OSHA Pit Closure Checklist

• The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is the agency responsible for enforcing safety and health regulations, which includes the closure of pits. These rules and regulations fall under the 1970 OSHA Act and the 1872 Mining Law. Pits are a natural or artificial cavity or depression on the ground. They can be artificially created during mining.

Drilling Pits

• The procedures for closure of pits that are used for drilling purposes are provided for in the 1000-Series Rule. These rules give guidelines for pits being closed on top of crop lands, on non-crop land and on minimal cover and in accordance to the 900-Series rules. Before the pit's closure it has to be

  dried through the removal of bentonitic fluids before being backfilled with surface material. Pits that are not used exclusively for drilling operations are closed in accordance with the Approved Site Investigation and Remediation of work plan Form number 27 which is filled during the closure process. If emergency pits are no longer needed, they are supposed to be closed immediately after the initial emergency response operations.

Metal and non-metal Underground Mines

• Mine Pit closure occurs when extraction activities have been exhausted. In cases where extraction processes have been completed, the operator of the mine pit is supposed to close the mine in accordance with Part 57 of the Act. The Act requires the person in charge of a mine to give notice of mine closure to the nearest sub-district and clarify whether the closure is permanent or temporary.

Underground Coal Mines

• Part 75 of the regulations relate to those mining coal underground. It requires 60 days for the filing of copies of the mine map that have been revised, together with the date of permanent closure or abandonment of a mine at the Coal Mine Safety District Office. The mine map must be certified by a registered surveyor before submission to the district office.

Surface Coal Mines

• For surface activities of underground mining, the Mining Safety and Health Administrator should be informed if and when a refuse pile such as a waste dump is included in the abandonment process. The pile is assessed for any risks and if it is found to be hazardous, an abandonment plan is written by the operator and submitted to the district manager for implementation and to guide future tasks of similar nature.

Discovery of a Spill during Closure

• If during the closure process a leak, spill or discharge is discovered, the operators of pits must report this through Form 19 of the Release/Spill Report as stipulated by Rule 906. Leaking pits and buried or partially buried water vessels are supposed to be closed and remediated in accordance with Rules 909 and 910 and unlined drilling pits are supposed to be closed and remediated in accordance with Rule 1000.