sec.250Action to be taken if methane detector activates or is non-operational

### sec.250 Action to be taken if methane detector activates or is non-operational An underground mine must have a standard operating procedure for taking action when any of the following happens— an automatic methane detector fitted to a machine, vehicle or plant to which any of sections 233 to 239 applies— trips the electricity supply to the machine, vehicle or plant; or stops its internal combustion engine; a methane detector mentioned in paragraph (a) , other than a methane detector fitted to a longwall shearer, fails in service; a methane detector located as required under section 242 , 243 , 243A , 243B or 244 — fails in service; or is being tested or relocated. The procedure must provide that, if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (a) or (b) happens in relation to a methane detector fitted to a machine or vehicle (other than a longwall shearer or armoured face conveyor) in an ERZ1, the methane detector may be temporarily overridden to allow the machine or vehicle to be moved, but only if— the general body concentration of methane around the machine or vehicle is less than 1.25%; and a portable methane detector is used to continuously monitor the concentration. The procedure must also provide that if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (b) happens in relation to a methane detector fitted to a longwall shearer as mentioned in section 234 , the methane detector may be temporarily overridden to allow the longwall shearer to be operated to allow movement to a secure place along the face or at the gate ends, but only if— the general body concentration of methane around the longwall shearer is less than 1.25%; and a portable methane detector is used to continuously monitor the concentration. The procedure must also provide that, if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (b) happens in relation to a methane detector fitted to a relevant machine or relevant vehicle (other than an armoured face conveyor) being used in a NERZ, the operator may continue to use the machine or vehicle only if— the general body concentration of methane around the machine or vehicle is less than 0.5%; and the place where the machine or vehicle is located is continuously monitored by a person using a portable methane detector. The procedure must also provide that, if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (c) happens in relation to a methane detector located as required under section 243 , 243A or 244 , the methane detector must be replaced or repaired immediately. The procedure must also provide that, if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (c) happens in relation to a methane detector located as required under section 242 or 243B — the methane detector must be replaced or repaired as soon as practicable; and for a methane detector located in an intake airway at the interface between the zones as mentioned in section 242 (1) (a) or (b) —the methane detector may be overridden temporarily to allow operations to continue in the zones until the detector is replaced or repaired, but only if the conditions mentioned in subsection (7) are complied with. For subsection (6) (b) , the conditions are— a person uses a portable methane detector to continuously monitor for methane— if the event involves 1 methane detector—at the location of the methane detector; or if the event involves more than 1 methane detector at an interface—by moving between the methane detectors at the interface that have failed or are being tested or relocated; and the electricity supply to the affected zones can be readily tripped when the general body concentration of methane at the location of a methane detector being monitored as required under paragraph (a) exceeds 0.5%. In this section— relevant machine means a machine supplied with electricity by a trailing cable. relevant vehicle means an explosion-protected vehicle powered by a battery or an internal combustion engine. s 250 amd 2019 SL No. 250 s 11 ; 2020 SL No. 118 s 11 (sec.250-ssec.1) An underground mine must have a standard operating procedure for taking action when any of the following happens— an automatic methane detector fitted to a machine, vehicle or plant to which any of sections 233 to 239 applies— trips the electricity supply to the machine, vehicle or plant; or stops its internal combustion engine; a methane detector mentioned in paragraph (a) , other than a methane detector fitted to a longwall shearer, fails in service; a methane detector located as required under section 242 , 243 , 243A , 243B or 244 — fails in service; or is being tested or relocated. (sec.250-ssec.2) The procedure must provide that, if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (a) or (b) happens in relation to a methane detector fitted to a machine or vehicle (other than a longwall shearer or armoured face conveyor) in an ERZ1, the methane detector may be temporarily overridden to allow the machine or vehicle to be moved, but only if— the general body concentration of methane around the machine or vehicle is less than 1.25%; and a portable methane detector is used to continuously monitor the concentration. (sec.250-ssec.3) The procedure must also provide that if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (b) happens in relation to a methane detector fitted to a longwall shearer as mentioned in section 234 , the methane detector may be temporarily overridden to allow the longwall shearer to be operated to allow movement to a secure place along the face or at the gate ends, but only if— the general body concentration of methane around the longwall shearer is less than 1.25%; and a portable methane detector is used to continuously monitor the concentration. (sec.250-ssec.4) The procedure must also provide that, if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (b) happens in relation to a methane detector fitted to a relevant machine or relevant vehicle (other than an armoured face conveyor) being used in a NERZ, the operator may continue to use the machine or vehicle only if— the general body concentration of methane around the machine or vehicle is less than 0.5%; and the place where the machine or vehicle is located is continuously monitored by a person using a portable methane detector. (sec.250-ssec.5) The procedure must also provide that, if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (c) happens in relation to a methane detector located as required under section 243 , 243A or 244 , the methane detector must be replaced or repaired immediately. (sec.250-ssec.6) The procedure must also provide that, if an event mentioned in subsection (1) (c) happens in relation to a methane detector located as required under section 242 or 243B — the methane detector must be replaced or repaired as soon as practicable; and for a methane detector located in an intake airway at the interface between the zones as mentioned in section 242 (1) (a) or (b) —the methane detector may be overridden temporarily to allow operations to continue in the zones until the detector is replaced or repaired, but only if the conditions mentioned in subsection (7) are complied with. (sec.250-ssec.7) For subsection (6) (b) , the conditions are— a person uses a portable methane detector to continuously monitor for methane— if the event involves 1 methane detector—at the location of the methane detector; or if the event involves more than 1 methane detector at an interface—by moving between the methane detectors at the interface that have failed or are being tested or relocated; and the electricity supply to the affected zones can be readily tripped when the general body concentration of methane at the location of a methane detector being monitored as required under paragraph (a) exceeds 0.5%. (sec.250-ssec.8) In this section— relevant machine means a machine supplied with electricity by a trailing cable. relevant vehicle means an explosion-protected vehicle powered by a battery or an internal combustion engine. - (a) an automatic methane detector fitted to a machine, vehicle or plant to which any of sections 233 to 239 applies— (i) trips the electricity supply to the machine, vehicle or plant; or (ii) stops its internal combustion engine; - (i) trips the electricity supply to the machine, vehicle or plant; or - (ii) stops its internal combustion engine; - (b) a methane detector mentioned in paragraph (a) , other than a methane detector fitted to a longwall shearer, fails in service; - (c) a methane detector located as required under section 242 , 243 , 243A , 243B or 244 — (i) fails in service; or (ii) is being tested or relocated. - (i) fails in service; or - (ii) is being tested or relocated. - (i) trips the electricity supply to the machine, vehicle or plant; or - (ii) stops its internal combustion engine; - (i) fails in service; or - (ii) is being tested or relocated. - (a) the general body concentration of methane around the machine or vehicle is less than 1.25%; and - (b) a portable methane detector is used to continuously monitor the concentration. - (a) the general body concentration of methane around the longwall shearer is less than 1.25%; and - (b) a portable methane detector is used to continuously monitor the concentration. - (a) the general body concentration of methane around the machine or vehicle is less than 0.5%; and - (b) the place where the machine or vehicle is located is continuously monitored by a person using a portable methane detector. - (a) the methane detector must be replaced or repaired as soon as practicable; and - (b) for a methane detector located in an intake airway at the interface between the zones as mentioned in section 242 (1) (a) or (b) —the methane detector may be overridden temporarily to allow operations to continue in the zones until the detector is replaced or repaired, but only if the conditions mentioned in subsection (7) are complied with. - (a) a person uses a portable methane detector to continuously monitor for methane— (i) if the event involves 1 methane detector—at the location of the methane detector; or (ii) if the event involves more than 1 methane detector at an interface—by moving between the methane detectors at the interface that have failed or are being tested or relocated; and - (i) if the event involves 1 methane detector—at the location of the methane detector; or - (ii) if the event involves more than 1 methane detector at an interface—by moving between the methane detectors at the interface that have failed or are being tested or relocated; and - (b) the electricity supply to the affected zones can be readily tripped when the general body concentration of methane at the location of a methane detector being monitored as required under paragraph (a) exceeds 0.5%. - (i) if the event involves 1 methane detector—at the location of the methane detector; or - (ii) if the event involves more than 1 methane detector at an interface—by moving between the methane detectors at the interface that have failed or are being tested or relocated; and