45.1-161.158 - Inspections of hoisting equipment.
§ 45.1-161.158. Inspections of hoisting equipment.
A. Before hoisting or lowering miners in a shaft, the hoisting engineer shalloperate empty cages up and down each shaft at least one round trip at thebeginning of each shift and after the hoist has been idle for one hour ormore.
B. Before hoisting or lowering miners in slope and surface incline hoisting,the hoisting engineer shall operate empty cages at least one round trip atthe beginning of each shift and after the hoist has been idle for one hour ormore.
C. The hoisting engineer, at the time the inspections required by subsectionsA and B are performed, shall (i) inspect all cable or rope fastenings at allcages, buckets, or slope cars; (ii) inspect hammer locks and pins, thimbles,and clamps; (iii) inspect safety chains on buckets, cage or slope cars; (iv)inspect the braking system for malfunctions; (v) clean all excess oil andextraneous materials from the hoist housing construction; (vi) inspect theoverwind, overtravel, and lilly switch or control from stopping at the collarand within 100 feet of the work deck; and (vii) check communications betweenthe top house, work deck and work deck tugger house.
D. Hoisting rope on all cages or trips shall be inspected at the beginning ofeach shift by the hoisting engineer.
E. A test of safety catches on cages shall be made at least once each month.A written record shall be kept of such tests, and such record shall beavailable for inspection by interested persons.
F. Hoisting equipment including the headgear, cages, ropes, connections,links and chains, shaft guides, shaft walls, and other facilities shall beinspected daily by an authorized person designated by the operator. Suchperson shall also inspect all bull wheels and lighting systems on the headframe. Such person shall report immediately to the operator, or his agent,any defects found, and any such defect shall be corrected promptly. Theperson making such examination shall make a daily permanent record of suchinspection, which shall be available for inspection by interested persons. Ifa hoist is used only during a weekly examination of an escapeway, then theinspection required by this subsection shall only be required to be completedweekly before the examination occurs.
G. Subsections A, B, C, and D shall not apply to automatically operatedelevators.
(Code 1950, § 45-68.4; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, §§ 45.1-68, 45.1-69; 1972,c. 784; 1978, c. 729; 1994, c. 28; 1999, c. 256.)