Program Policy Manual - VOLUME V - Mine Safety and Health ...

MSHA PROGRAM POLICY MANUAL VOLUME V
Subpart O Hoisting and Mantrips
75.1400 Hoisting Equipment; General
A hoist used to transport person(s) shall comply with the
provisions of this Section. The number of person(s) transported
or the frequency of which the hoist is used to transport
person(s) are not factors for compliance with this Section.
Although scaffolding hoists are not equipped with safety
catches, they can comply with personnel hoisting regulations.
Safety systems utilizing safety belts attached to independently
suspended safety lines by lanyards and rope grabs can be
approved by district managers as a no less effective device to
be used in lieu of safety catches.
The following guidelines should be used in approving these devices.
1. Life lines must be attached to a structural member of
the shaft or collar or surface facility and not to the
hoist rope outrigger.
2. Life lines of at least first grade 5/8-inch nylon
rope, 3/4 inch manila hemp rope, or equivalent, must
be provided for each miner.
3. Substantial safety belts securely attached to the
independently suspended safety lines by lanyards and
rope grabs must be used at all times when embarking,
disembarking or working on the platform.
75.1402 Communication Between Shaft Stations and Hoist Room
A signal code shall be adopted and used, and it should be posted
in view of the hoisting engineer and at all places where signals
are given.
Signals received by the engineer shall be repeated by the
engineer when miners are to be hoisted or lowered.
75.1403 Other Safeguards
The safeguards, in addition to those included as criteria in the
Federal Register, may be considered of sufficient importance to
be required in accordance with this Section.
It must be remembered that these criteria are not mandatory. If
an authorized representative of the Secretary determines that a
transportation hazard exists and the hazard is not covered by a
mandatory regulation, the authorized representative must issue a
safeguard notice, allowing time to comply before a 104(a)
October 2003 (Release V-34) 125