§ 75.382 - Mechanical escape facilities.

§ 75.382 Mechanical escape facilities.

(a) Mechanical escape facilities shall be provided with overspeed, overwind, and automatic stop controls.

(b) Every mechanical escape facility with a platform, cage, or other device shall be equipped with brakes that can stop the fully loaded platform, cage, or other device.

(c) Mechanical escape facilities, including automatic elevators, shall be examined weekly. The weekly examination of this equipment may be conducted at the same time as a daily examination required by § 75.1400-3.

(1) The weekly examination shall include an examination of the headgear, connections, links and chains, overspeed and overwind controls, automatic stop controls, and other facilities.

(2) At least once each week, the hoist shall be run through one complete cycle of operation to determine that it is operating properly.

(d) A person trained to operate the mechanical escape facility always shall be available while anyone is underground to provide the mechanical escape facilities, if required, to the bottom of each shaft and slope opening that is part of an escapeway within 30 minutes after personnel on the surface have been notified of an emergency requiring evacuation. However, no operator is required for automatically operated cages, platforms, or elevators.

(e) Mechanical escape facilities shall have rated capacities consistent with the loads handled.

(f) Manually-operated mechanical escape facilities shall be equipped with indicators that accurately and reliably show the position of the facility.

(g) Certification. The person making the examination as required by paragraph (c) of this section shall certify by initials, date, and the time that the examination was made. Certifications shall be made at or near the facility examined.