Criteria-Haulage; general.

§ 75.1403–10 Criteria—Haulage; general. (a) A permissible trip light or other approved device such as reflectors, approved by the Coal Mine Safety District Manager(s), should be used on the rear of trips pulled, on the front of trips pushed and on trips lowered in slopes. However, trip lights or other approved devices need not be used on cars being shifted to and from loading machines, on cars being handled at loading heads, during gathering operations at working faces, when trailing locomotives are used, or on trips pulled by animals. (b) Cars on main haulage roads should not be pushed, except where necessary to push cars from side tracks located near the working section to the producing entries and rooms, where necessary to clear switches and sidetracks, and on the approach to cages, slopes, and surface inclines. (c) Warning lights or reflective signs or tapes should be installed along haulage roads at locations of abrupt or sudden changes in the overhead clearance. (d) No person, other than the motorman and brakeman, should ride on a locomotive unless authorized by the mine foreman, and then only when safe riding facilities are provided. No person should ride on any loaded car or on the bumper of any car. However, the brakeman may ride on the rear bumper of the last car of a slow moving trip pulled by a locomotive. (e) Positive-acting stopblocks or derails should be used where necessary to protect persons from danger of runaway haulage equipment. (f) An audible warning should be given by the operator of all self-propelled equipment including off-track equipment, where persons may be endangered by the movement of the equipment. (g) Locomotives and personnel carriers should not approach to within 300 feet of preceding haulage equipment, except trailing locomotives that are an integral part of the trip. (h) A total of at least 36 inches of unobstructed side clearance (both sides combined) should be provided for all rubber-tired haulage equipment where such equipment is used. (i) Off-track haulage roadways should be maintained as free as practicable from bottom irregularities, debris, and wet or muddy conditions that affect the control of the equipment. (j) Operators of self-propelled equipment should face in the direction of travel. (k) Mechanical steering and control devices should be maintained so as to provide positive control at all times. (l) All self-propelled rubber-tired haulage equipment should be equipped with well maintained brakes, lights, and a warning device. (m) On and after March 30, 1971, all tram control switches on rubber-tired equipment should be designed to provide automatic return to the stop or off position when released.