45.1-161.147 - Operation of equipment. - Virginia Statutes

§ 45.1-161.147. Operation of equipment.

A. Operators of self-propelled haulage equipment shall face in the directionof travel except when the equipment is being loaded and is under the boom ofthe loading equipment.

B. Track haulage cars which require coupling and uncoupling shall be equippedwith automatic couplers or devices designed to allow coupling and uncouplingwithout exposing miners between equipment. Specialty cars designed with safeclearance when connecting to other cars are excluded from the provisions ofthis subsection.

C. Persons operating self-propelled haulage equipment shall sound a warningbefore starting such equipment and on approaching curves, sidetracks, doors,curtains, manway crossings, or any other place where persons are or arelikely to be.

D. All rail equipment shall be operated at speeds which are safe for thecondition of the rail installation, grades and clearances encountered. Whenrail equipment is being operated at normal safe speeds, a distance of 300feet shall be maintained from the rear of other rail equipment in operationexcept trailing locomotives that are an integral part of the trip.

E. All persons shall stand in the clear during switching operations.

F. No two pieces of self-propelled mobile mining equipment traveling inopposite directions inside a coal mine shall be allowed to pass each otherwhile both are in motion on the same haulage road unless a minimum of 24inches is maintained between the vehicles.

(Code 1950, § 45-69.1; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-73; 1979, c. 315;1983, c. 70; 1985, c. 302; 1994, c. 28; 1996, c. 774; 1999, c. 256; 2005, c.3.)