101.15 Mines, tunnels, quarries and pits.

(1) If any shaft or workings of a mine, or any tunnel, trench, caisson, quarry, or gravel or sand pit is being operated or used in violation of the safety orders of the department applicable thereto, the owner or operator upon receiving notice of such violation from the department shall immediately cease such operation or use. The operation or use of such shaft or workings of a mine, or of such tunnel, trench, caisson, quarry or gravel or sand pit, shall not be resumed until such safety orders have been complied with.

(2)

(a) For the purpose of this section:

1. “Excavation" or “workings" means any or all parts of a mine excavated or being excavated, including shafts, tunnels, drifts, cross cuts, raises, winzes, stopes and all other working places in a mine.

2. “Mineral" means a product recognized by standard authorities as mineral, whether metalliferous or nonmetalliferous.

3. “Shaft" means an opening made for mining minerals, for hoisting and lowering persons or material, or for ventilating underground workings.

(b) No excavation of a shaft may be commenced unless a permit is first issued therefor by the department. Permits for such excavation shall be issued upon fee payment and application filed with the department, if the department is satisfied that the shaft or the excavation and workings will be in compliance with the safety orders adopted by the department and applicable thereto. Application shall be made upon forms prescribed by the department and shall be furnished upon request.

(c) Paragraph (b) does not apply to shafts which will be less than 50 feet in depth wherein persons are not employed, or which are not equipped with power driven hoists used for hoisting persons in and out of the shafts, or which are not covered with a flammable building.

(d) The department may:

1. Employ additional mining inspectors, each of whom shall have experience in mining or be a graduate of a recognized college with a degree of mining engineering.

2. Cause the inspection of all underground mines, quarries, pits, zinc works or other excavations.

(e) The department shall promulgate rules to effect the safety of mines, explosives, quarries and related activities. Such rules shall provide for the establishment of uniform limits on permissible levels of blasting resultants to reasonably assure that blasting resultants do not cause injury, damage or unreasonable annoyance to any person or property outside any controlled blasting site area.

(f)

1. The department shall cause the inspections of underground mines and similar establishments at least once every 2 months and shall cause the inspections of surface mines and similar establishments at least once each year. In the making of the inspections the owner and the labor union identified as the bargaining representative of the employees of the mine or establishment shall be permitted to accompany the inspector engaged in the tour of inspection. The department shall cause a report of any inspection so made, to be submitted to representatives of the operator and of the employees.

2. The department may apply to a court of record for the closing of any underground mine, quarry, pit, zinc works or other excavation where the same is being operated in violation of any of its rules or orders, and the owners or operators have failed within a reasonable time to correct any unsafe methods of operation. The failure of any owner or operator to comply with the order or judgment of the court subjects the party or parties to contempt proceedings.

History: 1971 c. 185; 1971 c. 228 s. 44; Stats. 1971 s. 101.15; 1975 c. 94 s. 91 (9); 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 257; 1983 a. 189; 1985 a. 29; 1993 a. 16; 2017 a. 329.

When an inspector determines that there is a violation of safety orders and a condition of extreme and imminent danger to a worker's life exists, the inspector may seek the assistance of a local law enforcement officer. The local law enforcement officer has a duty to render assistance unless in the officer's opinion other priority assignments take precedence. 59 Atty. Gen. 12.