W. Va. Code R. § 56-20-16
Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024
Section 56-20-16 - Installations16.1. Installations generally. 16.1.a. All quarry structures, enclosures, and other facilities shall be maintained in good condition. 16.1.b. In unusually dusty locations, electric motors, switches and controls shall be of dust-tight construction or enclosed with reasonable dust-tight housings or enclosures.16.1.c. Openings in installations through which persons or material may fall shall be protected by railings, barriers, covers or other protective devices.16.1.d. Illumination sufficient to provide safe working conditions shall be provided in and on all structures, paths, walkways, switch panels, loading and dumping sites, working areas and parking areas.16.1.e. Materials shall be stored and/or stacked in a manner to prevent stumbling or falling.16.1.f. Good housekeeping shall be practiced in and around all plants. Such practices include cleanliness, orderly storage of materials, and the removal of possible sources of injury, such as stumbling hazards, protruding nails and broken glass.16.1.g. Adequate ventilation shall be provided.16.1.h. A person entering a bin, tank or other dangerous area shall wear a full body harness that is tethered to a lifeline. A person shall continuously tend the lifeline from outside the bin, tank or other dangerous area.16.1.i. When entering such areas, a competent person will determine if the need for atmospheric monitoring is necessary.16.2. Machinery guards. 16.2.a. Gears, sprockets; chains, drive, head, tail and take-up pulleys; flywheels; couplings; shafts; saw blades; fan inlets; and similar exposed moving machine parts which may be contacted by persons, shall be guarded adequately.16.2.b. Except when testing is necessary, machinery guards shall be secured in place while being operated.16.2.c. Belt rollers shall not be cleaned while belts are in motion.16.3. Ramps and dumping. 16.3.a. Both sides of any dumping ramp shall be provided with adequate berms or barriers.16.3.b. Adequate berms or barriers shall be installed at all dumping points, excluding stockpiles.16.3.c. Adequate protection, including but not limited to signage, barricades or warning devices, shall be provided at dumping locations where persons may be endangered by falling material. Operator stations and workers shall be protected from hazards by distance, guarding, location, construction, etc.16.3.d. Dust control measures shall be taken where dust significantly reduces visibility of equipment operators.16.3.e. All power lines in dumping areas shall be maintained at least a minimum of twelve (12) feet above the largest piece of equipment used at such facility, including a dump truck in a raised position.16.3.f. All dumping ramps shall be of sufficient width to insure safe operation of vehicles used thereon.16.3.g. At no time shall any person be permitted to enter into any crusher, bin, screen or hopper unless the equipment has been tagged out, de-energized, and locked out with a key or other approved adequate safeguards approved by the Director. Workers shall not dislodge material from operating crushers, except with aggregate or rock breakers of an approved design.16.3.h. No person shall be permitted to perform any work within the confines of the cargo space of a crusher, feeder, or rotary breaker unless such equipment has been de-energized and locked out.16.3.i. Ramps and dumps shall be of solid construction and have ample width, clearance and head room, and be kept reasonably free of accumulations of material and spillage.16.4. Repairs of machinery. 16.4.a. Machinery shall not be lubricated while in motion, except where safe remote lubricating devices are used. Machinery that must be shut down for repairs or lubrication shall be locked out and tagged out to prevent accidental starting, and stored energy will be discharged, etc. Machinery shall not be re-started until the persons lubricating or repairing it have removed the lock and tag and all personnel are clear of the machinery.16.4.b. Where repairs are made, proper scaffolding and proper overhead protection shall be provided for workers when necessary.16.4.c. Where overhead repair work is being performed at surface installations, adequate protection shall be provided for all persons working or passing below.16.5. Stairs, platforms, etc. 16.5.a. Stairways, elevated platforms and runways shall be equipped with handrails.16.5.b. Elevated platforms shall be provided with toe boards. They shall be kept clear of refuse and ice and maintained in good condition.16.5.c. Vertical clearance above stair steps shall be a minimum of seven (7) feet or suitable warning signs or similar devices shall be provided to indicate an impaired clearance.16.6. Drive belts, etc. 16.6.a. Drive belts shall not be shifted while in motion unless such machines are provided with mechanical shifters.16.6.b. Belt dressing shall not be applied while in motion.16.6.c. Belts, chains and ropes shall not be guided onto power-driven moving pulleys, sprockets, or drums with the hand except equipment especially designed for hand feeding.16.7. Conveyors, crossovers and crossunders. 16.7.a. 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 when the conveyor will be started.16.7.b. Crossovers and crossunders shall be provided where necessary to cross conveyors. All crossovers and elevated crossunders shall be of substantial construction with rails and maintained in good condition. Moving conveyors shall be crossed only at designated crossover and crossunder points.16.7.c. Pulleys of conveyors shall not be cleaned manually while the conveyor is in operation.16.7.d. Guards, nets, or other suitable protection shall be provided where falling material from conveyor belts presents a risk of injury.16.7.e. Where it is required to cross under a belt, guarding shall be installed to prohibit a person from making contact with a moving part. Guards shall not be required where the exposed moving parts are at least seven (7) feet away from walking or working surfaces.16.7.f. Conveyors shall be locked out and tagged out before any work is performed within the confines of the belt. Conveyors shall not be re-started until locks and tags are removed.16.8. Travelways. 16.8.a. Safe means of access shall be provided and maintained to all working places.16.8.b. Travelways, platforms and other access to areas where persons are required to travel or work shall be kept free of all extraneous material and other stumbling or slipping hazards.16.8.c. Inclined travelways shall be constructed of nonskid material or equipped with cleats.16.8.d. Regularly used travelways shall be salted, sanded or cleared of snow and ice as soon as practical.16.9. Ladders. 16.9.a. All ladders shall be secured against movement. 16.9.b. Ladders shall be of substantial construction and maintained in good condition.16.9.c. Wooden ladders shall not be painted.16.9.d. Fixed ladders shall not incline backward at any point unless equipped with backguards.16.9.e. Fixed ladders shall be anchored securely and installed with at least three (3) inches of toe clearance. Permanent ladders more than ten (10) feet in height shall be provided with backguards.16.9.f. Side rails of fixed ladders shall project at least three (3) feet above landings or substantial handholds shall be provided above the landing.16.9.g. No person shall be permitted to work off of the top step of any ladder.16.9.h. Metal ladders shall not be used with electrical work or where there is danger of the ladder coming into contact with power lines or an electrical conductor.16.9.i. The maximum length of a step ladder shall be twenty (20) feet and an extension ladder sixty (60) feet.16.10. Hoisting. 16.10.a. All persons shall remain a safe distance from any supplies or materials while being raised, lowered or in transit by a forklift, crane, or other equipment: Provided, That whenever it is necessary to have persons other than the equipment operator in the immediate vicinity of any such supplies, the loads shall be securely fastened by a chain or other device to the equipment handling the load in order to prevent the load from slipping or falling off the equipment.16.10.b. Hitches and slings used to hoist materials shall be suitable for handling the type of material being hoisted.16.10.c. Persons shall stay clear of hoisted loads. 16.10.d. Tag lines shall be attached to hoisted materials that require steadying or guidance. A hoist shall not lift loads greater than the rated capacity of the hoist being used.16.11. Drawoff tunnels. 16.11.a. After the effective date of this article, all tunnels constructed shall include at least two (2) safe travelways to egress the tunnel. The safe travelways shall be at least thirty (30) inches in diameter or equivalent.16.11.b. Tunnels located below stockpiles and storage silos shall be adequately ventilated by natural or mechanical means.16.11.c. Communications or some other means of signaling shall be provided near the entrance to the escapeways in drawoff tunnels.16.11.d. Tunnels shall be inspected on a regular basis for structural integrity. Tunnels found not structurally sound shall be removed from service until such time as the structural integrity has been restored. 16.12. Ventilation and methane where coal is stored and used. 16.12.a. Tests for methane in structures, enclosures, or other facilities where coal is stored shall be conducted with an approved methane detector or device at least once during each operating shift.16.12.b. Methane content in surface structures. If, at any time, the air in any enclosure contains one percent (1.0%) or more of methane, changes or adjustments in the ventilation of such installation shall be made at once so that the air shall contain less than one percent (1.0%) methane.16.12.c. Dust accumulation in surface installations. Coal dust on surface structures, enclosures, or other facilities shall not be permitted to exist or accumulate in dangerous quantities.16.13. Railroad equipment. 16.13.a. Railroad cars shall be maintained under control at all times. Cars shall be dropped at a safe rate of speed and in such a manner that will insure that the car dropper maintains a safe position while working and traveling around the cars. The car dropper shall control the trip from one location and not drop more cars than can be controlled from such location. A car dropper shall not drop more than three (3) cars at one time with one (1) brake.16.13.b. 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 curves.16.13.c. No person shall ride the drawhead or coupler of a railroad car. No person other than the car dropper shall ride cars. No car dropper shall ride the end of a car about to be coupled with another car if other brakes are available.16.13.d. Employees handling railroad cars shall have access to and use an approved distinct audible signaling device to give warning when cars are in motion. A car dropper shall get on or off a moving car only in case of an emergency.16.13.e. Rail cars shall not be left on side tracks unless ample clearance is provided for traffic on adjacent tracks. Parked rail cars, unless held effectively by brakes, shall be blocked securely.16.13.f. Railroad cars shall be trimmed properly when they have been loaded higher than the confines of their cargo space.16.13.g. A minimum of thirty (30) inches continuous clearance from the furthest projection of moving railroad equipment shall be provided on at least one (1) side of the tracks; all places where it is not possible to provide thirty (30) inch clearance shall be marked conspicuously.16.13.h. Roadbeds, rails, joints, switches, frogs, and other elements on railroads shall be designed, installed and maintained in a safe manner consistent with the speed and type of haulage.16.13.i. Positive-acting stopblocks, derail devices, track skates, or other adequate means shall be installed where ever necessary to protect persons from runaway railroad equipment.16.13.j. Switch throws shall be installed so as to provide adequate clearance for switchmen.16.13.k. Where necessary, bumper blocks or the equivalent shall be provided at all track deadends.16.13.l. Cars shall be inspected for broken steps, platforms and brake wheels and for defective brakes before dropping.16.13.m. Equipment operating speeds shall be consistent with conditions of roadways, grades, clearance, visibility, traffic and the type of equipment used.16.13.n. Fall protection shall be worn and properly attached by all car droppers handling railroad cars.16.14. Railroad track construction and maintenance. 16.14.a. All parts of the track haulage road under the ownership or control of the operator shall be strictly constructed and maintained. Rails shall be secured at all points by means of plates or welds. When plates are used, plates conforming with the weight of the rail shall be installed and broken plates shall be replaced immediately. Appropriate bolts shall be inserted and maintained in all bolt holes. The appropriate number of bolts conforming with the appropriate rail plate for the weight of the rail shall be inserted, tightly secured, and maintained.16.14.b. All points shall be installed and maintained so as to prevent bad connections. Varying weights of rail shall not be joined without proper adapters. Tracks shall be blocked and leveled and maintained so as to prevent high and low joints.16.14.c. Tracks shall be gauged so as to conform with the track mounted equipment. Curves shall not be constructed so sharp as to put significant pressure on the trucks of the track-mounted equipment. 16.14.d. Severely worn or damaged rails and ties shall be replaced immediately.W. Va. Code R. § 56-20-16