Loading and haulage equipment; operation.

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§ 77.1607 Loading and haulage equipment; operation.

(a) Vehicles shall follow at a safe distance; passing shall be limited to areas of adequate clearance and visibility.

(b) Mobile equipment operators shall have full control of the equipment while it is in motion.

(c) Equipment operating speeds shall be prudent and consistent with conditions of roadway, grades, clearance, visibility, traffic, and the type of equipment used.

(d) Cabs of mobile equipment shall be kept free of extraneous materials.

(e) Operators shall sit facing the direction of travel while operating equipment with dual controls.

(f) When an equipment operator is present, men shall notify him before getting on or off equipment.

(g) Equipment operators shall be certain, by signal or other means, that all persons are clear before starting or moving equipment.

(h) Where possible, aerial tramways shall not be started until the tramway operator has ascertained that everyone is in the clear.

(i) Dust control measures shall be taken where dust significantly reduces visibility of equipment operators.

(j) Dippers, buckets, loading booms, or heavy suspended loads shall not be swung over the cabs of haulage vehicles until the drivers are out of the cabs and in safe locations, unless the trucks are designed specifically to protect the drivers from falling material.

(k) Men shall not work or pass under the buckets or booms of loaders in operation.

(l) Tires shall be deflated before repairs on them are started and adequate means shall be provided to prevent wheel locking rims from creating a hazard during tire inflation.

(m) Electrically powered mobile equipment shall not be left unattended unless the master switch is in the off position, all operating controls are in the neutral position, and the brakes are set or other equivalent precautions are taken against rolling.

(n) Mobile equipment shall not be left unattended unless the brakes are set. The wheels shall be turned into a bank or berm, or shall be blocked, when such equipment is parked on a grade.

(o) Lights, flares, or other warning devices shall be posted when parked equipment creates a hazard to vehicular traffic.

(p) Dippers, buckets, scraper blades, and similar movable parts shall be secured or lowered to the ground when not in use.

(q) Shovel trailing cables shall not be moved with the shovel dipper unless cable slings or sleds are used.

(r) Equipment which is to be hauled shall be loaded and protected so as to prevent sliding or spillage.

(s) When moving between work areas, the equipment shall be secured in the travel position.

(t) Any load extending more than 4 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle body should be marked clearly with a red flag by day and a red light at night.

(u) Tow bars shall be used to tow heavy equipment and a safety chain shall be used in conjunction with each tow bar.

(v) Railroad cars shall be kept under control at all times by the car dropper. Cars shall be dropped at a safe rate and in a manner that will insure that the car dropper maintains a safe position while working and traveling around the cars.

(w) Railroad cars shall not be coupled or uncoupled manually from the inside of curves unless the railroad and cars are so designed to eliminate any hazard from coupling or uncoupling cars from inside of curves.

(x) Persons shall wear safety belts when dropping railroad cars.

(y) Railcars shall not be left on sidetracks unless ample clearance is provided for traffic on adjacent tracks.

(z) Parked railcars, unless held effectively by brakes, shall be blocked securely.

(aa) Railroad cars and all trucks shall be trimmed properly when they have been loaded higher than the confines of their cargo space.

(bb) When the entire length of a conveyor is visible from the starting switch, the operator shall visually check to make certain that all persons are in the clear before starting the conveyor. When the entire length of the conveyor is not visible from the starting switch, a positive audible or visible warning system shall be installed and operated to warn persons that the conveyor will be started.

(cc) Unguarded conveyors with walkways shall be equipped with emergency stop devices or cords along their full length.

(dd) Adequate backstops or brakes shall be installed on inclined-conveyor drive units to prevent conveyors from running in reverse if a hazard to personnel would be caused.

(ee) Aerial tram conveyor buckets shall not be overloaded, and feed shall be regulated to prevent spillage.


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