(a) The owner, agent, or operator of every mine, whether operated by shaft, slope, or drift, shall provide and maintain for every mine a sufficient amount of ventilation, to be determined by the State Mine Inspector, not less than two hundred cubic feet (200 cu. ft.) of air per man per minute, measured at the foot of the downcast, which shall be circulated to the face of every working place throughout the mine, so that the mine shall be free of standing gas of whatsoever kind.
(b) In all mines where firedamp is generated, every working place where firedamp is known to exist shall be examined every morning with a safety lamp by a competent person before any other persons are allowed to enter.
(c) The ventilation required by this section may be produced by any suitable appliances.