Virginia Law

Article 2. Electricity.

A. Any overhead high-potential power line shall be (i) placed at least 15 feet above the ground and 20 feet above any driveway, (ii) installed on insulators, and (iii) supported and guarded to prevent contact with other circuits.

B. Any surface transmission line, including a trolley circuit, shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. Each power circuit that leads underground shall be equipped with lightning arrestors within 100 feet of the location at which the circuit enters the mine.

C. Electric wiring in any surface building shall be installed so as to prevent fire and contact hazards.

Code 1950, §§ 45-82, 45-82.3; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-75; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.181; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Any surface transformer that is not isolated by being elevated at least eight feet above the ground shall be enclosed in a transformer house or surrounded by a suitable fence at least six feet high. If the enclosure or fence is of metal, it shall be grounded effectively. The door to the enclosure or the gate to the fence shall be kept locked at all times unless a person who is authorized to enter the gate or enclosure is present.

B. Any surface transformer that contains flammable oil and is installed near a mine opening, in or near a combustible building, or at any other place where such transformer presents a fire hazard shall be provided with a means to drain or to confine the oil in the event of a rupture of the transformer casing.

Code 1950, § 45-82.2; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-76; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.182; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

Every transformer that is used underground shall be air-cooled or filled with nonflammable liquid or inert gas.

Code 1950, § 45-82.2; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-76; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.183; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Suitable warning signs shall be posted conspicuously at every transformer station.

B. Every transformer station, substation, battery-charging station, pump station, and compressor station shall be kept free of nonessential combustible material and refuse.

C. Reverse-current protection shall be provided at each storage-battery-charging station to prevent the storage batteries from energizing a power circuit in the event of power failure.

Code 1950, §§ 45-60.4, 45-82.2; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, §§ 45.1-76, 45.1-77; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.184; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. All underground power wires and cables shall (i) have adequate current-carrying capacity, (ii) be guarded from mechanical injury, and (iii) be installed in a permanent manner.

B. Wires and cables that are not encased in armor shall be supported by well-installed insulators and shall not touch any roof, rib, or combustible material; however, this prohibition shall not apply to ground wires, grounded power conductors, or trailing cables.

C. Power wires or cables that are installed in a belt-haulage slope shall be insulated adequately and buried in a trench at least one foot below any combustible material, unless such wires or cables are encased in armor or otherwise fully protected against mechanical injury.

D. Any splice or repair in a power cable shall:

1. Be mechanically strong and have adequate electrical conductivity;

2. Be effectively insulated and sealed so as to exclude moisture;

3. If the cable has metallic armor, possess mechanical protection and electrical conductivity equivalent to that of the original armor; and

4. If the cable has metallic shielding around each conductor, possess new shielding that is equivalent to the original shielding.

E. Every underground high-voltage transmission cable shall be:

1. Installed only in a regularly inspected airway;

2. Covered, buried, or placed on insulators so as to afford protection against damage by derailed equipment if it is installed along a haulage road;

3. Guarded if miners regularly work or pass under such cable, unless it is at least 6.5 feet above the floor or rail;

4. Securely anchored, properly insulated, and guarded at its ends; and

5. Covered, insulated, or placed to prevent contact with any trolley circuit or other low-voltage circuit.

F. Any new high-voltage disconnect that is installed on underground electrical equipment shall automatically ground all three power leads when in the open position. Every high-voltage disconnect that is rebuilt or remanufactured after July 1, 2011, shall meet this standard.

G. Every power wire or cable shall be insulated adequately where it passes into or out of an electrical compartment and where it passes through a door or stopping.

H. Where track is used as a power conductor:

1. Both rails of main-line tracks shall be welded or bonded at every joint, and cross bonds shall be installed at intervals of not more than 200 feet. If the rails are paralleled with a feeder circuit of like polarity, such paralleled feeder shall be bonded to the track rails at intervals of not more than 1,000 feet;

2. At least one rail on any secondary track-haulage road shall be welded or bonded at every joint, and cross bonds shall be installed at intervals of not more than 200 feet; and

3. Track switches on entries shall be well bonded.

Code 1950, §§ 45-82, 45-82.1; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-78; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.186; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2005, c. 3; 2011, cc. 826, 862; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires shall be installed on the side of the entry opposite the clearance space and any shelter hole, except where the wires are guarded or are installed at least 6.5 feet above the top of the rail.

B. Trolley-wire hangers shall be so spaced that the wire may become detached from any one hanger without creating a shock hazard.

C. Trolley wires shall be aligned properly and installed on insulated hangers at least six inches outside the rail.

D. Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires shall be provided with cut-out switches at intervals of not more than 1,500 feet and near the beginning of each branch line.

E. Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires shall be kept taut and shall not be permitted to touch the roof or any rib, timber, or combustible material.

F. Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires shall be guarded adequately at both sides of any door and at every place where miners work or pass under them, unless they are at least 6.5 feet above the top of the rail.

G. No trolley wires or trolley feeder wires shall extend beyond any open crosscut between an intake and a return airway. All such wires shall be kept at least 150 feet from any active, open pillar workings.

H. Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires shall be guarded, anchored securely, and insulated properly at the ends.

I. Trolley wires and trolley feeder wires shall be installed only in an intake airway.

J. No trolley wires or other exposed conductors shall carry more than 300 volts.

Code 1950, §§ 45-82, 45-82.1; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-78; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.187; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Every metallic sheath, armor, or conduit that encloses a power conductor shall be electrically continuous throughout and shall be grounded effectively.

B. Every metallic frame, casing, or other enclosure of stationary electrical equipment that can become electrified through failure of insulation or by contact with energized parts shall be grounded effectively, or equivalent protection shall be provided.

C. Any three-phase alternating current circuit that is used underground shall contain either a direct or derived neutral that shall be grounded through a suitable resistor at the power center. A grounding circuit that originates at the grounded side of the grounding resistor shall extend with the power conductors and serve as the grounding conductor for the frame of every piece of electrical equipment that is supplied with power from that circuit. A grounding resistor that is manufactured to meet the extended time rating as set forth in American National standard IEEE C57.32-2015 is deemed to meet the requirements of this section. High-voltage circuits extending underground shall be supplied with a grounding resistor of a proper Ohmic value located on the surface to limit the voltage drop in the grounding circuit external to the resistor to not more than 100 volts under fault conditions. Such grounding resistor shall be rated for maximum fault current continuously and insulated from ground for a voltage equal to the phase-to-phase voltage of the system. Every resistance-grounded alternating circuit used underground shall include a fail-safe ground check circuit to monitor continuously the grounding circuit to ensure the continuity of the ground conductor.

1966, c. 594, § 45.1-79; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.188; 1999, c. 256; 2011, cc. 826, 862; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Automatic circuit breaking devices or fuses of the correct type and capacity shall be installed so as to protect each piece of electrical equipment and each power circuit against excessive overload; however, this requirement shall not apply to any locomotive that is operated regularly on a grade that exceeds five percent. Wire or other conducting material shall not be used as a substitute for a properly designed fuse, and every circuit breaking device shall be maintained in safe operating condition.

B. An automatic circuit breaker of the correct type and capacity shall be installed on each resistance-grounded circuit used underground. Such circuit breaker shall be located at the power source and equipped with devices to provide protection against under-voltage, grounded phase, short circuit, and overcurrent.

C. Operating controls such as switches, starters, and switch buttons shall be installed so that they are readily accessible and can be operated without danger of contact with moving or electrified parts.

D. A disconnecting switch shall be installed underground in each main power circuit within approximately 500 feet of the bottom of each shaft or borehole and at any other place at which a main power circuit enters the mine.

E. Each piece of electrical equipment and each circuit shall be provided with switches or other controls of safe design, construction, and installation.

F. Insulating mats or other electrically nonconductive material shall be kept in place at each power-control switch and at any piece of stationary machinery at which a shock hazard exists.

G. Each circuit breaker, disconnecting device, and switch shall be marked for identification.

Code 1950, § 45-82.3; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-80; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.189; 1999, c. 256; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Telephone service or equivalent two-way communication facilities shall be provided between the top and each landing of each main shaft or slope. A telephone or equivalent two-way communication facility shall be located on the surface within 500 feet of each main portal and installed in either a building or a box-like structure that is designed to protect the facility from damage by inclement weather. At least one of these communication facilities shall be at a location where an authorized person who is always on duty when miners are underground can see or hear the facility and respond immediately in the event of an emergency.

B. Telephone lines, other than cables, shall be carried on insulators, installed on the opposite side from power or trolley wires, and insulated adequately where they cross power or trolley wires.

C. Lightning arrestors shall be provided at each point where a telephone circuit enters the mine and at each telephone on the surface. Where the telephone circuit enters a building or structure, a lightning arrestor is required only at the point at which the circuit enters such building or structure.

D. If a communication system other than telephones is used and its operation depends entirely upon power from the mine electric system, a means shall be provided to permit continued communication in the event the mine electric power fails or is cut off.

E. Communication systems equipped with audible and visual signals that become operative when telephone communication is being established between the phones of the communication station on the surface and the underground working sections shall be provided.

F. The Chief shall adopt regulations governing any disruption of communication in a mine.

Code 1950, § 45-82.4; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-81; 1978, c. 118; 1979, c. 315; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.191; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Electrical equipment that is taken into or used inby the last open crosscut or in other than an intake airway constitutes permissible equipment.

B. Permissible equipment that is used in an area specified in subsection A shall be maintained in permissible condition.

C. No electrical equipment shall be taken into or operated in any place where a methane level of one percent or more is detected.

D. Voltage limitations for underground installations of electrical equipment using direct or alternating current shall conform to the voltages provided in 30 C.F.R. § 18.47.

E. Electrical equipment shall be classified as permissible and shall be maintained in a permissible condition when such equipment is located within 150 feet of any pillar workings or longwall face.

F. Any electrical conductors and cables installed in or inby the last open crosscut, or within 150 feet of any pillar workings or longwall face, shall be:

1. Shielded high-voltage cables supplying power to permissible longwall equipment or other equipment;

2. Interconnecting conductors and cables of permissible longwall equipment;

3. Conductors and cables of intrinsically safe circuits; or

4. Cables and conductors supplying power to low-voltage or medium-voltage permissible equipment.

G. Electrical equipment shall be maintained in safe operating condition at all times while it is being used, and any unsafe condition shall be corrected promptly or the equipment shall be removed from service.

Code 1950, § 45-83; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-83; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.193; 1999, c. 256; 2011, cc. 826, 862; 2015, cc. 103, 397; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Trailing cables that are used underground shall be flame-resistant.

B. Trailing cables shall be provided with suitable short-circuit protection and some means of disconnecting power from the cable. Any power connection that is made in other than an intake airway shall be by means of a permissible connector.

C. Any temporary splice in a trailing cable shall be made in a workmanlike manner and shall be mechanically strong and well insulated.

D. No more than one temporary, unvulcanized splice shall be allowed in any trailing cable.

E. Any permanent splice or repair in a trailing cable shall:

1. Be mechanically strong, with adequate electrical conductivity and flexibility;

2. Be effectively insulated and sealed so as to exclude moisture;

3. Be vulcanized or otherwise treated with suitable materials to provide flame-resistant properties and good bonding to the outer jacket; and

4. If the cable has metallic shielding around each conductor, possess new shielding that is equivalent to the original shielding.

F. Trailing cables shall be protected against mechanical damage. A trailing cable that is damaged in a manner that exposes the insulated inner power conductors shall be repaired promptly or removed from service.

Code 1950, § 45-82.5; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-84; 1978, c. 118; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.194; 1999, c. 256; 2005, c. 3; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Electrical equipment and wiring shall be inspected by a certified person at least weekly if it is located underground and at least monthly if it is located on the surface. Such equipment and wiring shall be inspected more often if doing so is necessary to ensure safe operating conditions. Any hazardous condition that is found shall be promptly corrected or the equipment or wiring shall be removed from service. Records of such inspections shall be maintained at the mine for a period of one year.

B. A functional check of methane monitors on electrical face equipment shall be conducted to determine whether such monitors are de-energizing the electrical face equipment properly. Such check shall be (i) made on each production shift, (ii) conducted by the equipment operator in the presence of a mine foreman, and (iii) recorded in the on-shift report of the mine foreman.

C. To determine the accuracy and operation of methane monitors on electrical face equipment, weekly calibration tests of such monitors shall be conducted with a known mixture of methane at the flow rate recommended by the methane monitor manufacturer. A record of the results shall be maintained.

D. Required methane monitors shall be maintained in permissible and proper operating condition.

1966, c. 594, § 45.1-85; 1978, c. 118; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.195; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2005, c. 3; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. No electrical work shall be performed on any low-voltage, medium-voltage, or high-voltage distribution circuit or equipment except by a certified person or a person who is trained to perform electrical work and to maintain electrical equipment and is working under the direct supervision of a certified person. Every high-voltage circuit shall be grounded before repair work is performed. Disconnecting devices shall be locked out and suitably tagged by the person who performs electrical or mechanical work on such a circuit or piece of equipment connected to such a circuit, except that where locking out is not possible, such devices shall be opened and suitably tagged by such person. Locks and tags shall be removed only by the person who installed them or, if such person is unavailable, by a certified person authorized by the operator or his agent.

B. A miner may, where necessary, repair energized trolley wires if he wears insulated shoes and lineman's gloves.

C. This section does not prohibit a certified electrical repairman from making checks on or troubleshooting energized circuits or an authorized person from performing repairs or maintenance on equipment once the power is off and the equipment is blocked against motion, except where motion is necessary to make adjustments.

Code 1950, §§ 45-82, 45-82.1; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-78; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.196; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Electric-light wires shall be supported by suitable insulators or installed in conduit, shall be fastened securely to the power conductors, and shall not contact any combustible material.

B. Every electric light shall be guarded and installed so that it does not contact any combustible material.

Code 1950, § 45-82.6; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-86; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.172; 2005, c. 3; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

Every lamp, extension light, and permissible form of portable illumination, such as a cap lamp or flashlight, that is used for personal illumination underground shall be inspected by an authorized person at least once per week, and more often if necessary, to ensure safe operating conditions. When such equipment is located at the surface, it shall be inspected by an authorized person at least once per month, and more often if necessary, to ensure safe operating conditions. Any defect found shall be corrected.

1966, c. 594, § 45.1-85; 1978, c. 118; 1993, c. 442; 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.173; 1999, c. 256; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.