West Virginia § 22A-2-49 Safeguards for mechanical equipment

West Virginia Statutes

§ 22A-2-49 — Safeguards for mechanical equipment

West Virginia § 22A-2-49

Ch. 22AMINERS' HEALTH, SAFETY AND TRAINING

Art. 2UNDERGROUND MINES

This text of West Virginia § 22A-2-49 (Safeguards for mechanical equipment) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 22A-2-49 (2026).

Text

(a)The cutter chains of mining machines shall be locked securely by mechanical means or electrical interlocks while such machines are parked or being trammed. Loading machines shall not be trammed with loading arms in motion, except when loading materials.

(b)Belt, chain or rope drives and the moving parts of machinery which are within seven feet of the floor, ground or platform level, unless isolated, shall be guarded adequately. Repair pits shall be kept covered or guarded at all times when not in use. Machinery shall not be lubricated or repaired while in motion, except where safe remote lubricating devices are used. Machinery shall not be started until the person lubricating or repairing it has given a clear signal. Guards which have been removed shall be replaced before the machine

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(a) The cutter chains of mining machines shall be locked securely by mechanical means or electrical interlocks while such machines are parked or being trammed. Loading machines shall not be trammed with loading arms in motion, except when loading materials.

(b) Belt, chain or rope drives and the moving parts of machinery which are within seven feet of the floor, ground or platform level, unless isolated, shall be guarded adequately. Repair pits shall be kept covered or guarded at all times when not in use. Machinery shall not be lubricated or repaired while in motion, except where safe remote lubricating devices are used. Machinery shall not be started until the person lubricating or repairing it has given a clear signal. Guards which have been removed shall be replaced before the machinery is again put into use. Provision shall be made to prevent accumulations of spilled lubricants.

(c) Mechanically operated grinding wheels shall be equipped with safety washers, substantial retaining hoods, and, unless goggles are used, eye shields.

(d) No person shall stand along the side of the boom, or pass or stand along the loading head or cutting head, on a continuous miner or loading machine in operation.

(e) Braking devices shall be guarded to prevent accidental release. When required by the director, track-mounted mobile equipment shall be equipped with workable standing devices.

(f) All battery powered equipment shall be equipped with under-voltage indicator which will indicate when the voltage is less than three-fourths of its rated capacity, at which time such equipment shall be withdrawn from use except for the purpose of returning the vehicle to the recharging station.

(g) On and after January 1, 1988, all manually operated valves and levers of equipment of the same manufacturer and model shall have the same direction of activation and direction of operations.