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~'i <br />• Safety Regulations <br />Stability of the bench and overall slopes is discussed in the following <br />sections. MSHA safety regulations are presented in 30 CFR 77.1500 through <br />77.1505. Colowyo and contractor personnel should be aware of and implement the <br />safety regulations. A primary consideration is notification and awareness of <br />angering activity by other pit operations particularly those affecting areas above the <br />auger mining. Ensuring that auger crews and other personnel are trained will be <br />necessary. <br />Relatively steep interbench slope angles on the order of 75 degrees are <br />considered stable with respect to deeper seated failures. The potential for rock fall <br />is a safety consideration. A later section Rockfall/Benchwidth discussed this in more <br />detail. We have considered various options to reduce rockfall hazards. The specific <br />option will be dependent upon the individual slope configuration, integrity of the <br />• work, cleanliness of the surface, operations and equipment. To reduce the rockfall <br />hazard, slopes can be cleaned with a dozer as excavation proceeds or <br />scaled/cleaned after excavation. Depending on conditions, mesh can be placed over <br />the slope to reduce the rockfall hazard. The auger mining activity can be held back <br />away from the base of the slope and protective equipment used. The required <br />distance will depend on the slope height and condition. Another option is to provide <br />a bench closer (lower) to the auger mining activity. <br />The pre-split, dragline excavated and dozer cleaned slopes observed at the <br />working face of the West Pit (below the X-seam) produced a relatively clean slope. <br />For these conditions inspection and limited scaling along with caution during mining <br />may allow auger mining to proceed. Conditions should be evaluated on a continuing <br />basis. MSHA regulations regarding operator/machine shields and limiting <br />unprotected worker exposure (only under observation) should be carefully followed. <br />The X-seam overburden will be shovel excavated which is anticipated to <br />produce a rough face with a significantly higher rockfall potential. Cleaning, scaling, <br />COLOWYO COAL COMPANY, L. P. <br />CTL? 2J,SB5 8 <br />