2011 California Code
Labor Code
DIVISION 5. SAFETY IN EMPLOYMENT [6300 - 9104]
CHAPTER 1. Tunnels and Mines
Section 7951

As used in this part:

(a) Tunnel shall include excavation, construction, alteration, repairing, renovating, or demolishing of any tunnel except tunnel work covered under the compressed air safety orders adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board and manhole construction.

(b) Tunnel means an underground passageway, excavated by men and equipment working below the earth s surface, that provides a subterranean route along which men, equipment, or substances can move.

(c) Mine means any excavation or opening above or below ground used for removal of ore, minerals, gravel, sand, rock, or other materials intended for manufacturing or sale. It shall include quarries and open pit operations, other than a gravel pit or other pit where material is removed by a contractor or other person for his own use and not for sale to others. The term mine shall not include a mine that is operated exclusively by persons having a proprietary interest in such mine or by persons who are paid only a share of the profits from the mine, nor shall it include during any calendar year, any mine that produced less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) in ore, minerals, sand, rock, or other material during the preceding calendar year.

(d) Access shaft means a vertical shaft used as a regular means of worker access to underground mines and tunnels under construction, renovation, or demolition.

(e) Lower explosive limit means the lowest concentration at which a gas or vapor can be ignited or will explode.

(f) Face means the head of the tunnel where soil is being removed, or that area in a mine where digging is underway.

(g) Muck means excavated dirt, rock, or other material.

(h) Permissible equipment means equipment tested and approved by the U.S. Bureau of Mines or acceptable to other authorities recognized by the division, and acceptable by the division, which is safe for use in gassy or extrahazardous tunnels or underground mines.

(i) Division means the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

(j) Board means the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board.

(k) Underground mine means a mine that consists of a subterranean excavation.

(Amended by Stats. 1980, Ch. 676.)