805 KAR 7:080. Training, certification, and annual retraining of mine emergency technicians.

805 KAR 7:080. Training, certification, and annual retraining of mine emergency technicians.

RELATES TO: KRS 351.127

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 351.070(13), 351.127(1), (5)

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 351.127(1) requires that a certified emergency medical technician or mine emergency technician be employed at every coal mine whose employees are engaged in the extraction, production, or preparation of coal. This administrative regulation establishes standards by which mine emergency technicians shall be trained, certified, and retrained.

Section 1. Definitions. The following definitions apply to this administrative regulation:

(1) "Current", as applied to training and its certification, means the present status of training, as certified by the agency which reviews or attests to it.

(2) "Emergency medical technician (EMT)" means a person certified by the Cabinet for Human Resources who is trained to provide immediate emergency medical care and intervention to stabilize a patient's condition at the scene of an emergency and en route to definitive medical care.

(3) "Mine emergency technician (MET)" means a person certified by the Department of Mines and Minerals who is trained to provide immediate emergency medical care to an injured person at the mine site.

Section 2. MET Certification Requirements. (1) Each applicant for certification as a MET shall:

(a) Hold a surface or underground miner’s certification in the Commonwealth of Kentucky;

(b) Successfully complete the standard program of training and education established by this administrative regulation and a series of written and practical skills examinations prescribed by the department;

(c) Hold a current course completion card in adult foreign body airway obstruction and adult one (1) and two (2) rescuer CPR;

(d) Be eighteen (18) years of age or older; and

(e) Understand and be able to read, speak, and write the English language.

(2) A Kentucky certified miner who is an emergency medical technician with a current CPR course completion card may apply for certification as a mine emergency technician.

Section 3. MET Training Course Requirements. (1) The training course for certification as a MET shall include instruction in the materials set out in the BRADY Basic First Response text, 1st edition, chapters 1-23 and 25-29.

(2) The training course shall also:

(a) Be not less than forty (40) hours in duration;

(b) Be taught by an instructor certified by the department;

(d) Be limited to thirty (30) students per instructor; and

(e) Be conducted in a training facility approved by the department as adequate to train METs.

Section 4. MET Certification Examination. (1) At the time of taking the MET certification examination, the MET applicant shall provide verification on a Federal Form 5000-23 that he has successfully completed the standard program of MET training and education prescribed by the department.

(2) The Federal Form 5000-23 shall be signed by the MET applicant, be embossed with the MET instructor certification number and signed by the MET instructor who administered the MET course to the applicant.

(3) The MET certification examination, consisting of two (2) parts, shall be prescribed and administered by the department.

(a) Written. An overall grade of not less than eighty (80) percent shall be required to pass.

(b) Practical. The practical examination shall consist of two (2) parts:

1. The first part shall consist of mandatory stations in which the applicant will be tested on one (1) or more required skills. The applicant shall demonstrate proficiency in all mandatory stations.

2. The second part shall consist of "wild card" stations in which one (1) or more skills may be tested. The applicant shall randomly draw the skills on which he shall be tested at the time of the examination.

(c) If the applicant for certification fails to pass the written or practical portion of the examination, he shall be permitted one (1) opportunity to retake the portion or portions failed. The reexamination shall be conducted within sixty (60) days of the initial examination date.

(d) If the applicant for certification fails to pass the written or practical portion after reexamination, he shall retake the entire MET training course before being eligible for subsequent examination.

Section 5. Recertification Continuing Education Requirements. (1) During his period of certification, a MET shall earn at least eight (8) continuing education or retraining hours, with not less than half being devoted to practical skills in a structured instructional setting.

(2) Continuing education and retraining courses for mine emergency technicians shall be taught by certified MET instructors.

(3) A MET shall present a current course completion card in adult foreign body airway obstruction and adult one (1) and two (2) rescuer CPR to the MET instructor at the time of his MET recertification.

(4) An applicant for recertification shall receive credit for completion of continuing education/retraining hours in subjects required by the department’s MET curriculum.

(5) Each subject or training course for which credit is claimed shall be countersigned by the MET instructor of the subject or course.

(6) The applicant for recertification shall submit evidence of successful completion of instruction in at least four (4) different subject areas of the approved MET curriculum, with a maximum of two (2) hours per subject area.

(7) The MET shall submit to a district office of the department, a record of his continuing education on a Mine Emergency Technician Recertification Form EF-16, which shall be signed by the MET, be embossed with the MET instructor certification number and signed by the MET instructor who administered the continuing education claimed for purposes of recertification.

(8) The MET shall maintain evidence of his MET recertification, on Form EF-16, at the mine site.

Section 6. Expiration of Certification. (1) A MET certification shall expire one (1) year from the last day of the month in which the certification was issued unless the person holding the MET certification satisfies the recertification continuing education requirements set out in Section 5 of this administrative regulation.

(2) Upon the expiration of his certification, the holder shall not function in the capacity of a mine emergency technician.

Section 7. Renewal of Certification. A former MET may renew his expired certification as follows:

(1) If his certificate has expired within the past one (1) year, he may renew by successfully completing eight (8) hours of MET training and reeducation classes.

(2) If his certificate has been expired for longer than one (1) year, he shall successfully complete the initial MET certification examination requirements set out in Section 3(3) of this administrative regulation.

Section 8. Designation of a MET. (1) A person designated by the licensee to function as a MET in an underground coal mine shall:

(a) Hold an underground miner’s certification in the Commonwealth of Kentucky;

(b) Hold a mine emergency technician certification from the department; and

(2) A person designated by the licensee to function as a MET at a surface coal mine shall:

(a) Hold a surface miner’s certification in the Commonwealth of Kentucky;

(b) Hold a mine emergency technician certification from the department; and

(3) A certified MET instructor designated by the licensee to function as a mine emergency technician shall:

(a) Meet the requirements of subsections (1)(a) or (2)(a) of this section;

(b) Maintain verification of his MET certification at the mine site; and either

(d) Meet the recertification continuing education requirements established in Section 5 of this administrative regulation.

Section 9. MET Instructor Certification Requirements. MET instructors, in addition to being certified as a MET, shall:

(1) Hold a mine instructor certification issued by the department;

(2) Hold a current instructor card to teach adult foreign body airway obstruction and adult one (1) and two (2) rescuer CPR; and either

(3) Be an EMT instructor who is also qualified in accordance with subsections (1) and (2) of this section.

Section 10. Responsibilities of the MET Instructor. The MET instructor shall:

(1) Utilize equipment, texts, audio-visual and other materials deemed appropriate by the department;

(2) Notify the district office of the department prior to his commencement of MET classes;

(3) Verify on a Federal Form 5000-23 that the MET applicant has successfully completed the standard MET program of training and education prescribed by the department; and

(4) Verify on a MET Recertification Form EF-16 that the MET has successfully completed each subject or training course for which credit is approved.

Section 11. Denial, Revocation, and Suspension of MET Certification. (1) The Mining Board may revoke, suspend, or probate the MET certification or MET instructor certification of a person who the board determines, based upon allegations substantiated by the department, has responded or acted inappropriately in his capacity as a mine emergency technician or MET instructor by failing to:

(a) Follow appropriate standards of care in the management of a patient;

(b) Administer treatment in a responsible manner in accordance with his level of certification;

(d) Timely respond to an emergency

(2) All actions taken by the board regarding the revocation, suspension, or probation of a MET certification or MET instructor certification shall be so taken in accordance with KRS 352.390.

Section 12. Material Incorporated by Reference. (1) The following forms are incorporated by reference:

(a) Course completion card in adult foreign body airway obstruction and adult one (1) and two (2) rescuer CPR.

(b) BRADY Basic First Response Text, (1997), 1st edition, chapters 1-23 and 25-29.

(d) Form EF-16.

(2) This material may be obtained from, or examined, or copied at the offices of the Kentucky Department of Mines and Minerals, 1025 Capital Center Drive, Suite 201, P.O. Box 2244, Frankfort, Kentucky 40602-2244. (23 Ky.R. 1293; Am. 2499; eff. 12-11-96.)