the mine foreman shall personally supervise the cor-
rection of exceptionally dangerous conditions.
j. Examinations for dangerous conditions, includ-
ing tests for methane with a permissible flame safety
lamp, a permissible methane detector, or by chemical
analysis shall be made at least once each week by
the mine foreman or other properly certified person
designated by him; provided, however, that such
weekly examination need not be made during any
week in which the mine is idle for the entire week.
Such examinations and tests shall be made in the
return of each split where it enters the main return,
on pillar falls, at seals, in the main return, at least
one entry of each intake and return airway in its
entirety, idle workings, and, insofar as conditions
permit, abandoned workings. The person making
such examinations and tests shall mark his initials
and the date at the places examined, and if danger-
ous conditions are found, they shall be reported
promptly. A record of these examinations and tests
shall be kept at the mine.
k. The mine foreman shall read and countersign
promptly the daily reports of the fire bosses and
assistant mine foreman, and he shall read and coun-
tersign promptly the weekly report covering the
examinations for dangerous conditions. Where such
reports disclose dangerous conditions, the mine fore-
man shall take prompt action to have such condi-
tions corrected. The mine superintendent, or assist-
ant mine superintendent where such official is in
charge at the mine, shall also read and countersign
the daily and weekly reports of the mine officials.
1. Each day, the mine foreman and each assistant
shall enter plainly and sign with ink or indelible
pencil in a book provided for that purpose a report
of the condition of the mine or portion thereof under
his supervision, which report shall state clearly the
location and nature of any danger observed by them
or reported to them during the day, and the report
shall state what action, if any, was taken to remedy
such danger.
m. All records of daily and weekly reports, as pre-
scribed herein, shall be open for inspection by inter-
ested persons.
ARTICLE VI.-COAL AND ROCK DUST
SECTION 1. Control of Coal Dust.-a. or
SECTION 209 (e) (1)-TITLE II.-Coal dust,
loose coal, and other combustible materials shall
not be permitted to accumulate in dangerous
quantities in active underground workings of a
mine.
SECTION 209 (e) (2)—TITLE II.-Where under-
ground mining operations raise an excessive
amount of dust into the air, water, or water with a
wetting agent added to it, or other effective method
shall be used to allay such dust at its source.
SECTION 2. Rock Dusting.-a. or
SECTION 209 (e) (3)-TITLE II.-All under-
ground mines, except those mines or areas of mines
in which the dust is too wet or too high in incom-
bustible content to propagate an explosion, shall be
rock-dusted to within 40 feet of all faces, and, if
open crosscuts near such faces are less than 40 feet
therefrom, such crosscuts shall be rock-dusted.
b. or
SECTION 209 (e) (4)-TITLE II.-In mines
partially rock-dusted or in mines that are required
to start rock-dusting, haulageways and parallel
entries connected thereto by open crosscuts shall be
rock-dusted. Back entries shall be rock-dusted for
at least one thousand feet outby the junction with the first active entry. Inby this junction, the rooms, entries, and crosscuts shall be rock-dusted.
SECTION 209 (e) (5)—TITLE II.-Where rock
dust is applied, it shall be distributed upon the
top, floor, and sides of all open places and main-
tained in such quantity that the incombustible con-
tent of the combined coal dust, rock dust and other
dust will not be less than 65 per centum. Where
methane is present in any ventilating current, the
65 per centum of incombustible content of such
combined dust shall be increased 1 per centum for
each 0.1 per centum of methane.
ARTICLE VII.-TRANSPORTATION
SECTION 1. Hoisting.—a. Where men are regu-
larly transported into or out of a mine, or under-
ground by hoists, or on surface inclines, a qualified
hoisting engineer shall be on duty continuously while
any person is underground, except as provided in
subsection "b" of this section.
SECTION 209 (h) (7)-TITLE II.-Every hoist
used to transport persons at a mine, other than
hoists used in excavating shafts or slopes, shall be
equipped with overspeed, overwind, and auto-
matic stop controls unless a second engineer is on
duty. Every hoist used to transport such persons
shall be equipped with brakes capable of stopping
the platform, cage, or other device for transporting
persons when fully loaded; and with hoisting cable
adequately strong to sustain the fully loaded plat-
form, cage, or other device for transporting per-
sons, and have a proper margin of safety. Cages
or platforms which are used to transport persons
in vertical shafts, except cages or platforms which
are also used to transport coal, shall be equipped
with safety catches that act quickly and effectively
in an emergency, and the safety catches shall be
tested at least once every two months. Every hoist
that is used to transport persons at a mine shall
44
be inspected daily. No engineer shall be required for automatically operated cages or platforms.
c. The hoisting engineer shall operate the empty
cages up and down the shaft at least one round trip
at the beginning of each shift and after the hoist
has been idle for 1 hour or more before hoisting or
lowering men.
d. An accurate and reliable indicator, showing the
position of the cage or trip, shall be placed so as to
be in clear view of the engineer, unless the position
of the cage or trip is clearly visible to the engineer
at all times.
e. The rope shall have at least three full turns on
the drum when extended to its maximum working
length and shall make at least one full turn on the
drum shaft or around the spoke of the drum, in case
of a free drum, and be fastened securely by means
of clamps.
f. The hoisting rope shall be fastened to its load
by a spelter-filled socket or by a thimble and ade-
quate number of clamps properly spaced and in-
stalled.
g. Any rope attached to a cage, man-car, or trip
used for hoisting or lowering men shall be provided
with two bridle chains or cables connected securely
to the rope at least 3 feet above the socket or thimble
and to the crosspiece of the cage or to the man-car or
trip.
h. Hoisting equipment, including the headgear,
cages, ropes, connections, links and chains, shaft
guides, shaft walls, and other facilities shall be in-
spected daily by a competent person designated by
the management. Such inspector shall report im-
mediately to his superior any defects found, and any
such defects shall be corrected promptly. The per-
son making such examination shall make a daily per-
manent record of each inspection, which shall be open
for inspection by interested persons.
SECTION 2. Cages, Shafts, Slopes, and Surface
Inclines.-a. Cages used for hoisting men shall be
of substantial construction; with adequate steel bon-
nets; with enclosed sides; with gates, safety chains,
or bars across the ends of the cage when men are be-
ing hoisted or lowered; and with sufficient hand-
holds or chains for all men on the cage to maintain
their balance. A locking device to prevent tilting of
the cage shall be used on all self-dumping cages
when men are transported thereon.
b. The floor of the cage shall be constructed so
that it will be adequate to carry the load and so that
it will be impossible for a workman's foot or body
to enter any opening in the bottom of the cage.
c. The speed of the cage, car, or trip in shafts,
slopes, or on surface inclines shall not exceed 1,000
feet a minute when men are being hoisted or lowered.
d. Two independent means of signaling shall be
provided between the top, bottom, and all interme-
diate landings of shafts, slopes, and surface inclines
and the hoisting station. At least one of these means
of signaling shall be audible to the hoisting engineer.
e. An adopted signal code shall be in use at each mine and shall be posted prominently in the engine
room in easy sight of the engineer and at all places where signals are given,
f. Workmen shall wear safety belts while doing
work in or over shafts. When men are working in
the shaft, a qualified attendant shall be on duty at the
cage station designated by the supervisor in charge.
g. An attendant shall be on duty at the surface
and all other cage stations when men are being
hoisted or lowered at the beginning and end of each
operating shift. Persons entering or leaving the
mine at other times shall be properly instructed in
the use of the signal system at the mine. Where au-
tomatic elevators are used, and the elevator is in
charge of a competent person, no other attendant
shall be required at the elevator station.
h. All open entrances to shafts shall be equipped
with safety gates at the top and at each landing ex-
cept at bottom landings. Such gates shall be self-
closing and shall be kept closed except when the cage
is at such landing. Gates shall not be required at the
dumping point of self-dumping cages or skips.
i. Positive stopblocks or derails shall be placed
near the top and at intermediate landings of slopes
and surface inclines and at the approaches to all shaft
landings.
j. At the bottom of each hoisting shaft and at
intermediate landings, a "runaround" shall be pro-
vided for safe passage from one side of the shaft to
the other. This passageway shall be not less than
5 feet in height and 3 feet in width.
k. Ice shall not be permitted to accumulate exces-
sively in any shaft where men are hoisted or lowered.
1. No person shall ride on a loaded cage.
SECTION 3. Haulage Roads.-a. The roadbed,
rails, joints, switches, frogs, and other elements of
the track of all haulage roads shall be constructed,
installed, and maintained in a manner consistent with
speed and type of haulage operations being conducted
to insure safe operation.
b. All track switches, except room and entry-
development switches, shall be provided with prop-
erly installed throws, and, where necessary, equipped
with guardrails. Room and entry-development
switches shall be provided with properly installed
latches and bridle bars.
c. Track switches, except those in rooms and in
entry development shall be equipped with properly
installed guardrails wherever necessary.
d. At least 24 inches of clearance shall be provided
at switch throws for a distance of not less than 10
feet on each side of such throws.
e. Rails shall be secured at all joints by means of
plates or weld.
f. Shuttle-car haulage roads shall be maintained
as free as practicable from bottom irregularities,
debris, and wet or muddy conditions that make it
difficult to control the shuttle car.
SECTION 4. Clearance and Shelter Holes.-
a. Track-haulage roads in entries, rooms, and cross-
cuts developed after the effective date of this Code
shall have a continuous clearance on one side of at
least 24 inches from the farthest projection of moving
traffic; provided, however, that this does not prohibit
the changing of the clearance side, should it become
necessary, if adequate clearance is provided on both
sides for a distance of not less than 100 feet and
warning signs are provided at such locations.
b. Track-haulage roads in entries, rooms, and
crosscuts developed after the effective date of this
Code shall have a continuous clearance on the "tight"
side of at least 6 inches from the farthest projection
of moving traffic.
c. On haulage roads where trolley lines are used,
the clearance for traveling shall be on the side oppo-
site the trolley lines, except where such lines are 62
feet or more above the rail.
d. The clearance space on all track-haulage roads
shall be kept free of loose rock, supplies, and other
loose materials; provided, however, that not more
than 24 inches need be kept free of obstructions.
e. Ample clearance shall be provided at conveyor-
loading heads, at conveyor-control panels, and along
conveyor lines.
f. Where it is necessary for men to cross conveyors
regularly, suitable crossing facilities shall be
provided.
g. Shelter holes shall be provided at intervals of
not more than 80 feet along all haulage entries driven
after July 24, 1946, except conveyor entries.
h. Shelter holes made after the effective date of
this Code shall be at least 5 feet in depth, not more
than 4 feet in width, and 6 feet in height, or as high
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