Exits for surface buildings and structures. Open hooks shall not be used to hoist buckets or other conveyances. Walkways with outboard railings shall be provided wherever persons are required to walk alongside elevated conveyor belts. (iv) An observer to signal when it is safe to back up. (g) Wearing seat belts. Major electrical installation means an assemblage of stationary electrical equipment for the generation, transmission, distribution, or conversion of electrical power. Vertical shafts shall be considered secure. (b) Welding and cutting shall not be done within 50 feet of a mine opening unless all persons are out of the mine and the mine opening is covered. (i) The mine operator shall certify that tests were conducted and make the certification available to an authorized representative of the Secretary. A substantial bulkhead or equivalent protection shall be provided above persons at work deepening a shaft. Moving conveyors shall be crossed only at designated crossover points. (b) Persons attempting to free chute hangups shall be experienced and familiar with the task, know the hazards involved, and use the proper tools to free material. 811)). The plan shall include: (a) Mine maps or diagrams showing directions of principal air flow, location of escape routes and locations of existing telephones, primary fans, primary fan controls, fire doors, ventilation doors, and refuge chambers. To confine or prevent the spread of toxic gases from a fire originating in an underground shop where maintenance work is routinely done on mobile equipment, one of the following measures shall be taken: use of control doors or bulkheads, routing of the mine shop air directly to an exhaust system, reversal of mechanical ventilation, or use of an automatic fire suppression system in conjunction with an alternate escape route. All persons shall wear suitable protective footwear when in or around an area of a mine or plant where a hazard exists which could cause an injury to the feet. The IME is located at 1120 19th Street NW., Suite 310, Washington, DC 200363605; 2024299280; https://www.ime.org. When using open flames in other than fresh air, or in places where methane may enter the air current, tests for methane shall be conducted by a competent person before work is started and every 10 minutes until the job is completed. Upon abandonment of a mine, the owner or operator shall effectively close or fence off all surface openings down which persons could fall or through which persons could enter. Repairs or maintenance on machinery or equipment shall be performed only after the power is off, and the machinery or equipment blocked against hazardous motion. Booster fan means a fan installed in the main airstream or a split of the main airstream to increase airflow through a section or sections of a mine. The IME is located at 1120 19th Street NW., Suite 310, Washington, DC 200363605; 2024299280; https://www.ime.org. 57.22203 Main fan operation (I-C mines). These refuges must be positioned so that the employee can reach one of them within 30 minutes from the time he leaves his workplace. (2) Where uranium is not minedthe complete individual exposure of all mine personnel working in active working areas with radon daughter concentrations in excess of 0.3 WL shall be calculated and recorded. 57.7807 Flushing the combustion chamber. (b) A minimum of three full turns of wire rope shall be on the drum when the rope is extended to its maximum working length. (c) Vehicles used for dispensing bulk explosive material shall, (1) Have no zinc or copper exposed in the cargo space; and. Equipment shall not be operated in atmospheres containing 1.0 percent or more methane. A bullet-resistant, theft-resistant, fire-resistant, weather-resistant, ventilated facility for the storage of explosives and detonators (BATF Type 1 or Type 2 facility). The wood construction shall be covered on all sides and edges with no less than 24-gauge sheet steel. These incorporated publications are available for inspection at each Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health District Office of the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Flammable and Combustible Liquids and Gases. (1) The materials being hoisted must be rigged to prevent unintentional displacement. Such definition is further to be narrowly interpreted, since, as an excuse, it represents an exception to one of the most basic obligations in the sporting system, i.e. [50 FR 4082, Jan. 29, 1985, as amended at 60 FR 35695, July 11, 1995; 71 FR 16667, Apr. For the protection of operators of hoists located underground which are part of the mine escape and evacuation plan required under standard 57.11053, the hoist operator shall be provided with a respirable atmosphere completely independent of the mine atmosphere. Detonator. The log must include the date the equipment is tagged, the date the equipment is examined, the name of the person examining the equipment, and any action taken as a result of the examination. (d) Automatic fire suppression system and escape route. Persons using ladders shall face the ladders and have both hands free for climbing and descending. Stopping distance values include a one-second operator response time. No person shall be allowed to consume or store food or beverages in a toilet room or in any area exposed to a toxic material. If methane reaches 0.5 percent in the mine atmosphere, ventilation changes shall be made to reduce the level of methane. 57.22235 Actions at 1.0 percent methane (I-C, II-A, II-B, and IV mines). 57.22204 Main fan operation and inspection (I-A, II-A, III, and V-A mines). 57.4530 Exits for surface buildings and structures. Procedures for inspection, testing, and maintenance. 24, 1988]. 57.22206 Main ventilation failure (I-A, II-A, III, and V-A mines). Emergency firefighting drills shall be held at least once every six months for persons assigned surface firefighting responsibilities by the mine operator. If you have questions for the Agency that issued the current document please contact the agency directly. However, storage of only Class IIIB liquids does not require containment or drainage to remote impoundment. In granting or withholding approval, the district manager shall consider the potential hazards created by. (5) Details of area monitoring and alarm systems for hazardous gases and actions to be taken to assure safety of personnel. Sampling method used to effectively evaluate a miner's personal exposure, and sample results, Service Brake Maximum Stopping DistanceFeet. Subscribe to: Changes in Title 30 :: Chapter I :: Subchapter K :: Part 57. Fixed ladders shall not incline backwards. 57.19105 Landings with more than one shaft entrance. (e) Rotation of miners shall not be considered an acceptable administrative control used for compliance with the DPM standard. (b) Blasting machines shall be tested, repaired, and maintained in accordance with manufacturer's instructions. (c) If the monitoring system indicates the presence of 1.0 percent or more methane, persons other than examiners shall not enter the mine until the mine has been examined by a competent person and the methane level is less than 1.0 percent. Individual overload protection or short circuit protection shall be provided for the trailing cables of mobile equipment. (a) Storage facilities for any explosive material shall be, (1) Located so that the forces generated by a storage facility explosion will not create a hazard to occupants in mine buildings and will not damage dams or electric substations; and. Lay means the distance parallel to the axis of the rope in which a strand makes one complete turn about the axis of the rope. (2) At least four feet wide, marked conspicuously, and provide a minimum 40-inch clearance from the farthest projection of moving equipment. Special protective equipment and special protective clothing shall be provided, maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition and used whenever hazards of process or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants are encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment. Liquids having a flash point at or above 100 F (37.8 C). The velocity of air ventilating each face at a work place shall be at least 20 feet per minute. Some general federal requirements, however, do apply to such wire rope. Within 30 seconds after the warning is given, the conveyor shall be started or a second warning shall be given. If methane reaches 0.25 percent in the mine atmosphere, changes shall be made to improve ventilation, and MSHA shall be notified immediately. Insulation and fittings for power wires and cables. (d) The diameter of finishing bits shall be within a tolerance of plus or minus 0.030 inch of the manufacturer's recommended hole diameter for the anchor used. 57.14112 Construction and maintenance of guards. Machinery or equipment shall not be lubricated manually while it is in motion where application of the lubricant may expose persons to injury. At 53 FR 9615, Mar. Containers holding hazardous materials must be of a type approved for such use by recognized agencies. When auxiliary fan systems are used, such systems shall minimize recirculation and be maintained to provide ventilation air that effectively sweeps the working places. Wire rope attachments shall be replaced when cracked, deformed, or excessively worn. (g) Work shall not be resumed in the blast area until a post-blast examination addressing potential blast-related hazards has been conducted by a person with the ability and experience to perform the examination. The hardwood or equivalent shall be fastened to the vehicle or conveyance. 57.16006 Protection of gas cylinder valves. (b) Atmospheric monitoring systems shall, (1) Give warnings on the surface and underground when methane at any sensor reaches 0.5 percent or more, and when power to a sensor is interrupted. 57.12041 Design of switches and starting boxes. Surface fire suppression systems are exempt from these inspection requirements if the systems are used solely for the protection of property and no persons would be affected by a fire. (a) Open flames, including cutting and welding, shall not be used underground. (b) However, this standard does not apply to reciprocating-type air compressors rated over 10 horsepower if equipped with fusible plugs that were installed in the compressor discharge lines before November 15, 1979, and designed to melt at temperatures at least 50 degrees below the flash point of the compressors' lubricating oil. When explosive material is loaded pneumatically into a blasthole in a manner that generates a static electricity hazard. Mine operators seeking further information regarding the construction and installation of falling object protective structures (FOPS) may consult the following national consensus standards, as applicable. Examinations and tests at beginning of shift. 57.4230 Surface self-propelled equipment. High potential means more than 650 volts. The self-contained breathing system shall provide a minimum of 24 hours of respirable atmosphere to the hoist operator. Operating speeds and control of equipment. Under this standard, shaft mine means a mine in which any designated escapeway includes a mechanical hoisting device or a ladder ascent. Timing devices are permitted to avoid nuisance tripping for periods not to exceed 30 seconds, except during blasting or the ventilation time following a blast in a Subcategory II-A mine. Detonators are devices containing a detonating charge used to initiate explosives. Actions at 0.25 percent methane (I-B, II-B, V-B, and VI mines). However, this provision is not applicable during scheduled production-cycle shutdowns or planned or scheduled fan maintenance or fan adjustments where air quality is maintained in compliance with the applicable standards of subpart D of this part and all persons underground in the affected areas are advised in advance of such scheduled or planned fan shutdowns, maintenance, or adjustments. (9) Kept securely locked unless all access to the mine is either locked or attended. Berm means a pile or mound of material along an elevated roadway capable of moderating or limiting the force of a vehicle in order to impede the vehicle's passage over the bank of the roadway. In the event of power failure, drill controls shall be placed in the neutral position until power is restored. The roadway shall be wide enough to accommodate the size of the equipment being tested. When equipment must be moved or operated near energized high-voltage powerlines (other than trolley lines) and the clearance is less than 10 feet, the lines shall be deenergized or other precautionary measures shall be taken. Geological area means an area characterized by the presence of the same ore bodies, the same stratigraphic sequence of beds, or the same ore-bearing geological formation. (2) Automatically deenergize electrical equipment, except power to monitoring equipment determined by MSHA to be intrinsically safe under 30 CFR part 18, and prevent starting such equipment when methane levels reach 1.5 percent. The operating mechanism of the clutch of every man-hoist drum shall be provided with a locking mechanism, or interlocked electrically or mechanically with the brake to prevent accidental withdrawal of the clutch. Air Quality, Radiation, Physical Agents, and Diesel Particulate Matter. (a) If electric blasting includes the use of branch circuits, each branch shall be equipped with a safety switch or equivalent method to isolate the circuits to be used. Exception: "J" hooks are permitted to be used for setting wooden trusses. Upon completion of such instruction, copies of the record shall be submitted to the District Manager. The operator shall institute a reasonable program to assure that persons entering the mine do not carry such items. (2) Where constructed of combustible materials, the outside surfaces shall be coated with at least one inch of construction plaster containing perlite and gypsum; at least one inch of expanded vermiculite, Portland cement and limestone; or other coatings with equivalent fire resistance; Brattice cloth and ventilation tubing shall be approved by MSHA in accordance with 30 CFR part 7, or shall bear a BC or VT acceptance number issued by the MSHA Approval and Certification Center. Misfire means the complete or partial failure of a blasting charge to explode as planned. Dry wooden platforms, insulating mats, or other electrically-nonconductive material shall be kept in place at all switchboards and power-control switches where shock hazards exist. The MSHA enforces regulations as per the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, which is the basis of many safety protocols and standards you'll see in mining operations today. Service of a request for hearing is completed upon mailing by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. (a) When there has been a main ventilation failure, such as stoppage of main fans or failure of other components of the main ventilation system, tests for methane shall be conducted in affected active workings until normal air flow has resumed. (c) Persons authorized by a mine operator to maintain diesel equipment covered by paragraph (a) of this section must be qualified, by virtue of training or experience, to ensure that the maintenance standards of paragraph (a) of this section are observed. (2) Alterations or repairs on ROPS shall be performed only with approval from the ROPS manufacturer or under the instructions of a registered professional engineer with knowledge and experience in ROPS design. If used as an alternative, the automatic fire suppression system and alternate escape route shall meet the following requirements: (ii) The appropriate size and type for the particular fire hazards involved; and. (b) Explosive material transported in hoist conveyances shall be placed within a container which prevents shifting of the cargo that could cause detonation of the container by impact or by sparks. The wood-grain of one layer shall be perpendicular to the wood-grain of the other layer. (a) Methane monitors shall be installed on continuous mining machines and longwall mining systems. Thawing pipes electrically, except with heat tape. 57.6102 Explosive material storage practices. Battery charging stations, compressor stations, pump stations, and transformer stations shall be installed in intake air at locations which are sufficiently ventilated to prevent the accumulation of methane.