§22A-1-36 Mandatory safety programs; penalties.
§22A-1-36. Mandatory safety programs; penalties.
(a) The director, in consultation with the state board of coal mine health and safety, shall promulgate rules in accordance with chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, detailing the requirements for mine safety programs to be established by coal operators, as provided in subsection (b) of this section. The rules may require different types of safety programs to be developed, depending upon the output of the particular mine, the number of employees of the particular mine, the location of the particular mine, the physical features of the particular mine or any other factor deemed relevant by the director.
(b) Within six months of the date when the rules required in subsection (a), above, become final, each operator shall develop and submit to the director a comprehensive mine safety program for each mine, in accordance with such rules. Each employee of the mine shall be afforded an opportunity to review and submit comments to the director regarding the modification or revision of such program, prior to submission of such program to the director. Upon submission of such program the director has ninety days to approve, reject or modify such program. If the program is rejected, the director shall give the operator a reasonable time to correct and resubmit such program. Each program which is approved shall be reviewed, at least annually, by the director. An up-to-date copy of each program shall be placed on file in the office and further copies shall be made available to the miners of each mine and their representatives. Each operator shall undertake all efforts necessary to assure total compliance with the appropriate safety program at each mine and shall fully implement all portions of such program.
(c) Any person violating any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than six months, or both fined and imprisoned.