Title 30

SECTION 75.1719-3

75.1719-3 Methods of measurement; light measuring instruments.

§ 75.1719-3 Methods of measurement; light measuring instruments.

(a) Compliance with § 75.1719-1(d) shall be determined by MSHA by measuring luminous intensity (surface brightness).

(b) In measuring luminous intensity the following procedures shall be used:

(1) In areas of working places specified in §§ 75.1719.1(e)(1) through 75.1719-1(e)(3) luminous intensity measurements of the face, ribs, roof, floor, and exposed surfaces of mining equipment, shall be made with the machine idle and located in the approximate center of the working place with the cutting, loading, or drilling head toward the face and not more than 3 feet from the face.

(2) In areas of working places specified in § 75.1719-1(e)(4) luminous intensity measurements may be made at any time longwall or shortwall mining equipment is operated except that when measurements are made in the vicinity of shearers, plows, or continuous miners, the equipment shall be idle while measurements are being made.

(3) In areas of working places specified in § 75.1719-1(e)(5) luminous intensity measurements of the face, ribs, roof, floor, and exposed surfaces of mining equipment, shall be made with the machine idle and located in the approximate center of the working place with the drilling head toward the face and a distance from the face of 5 feet, or the distance from the floor to the roof, whichever is applicable. When the machine is located in the center of the working place and the surfaces of the ribs to be illuminated are not within the perimeter of the area determined in accordance with § 75.1719-1(e)(5), the machine shall be positioned the applicable distance from the face and each rib and luminous intensity measurements made for each rib, provided, however, that luminous intensity measurements may be made of the face, roof, floor, and exposed surfaces of mining equipment with the machine so located without locating the machine in the center of the working place.

(4) In areas of working places specified in § 75.1719-1(e)(6), luminous intensity measurements of a coal surface shall be made with the machine idle and located in the approximate center of the working place with the appropriate end toward the face and not less than 9 feet nor more than 10 feet from the face.

(5) The area of surfaces to be measured shall be divided into round or square fields having an area of not less than 3 nor more than 5 square feet as illustrated by the following figure:

(6) Measurements shall be taken with the photometer held approximately perpendicular to the surface being measured and a sufficient distance from the surface to allow the light sensing element in the instrument to receive reflected light from a field of not less than 3 nor more than 5 square feet. The luminous intensity of each such field shall be not less than 0.06 footlambert.

(7) In areas of working places where clearances are restricted to the extent that the photometer cannot be held a sufficient distance from the surface to allow the light sensing element in the instrument to receive reflected light from a field having an area of at least 3 square feet, luminous intensity shall be considered as the average of four uniformly spaced readings taken at the corners and within a square field having an area of approximately 4 square feet. In such instances, the area of each of the individual readings shall not exceed 100 square inches. The average of the four readings shall be not less than 0.06 footlambert. The method of measurement is illustrated by the following figure:

(8) Measurements shall not be made where shadows are cast by roof control posts, ventilation equipment, or other obstructions necessary to insure safe mining conditions.

(9) Where machine-mounted light fixtures are used on equipment, except self advancing roof support systems, measurements shall not be made of surfaces on or within 1 foot of a self-propelled machine.

(c) For the purpose of making illumination measurements, an authorized representative of the Secretary may require the installation of temporary roof supports or the removal of the equipment to a similar working place in which permanent roof supports have been installed.

(d) Light measuring instruments shall be properly calibrated and maintained. Instruments shall be calibrated against standards traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Formerly the National Bureau of Standards) and color corrected to the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) Spectral Luminous Curve. The CIE Spectral Luminous Curve is as follows:

[41 FR 43534, Oct. 1, 1976, as amended at 71 FR 16669, Apr. 3, 2006]

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