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

MSHA PROGRAM POLICY MANUAL VOLUME V
The purpose of paragraph (d) is to provide substantial protection
for the head from falling objects and to protect miners against
electrical shock or burn. Hard hats are required to be suitable
for these purposes and, if they are painted, the paint base must
be nonmetallic.
Hard hats or caps that meet or exceed the applicable
specification of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
provide appropriate head protection and comply with these
requirements. The applicable standards are ANSI's "Safety
Requirements for Industrial Head Protection," Z89.1, and "Safety
Requirements for Industrial Protective Helmets for Electrical
Workers, Class B," Z89.2.
Hard hats or caps that do not meet or exceed the applicable ANSI
or equivalent standards should not be used. Plastic "baseballtype"
caps and thin plastic hats do not have adequate suspension
systems and are not constructed of sufficiently substantial
material to afford the necessary protection from impact and
penetration of falling objects. Hats or caps constructed of
metal materials create an additional hazard of electrical shock
or burn because they are conductive.
Paragraph (g) of this Section requires that safety belts and
lines shall be worn at all times by all miners working in
positions where there is a danger of falling, except where safety
belts and lines may present a greater hazard or are impractical.
In those cases, the standard requires that alternative
precautions be taken to provide the miners with an equal or
greater degree of protection. Substantial scaffolding with
adequate guardrails or safety nets are acceptable alternatives.
The objective of this policy is to insure that miners working
where there is a danger of falling are always protected.
77.1711 Smoking Prohibition
This Section prohibits smoking or open flame where such practice
may cause a fire or explosion. Section 77.1702 requires that
areas be posted with warning signs where fire or explosion
hazards exist.
77.1712 Reopening Mines; Notification; Inspection Prior to
Mining
Failure of the operator to notify MSHA of the reopening of the
mine before operations begin is a violation of this Section.
Failure to have all the plans, programs and systems submitted
during this inspection is not necessarily a violation. During a
February 2003 (Release V-33) 209