§861. Mandatory safety standards for underground mines

(a) Coverage; enforcement; review

The provisions of sections 862 through 878 of this title shall be interim mandatory safety standards applicable to all underground coal mines until superseded in whole or in part by improved mandatory safety standards promulgated by the Secretary under the provisions of section 811 of this title, and shall be enforced in the same manner and to the same extent as any mandatory safety standard promulgated under section 811 of this title. Any orders issued in the enforcement of the interim standards set forth in this subchapter shall be subject to review as provided in subchapter I of this chapter.

(b) Purpose; initiation of studies and research

The purpose of this subchapter is to provide for the immediate application of mandatory safety standards developed on the basis of experience and advances in technology and to prevent newly created hazards resulting from new technology in coal mining. The Secretary of the Interior in coordination with the Secretary shall immediately initiate studies, investigations, and research to further upgrade such standards and to develop and promulgate new and improved standards promptly that will provide increased protection to the miners, particularly in connection with hazards from trolley wires, trolley feeder wires, and signal wires, the splicing and use of trailing cables, and in connection with improvements in vulcanizing of electric conductors, improvement in roof control measures, methane drainage in advance of mining, improved methods of measuring methane and other explosive gases and oxygen concentrations, and the use of improved underground equipment and other sources of power for such equipment.

( Pub. L. 91–173, title III, §301, Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 765 ; Pub. L. 95–164, title II, §203, Nov. 9, 1977, 91 Stat. 1317 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1977-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–164, §203(a), substituted "The Secretary of the Interior in coordination with the Secretary shall immediately initiate studies" for "The Secretary shall immediately initiate studies".

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 95–164, §203(b), struck out subsec. (c) which related to the modification of standards, and subsec. (d) which related to the applicability of section 553 of title 5 in cases where the provisions of sections 862 to 878 of this title had provided that certain actions, conditions, or requirements be carried out as prescribed by the Secretary or the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1977 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–164 effective 120 days after Nov. 9, 1977, except as otherwise provided, see section 307 of Pub. L. 95–164, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.

Effective Date

Section operative 90 days after Dec. 30, 1969, except to the extent an earlier date is specifically provided for in Pub. L. 91–173, see section 509 of Pub. L. 91–173, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.