge of the mine. The No. 5 mine is located 2 miles south of Centralia, Ill. The mine is opened by two wood-lined shafts and is developed in the Illinois No. 6 coal bed, which averages 76 inches in thickness. A total of 267 men was employed, of which number 135 worked underground on the day shift and 75 on the night shift. The average daily production was 2,229 tons of coal. All coal was under cut by means of short-wall mining machines and was loaded mechanically by means of mobile loading machines. The mine management stated that the life of the mine at the present rate of production was estimated to be 16 years. Bureau of Mines sampling has shown that methane in excess of 0.25 percent has been found in open workings during two previous Federal inspections and methane issuing from a crevice in the roof in No. 79 room off 22 south was ignited with an open-flame carbide lamp on June 7, 1946. VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL MINE SAFETY CODE ARTICLE I. SURFACE STRUCTURES Section 1a.-*Dense clouds of coal dust were present at the open-type electric motors throughout the tipple. *In dusty locations motors of dust-tight construction should be provided, or the present motors should be corrected with reasonably dust-tight housings. Section 1b.-*Excessive accumulations of coal dust were present throughout the tipple. *The tipple should be kept free of coal-dust accumulations. Section 3a.-*The opening in the floor at the discharge end of the raw-coal conveyor in the tipple was not provided with railings. *The opening in the floor at the discharge end of the raw-coal conveyor in the tipple should be provided with railings. ARTICLE III. TIMBERING Section 2a.-*Timbers of sufficient length to use as cross bars were not provided in the working sections. *The mine management should provide at or near the face workings an ample supply of timber of proper size with which to timber all working places in a safe manner. Section 2b.-*Safety posts, jacks, or cross bars were not being used at the faces of numerous working places that required them. *Temporary safety posts, jacks, or cross bars should be set close to the face before other mining operations are begun and as needed thereafter. Section 2c.-*Unsupported loose roof and overhanging ribs and brows were observed along practically all of the room-entry and intermediate haulageways and unsupported loose roof was observed along the roadways in a large number of working places. *The loose roof and overhanging ribs and brows along the room-entry and intermediate haulageways and along the roadways in working places should be either timbered adequately or taken down. ARTICLE IV. EXPLOSIVES AND BLASTING Section 4a.-*The underground section explosives-storage boxes were stored in entry crosscuts and abandoned room necks about 10 feet from tracks and power wires. *The underground section explosives-storage boxes should be placed in crosscuts or idle room necks at least 25 feet from roadways or power wires. Sections 5a1 and 5a2.-*The permissible explosives were fired with blasting caps and fuse. *The permissible explosives should be fired only with electric detonators of proper strength and permissible shot-firing units. Section 5a7.-Shots were fired at the end of the shift with all of the men in the mine, and examinations for gas were not made immediately before and after blasting. Examinations for gas should be made immediately before and after firing each shot where on-shift shooting is done. ARTICLE V. VENTILATION AND MINE GASES Section 3a.-*The mine was ventilated by one continuous air current and, as a result, a number of worked-out sections were not ventilated properly. *The main intake air current should be divided into splits utilizing air crossings where needed, so as to ventilate all parts of the mine effectively, or the worked-out sections should be sealed. Section 3b.-*A total of 135 men were employed underground on one split of air. *The number of men working on a split of air should not be more than 100 in order to conform to the requirements of the Illinois State Mining Law. Section 3c.-*An air measurement of 3,380 cubic feet a minute was obtained in the last open crosscut between 20 and 21 north off 4 west south, and no air measurement could be obtained in the last open entry crosscut between the 1 and 2 west south main entries. *Prompt action should be taken to provide a minimum of 6,000 cubic feet of air a minute in the last open crosscut in the 1 and 2 west south main entries, and the 20 and 21 north entries off 4 west south. Section 5a.-*Two of the air samples collected during the inspection, as shown in table 1, indicate that less than 19.5 percent oxygen was contained in them and one of the samples showed more than 0.5 percent carbon dioxide. *The air in which men work or travel in this mine should be improved to the extent that it will contain at least 19.5 percent oxygen and not more than 0.5 percent carbon dioxide. Section 6b.-Two open crosscuts were observed between the 1 and 2 west south main entries. Crosscuts between entries should be kept closed, except the last one in a pair or set of entries. Section 6f.-*Stoppings between the intake and return air along the main haulageways were of wooden construction. *On entries other than room entries, stoppings in crosscuts between intake and return airways should be built of solid, substantial incombustible material, such as concrete, concrete blocks, brick or tile. Section 7a.-*The ventilation doors at the entrance of the 1 west south main haulage road were spaced about 70 feet apart which required both doors to be open when trips passed through them. *The ventilation doors at the entrance of 1 west south main haulage road should be spaced far enough apart to contain an entire trip, and there should be sufficient leakage to prevent accumulations of methane between the doors. Section 7b.-*The ventilation door at the entrance to 24 south off 4 west south and the door on the 1 west south main haulage road at 20 north were found latched open for an extended period of time. *Doors should be kept closed except when men or equipment is passing. through the doorways. Motor crews and other persons who open doors. should see that the doors are closed before leaving them. Section 9a.-*Abandoned workings were not posted to warn persons against entering the territory. *Abandoned workings should be posted to warn unauthorized personsagainst entering the territory. Section 10d.-*The mine examiners started the examination of the mine at 11 p. m., which was 8 hours before the first shift entered the mine. *The mine examiners should begin their examination in the first working: place in their assigned territory not more than 4 hours before the first shift enters the mine. Section 10j.-*The working places were not tested for gas during the working. shift. *At least once during each working shift while the men are in the mine, or oftener if necessary for safety, the face bosses or other designated competent persons should examine all working places with a permissible flame safety lamp for methane, noxious gases, and oxygen deficiency. ARTICLE VI. COAL AND ROCK DUST Section 1a.-*Excessive accumulations of coal dust were present on the 4 west south main haulage road, all intermediate haulage roads, and on the roadways of most of the working places. *Coal dust should not be permitted to accumulate excessively on haulage roads or on roadways of the working places. Section 1b.-*The mine was very dry and dusty and an excessive amount of coal dust was raised into suspension during cutting, loading, transferring coal from the shuttle cars into mine cars, and during transportation operations. *At those places where mining operations raise an excessive amount of dust into the air, water, or water with a wetting agent added to it or other effective methods should be used to allay the coal dust at its source. Section 2a.-*Rock dust was applied to within about 1,000 feet of the faces of entries, and rooms were not rock dusted. *All rooms and entries in the mine should be rock dusted to within 80 feet of the faces. Sections 2c and 2d.-*Eight of the dust samples collected during the inspection, as shown in table 2, were lower in incombustible content than was recommended for this mine. *The areas in which the above dust samples were collected should be rock dusted, and the rock dust distributed and maintained in such quantity that the incombustible content of the mine dust will not be less than 65 percent, plus 1 percent for each 0.1 percent of methane present in the ventilating current. ARTICLE VII. TRANSPORTATION Section 2a.-*The sides of the cages were open and the ends of the cages were not guarded when men were hoisted and lowered. 92725-49- -28 *The sides of the cages should be enclosed, and gates, safety chains, or bars should be used across the open ends of the cages when men are being hoisted and lowered. Section 3b.-*Four switch throws recently installed along the main haulage road in the 1 west south were placed on the trolley-wire side. *Switch throws should be installed on the clearance side of 1 west south. Section 4a.-*The main entries and room-panel entries developed recently did not have adequate clearance. *Haulage roads on entries developed after the effective date of the Federal Mine Safety Code should have a continuous unobstructed clearance of at least 24 inches from the farthest projection of moving equipment. Section 4e.-*The clearance along the main and intermediate haulageways has been obstructed with road cleanings and mine waste. *The clearance space on all haulage roads should be kept free of road cleanings, loose rock, coal, and other materials, provided that not more than 24 inches need be kept clean. Section 4h.-*Shelter holes were not provided along the main and intermediate haulageways that were developed recently. *Shelter holes should be provided along all haulage entries developed recently. Such shelter holes should be spaced not more than 80 feet apart. Except where the trolley wire is 6 feet or more above the roadbed or guarded effectively at the shelter holes, they should be on the side of the entry opposite the trolley wire. Sections 6a and 6b.-*Locomotives were not equipped with devices for the rerailing of cars and locomotives, not with warning devices. *Each locomotive should be equipped with suitable rerailers, lifting jacks, and other necessary tools for rerailing cars and locomotives, and provided with an audible warning device. Section 6d.-White-painted markers were used on the rear of trips pulled by locomotives. A permissible trip light should be used on the rear of trips pulled and on the front of trips pushed. Section 6n.-*Stopblocks or derailing devices were not placed across the room or entry tracks to prevent cars from being inadvertently pushed or running into the places. *When coal is not being loaded, but men are working at a room or entry face, a positive-acting stopblock or derail should be placed across the room or entry track to prevent cars from being inadvertently pushed or running into the places. Section 7d.-*Men in man trips rode under the trolley wire. *No person should ride under the trolley wire unless suitable covered man cars are used. Section 7h.-*The trolley wire was not guarded at the man-trip station at the shaft bottom, and a contact hazard was present. *The trolley wire should be guarded effectively at the man-trip station at the shaft bottom. ARTICLE VIII. ELECTRICITY Section 4b.-*In many instances bare power wires in the working sections were installed by nailing them to timbers. *All power wires, whether bare or insulated, except ground wires, should be supported on or by well-installed insulators and should not touch combustible materials, roof, floor, or ribs. Section 494.-*Cut-out switches were not provided at the beginning of most branch trolley or power lines. *The trolley and power wires should be provided with cut-out switches near the beginning of all branch lines. Section 495.-*The trolley and power wires in most of the working sections sagged excessively and contacted timbers and door frames at many places. *The trolley and power wires in the working sections should be kept tant and not permitted to touch the roof, ribs, cross bars, doorframes, or other combustible material. Section 496.-*The trolley and power wires were not guarded anywhere in the mine, except at the man-trip stations. *The trolley and power wires should be guarded adequately where men work or pass under them regularly, when the wires are less than 6% feet above the rail. The wires should also be guarded adequately on both sides of doors. Section 5b.-*The frames of the mining machines and electric drills were not grounded. *The frames of the mining machines and electric drills should be grounded. Section 7a.-*Telephone service was not provided to within several thousand feet of the working sections. *Telephone service should be provided from the surface to all working sections in the mine. Section 9d.-*On-shift examinations for gas were not made to provide reasonable assurance that the workmen were protected where the nonpermissible electric equipment was used. *Care should be taken to protect the workmen by making frequent examinations of the air for methane. Section 10b.-*Many of the trailing cables for portable underground electric equipment were not provided with overload protection at the nips. *All trailing cables for portable underground electric equipment should be provided with suitable overload protection. ARTICLE IX. SAFEGUARDS FOR MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT Section 1a.-*The cutter chains of mining machines were not equipped with positive locking devices. *The cutter chains of mining machines should be locked securely to prevent accidental movement while being trammed or when parked. Section 2a1.-*The exposed gears and sprockets in the tipple constituted a hazard. *The above-mentioned gears and sprockets should be guarded adequately. ARTICLE X. UNDERGROUND FIRE PREVENTION, FIRE CONTROL, AND MINE DISASTERS Section 1h.-*From four to six barrels of lubricating oil and grease were stored in abandoned room necks in each working section, which amount was sufficient for about 2 weeks' requirement. *Underground storage places for lubricating oil and grease in excess of 2 days' supply should be of fireproof construction. ARTICLE XI. MISCELLANEOUS Section 41.-*Signs indicating the directions to the escapeways were not posted. *Direction signs should be posted conspicuously to indicate the designated escapeways. Section 5a.-*All of the underground employees and officials, except the mine examiners, used open-flame carbide lamps for portable illumination. *All workmen and other persons underground should use only permissible electric cap lamps for portable illumination. Section 5b.-*Underground employees did not carry positive means of identification. *This mine should have a check-in and check-out system that will provide positive identification upon the person of every individual underground. Section 6a.-*Men were observed lighting matches during this inspection. *Because of the explosion and fire hazards, the carrying of matches or other flame-making devices underground should be prohibited. Section 7b.-*About 5 percent of the employees did not wear protective foot wear. *Protective footwear should be worn by employees, officials, and others while on duty in and around the mine where falling objects may cause injury. Section 7e.-*Haulagemen and others working around moving equipment wore loose-fitting clothing. *Employees engaged in haulage operations and other persons employed around moving equipment on the surface and underground should wear snugfitting clothing. ARTICLE XII. GENERAL SAFETY CONDITIONS Section 1c.-*The mine examiner for the night shift was not certified. *The mine examiner for the night shift should hold a certificate of competency issued by the Illinois Department of Mines and Minerals. |