100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB5689

 

Introduced , by Rep. Jerry Costello, II

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
225 ILCS 705/11.08
225 ILCS 705/11.09

    Amends the Coal Mining Act. Provides that a coal mine operator must provide caches of additional self-contained self-rescues devices along the mine's primary and secondary escape ways (rather than 30 self-contained self-rescuer devices in each cache located within a mine). Provides that each cache shall have a minimum of one self-contained self-rescuer device for every person who will be inby the cache. Provides that cache locations shall be spaced along each escape way at a 30 minute travel distance. Provides alternate distances for caches if an operator chooses not to use a walk study. Provides that outby rescue chambers must be provided at distances and locations in the mine's emergency response plan and approved by the Mining Board. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.


LRB100 16593 SMS 31727 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5689LRB100 16593 SMS 31727 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Coal Mining Act is amended by changing
5Sections 11.08 and 11.09 as follows:
 
6    (225 ILCS 705/11.08)
7    Sec. 11.08. Self-contained self-rescuer (SCSR) devices;
8caches; strobe lights; luminescent signs.
9    (a) An operator must require each person underground to
10carry a SCSR device on his or her person or, alternatively, a
11SCSR device must be kept within 25 feet of the person
12underground or may be kept more than 25 feet from the person
13underground if done according to a plan approved by the Mining
14Board.
15    (b) An operator must provide for each person who is
16underground at least one SCSR device, in addition to the device
17required under subsection (a), that provides protection for a
18period of one hour or longer, to cover all persons in the mine.
19This additional SCSR device must be kept within 25 feet of the
20person underground or may be kept more than 25 feet from the
21person underground if done according to a plan approved by the
22Mining Board.
23    (c) If a mantrip or mobile equipment is used to enter or

 

 

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1exit the mine, additional SCSR devices, each of which must
2provide protection for a period of one hour or longer, must be
3available for all persons who use such transportation from
4portal to portal.
5    (c-5) In Beginning July 31, 2007, in addition to the SCSR
6devices required under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this
7Section, an operator must provide caches of additional SCSR
8devices along the mine's primary and secondary escape ways.
9Each cache shall have a minimum of one SCSR device for every
10person who will be inby the cache of 30 SCSR devices in each
11cache located within a mine. All SCSR devices required under
12this subsection (c-5) shall be stored in caches that are
13conspicuous and readily accessible by each person in the mine.
14Cache locations shall be spaced along each escape way at a 30
15minute travel distance. This 30 minute travel distance will be
16established based on a walk study utilizing the guidelines and
17procedures approved by the Mining Board. An operator may
18choose, in lieu of a walk study, to utilize the following for
19cache distances. If the average seam height of a mine is:
20        (1) less than 40 inches, caches must be located no more
21    than 2,200 feet apart throughout a mine;
22        (2) 40 inches or more, but less than 51 inches, caches
23    must be located no more than 3,300 feet apart throughout a
24    mine;
25        (3) 51 inches or more, but less than 66 inches, caches
26    must be located no more than 4,400 feet apart throughout a

 

 

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1    mine; and
2        (4) 66 inches or more, caches must be located no more
3    than 5,700 feet apart throughout a mine.
4    An operator must submit for approval a plan addressing the
5requirements of this subsection (c-5) to the Mining Board if
6the operator chooses to conduct a walk study to establish cache
7distances on or before May 1, 2007.
8    (d) The Mining Board must require all operators to provide
9additional SCSR devices in the primary and alternate escapeways
10to ensure safe evacuation if the Mining Board determines that
11the SCSR devices required under subsections (a), (b), (c), and
12(c-5) are not adequate to provide enough oxygen for all persons
13to safely evacuate the mine under mine emergency conditions for
14all persons underground through both primary and alternate
15escapeways. The Mining Board must determine the time needed for
16safe evacuation under emergency conditions from each of those
17locations at 1,000 foot intervals. If the Mining Board
18determines that additional SCSR devices are needed under this
19subsection (d), the mine operator must submit a SCSR storage
20plan to the Mining Board for approval. The mine operator must
21include in the SCSR storage plan the location, quantity, and
22type of additional SCSR devices, including, but not limited to,
23SCSR devices required under subsections (a), (b), (c), and
24(c-5) of this Section, each of which must provide protection
25for a period of one hour or longer, that are stored in the
26primary and alternate escapeways. The SCSR storage plan must

 

 

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1also show how each storage location in the primary and
2alternate escapeways was determined. The Mining Board must
3require the mine operator to demonstrate that the location,
4quantity, and type of the additional SCSRs provide protection
5to all persons to safely evacuate the mine. The SCSR storage
6plan must be kept current by the mine operator and made
7available for inspection by an authorized representative of the
8Mining Board and by the miners' representative.
9    (e) (Blank).
10    (f) An operator must provide luminescent direction signs
11leading to each cache and rescue chamber in a mine, and a
12luminescent sign with the word "SELF-RESCUER" or
13"SELF-RESCUERS" must be conspicuously posted at each cache and
14rescue chamber.
15    (g) Intrinsically safe, battery-powered strobe lights that
16have been approved by the Department must be affixed to each
17cache and rescue chamber and must be capable of automatic
18activation in the event of an emergency; however, until such
19time as the Department approves intrinsically safe,
20battery-powered strobe lights, reflective tape or any other
21illuminated material approved by the Department must be affixed
22to each cache and rescue chamber in a mine.
23    (h) An operator must implement The Mining Board must adopt
24and impose a plan for the daily inspection of SCSR devices
25required under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this Section in
26order to ensure that the devices perform their designated

 

 

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1functions each working day. Additional SCSR devices required
2under subsections (c-5) and (d) must be inspected every 90 days
3to ensure that the devices perform their designated functions,
4in addition to meeting all federal Mine Safety and Health
5Administration requirements.
6    (i) Any person who, without the authorization of the
7operator or the Mining Board, knowingly removes or attempts to
8remove any self-contained self-rescue device, battery-powered
9strobe light, reflective tape, or any other illuminated
10material approved by the Department from a mine or mine site
11with the intent to permanently deprive the operator of the
12device, light, reflective tape, or illuminated material or who
13knowingly tampers with or attempts to tamper with the device,
14light, reflective tape, or illuminated material is guilty of a
15Class 4 felony.
16    (j) (Blank).
17    (k) (Blank).
18(Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06; 94-1101, eff. 2-9-07.)
 
19    (225 ILCS 705/11.09)
20    Sec. 11.09. Rescue chambers.
21    (a) Rescue chambers must be provided and located within
223,000 feet of each working section of a mine, in accordance
23with a plan submitted by an operator and approved by the Mining
24Board.
25    (a-5) Outby rescue chambers must be provided at distances

 

 

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1and locations in the mine's emergency response plan and
2approved by the Mining Board.
3    (b) An operator must submit a plan for approval concerning
4the construction and maintenance of rescue chambers required
5under this Section to the Mining Board on or before May 1,
62007.
7(Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06; 94-1101, eff. 2-9-07.)
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9becoming law.