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 Mine Safety and Health Administration
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EFFECTIVE DATE:   March 18, 2008 EXPIRATION DATE: 03/31/2010
(Reissue of P04-V-04)                    


PROGRAM POLICY LETTER NO. P08-V-1

FROM:          KEVIN STRICKLINKEVIN G. STRICKLIN
                       Acting Administrator for
                       Coal Mine Safety and Health

SUBJECT:     Reissue of PPL No. P04-V-4; Repairs or Maintenance of Machinery,
                        30 CFR 75.1725(c)

Scope
Coal mine operators, equipment manufacturers, miners and miners' representatives, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) enforcement personnel, and other interested parties should have this information.

Purpose
This Program Policy Letter covers the MSHA policy concerning the requirements of Section 75.1725(c), Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), in order to prevent injuries while machinery repairs or maintenance are performed. This policy letter addresses the meaning of § 75.1725(c), and identifies a number of methods for complying with the standard.

Policy
Section 75.1725(c) provides that "[r]epairs or maintenance shall not be performed on machinery until the power is off and the machinery is blocked against motion, except where machinery motion is necessary to make adjustments."

Section 75.1725(c) refers to repairs or maintenance on machinery. "Machinery" includes hydraulic jacks or cylinders, belt conveyors, longwall conveyors, and other machinery used in coal mines. "Repair" means to fix, mend, or restore to good working order. "Maintenance" means the labor of keeping machinery in good working order.

"Maintenance" includes clean-up, such as clearing jammed material, or examinations on, or in close proximity to, machinery that are done to keep the machinery in good working order. A miner doing such maintenance, which could involve coming into contact with the machinery, may be harmed by movement of the machinery.

Under § 75.1725(c), power to the machinery must be off and the machinery blocked against motion. This is a performance standard; the objective is to prevent inadvertent or unexpected motion. Methods to comply with the standard include:
  1. Opening the circuit breaker for the affected machinery (30 C.F.R. § 75.900), provided no energized parts or conductors are exposed, and placing the run selector switch for startup of the machinery in the "off" position. On longwall machinery, this would include placing the lockout switch in the lockout position in the area where the repair or maintenance is being performed. For lubrication or changing bits of a shearer or a continuous mining machine, this would include opening a circuit breaker that is installed on the machine and that opens all power conductors entering the machine. (A qualified electrician would be required to de-energize a circuit breaker if there are exposed energized parts or conductors. See Item No. 8, 75.511, Program Policy Manual, Volume V.)


  2. Opening the circuit breaker at the power center that supplies power for the affected machinery (30 C.F.R. § 75.900) and disengaging the power cable coupler that supplies power to the machinery (30 C.F.R. § 75.903).


  3. Opening a manual visible disconnect switch, either within the circuit or onboard the machinery, (30 CFR 75.903) and securing the switch against re-energization. A control circuit start-stop switch does not constitute a manual disconnect.


  4. In cases such as steeply inclined belt conveyors and suspended loads, when removing the power alone will not ensure against unintentional or inadvertent movement, the machinery shall be physically blocked, in addition to removing the power by one of the three methods described above. Physical blocking may be achieved by the use of such devices as bards, chocks, or clamps.
Other methods may be appropriate in particular situations to prevent unintentional or inadvertent movement. What method(s) is appropriate depends upon the circumstances and type of machinery. The critical determination is whether the method(s) used would effectively prevent motion.

In addition, it is important to emphasize that restoring power prematurely while repairs or maintenance are ongoing places a miner performing that work in harm's way. Operators must prevent inattentive restarting and assure that repairs or maintenance have ceased before power is restored to the machinery. Preventive measures operators can take include locking and tagging out, clearance checks, or visible or audible alarms with built-in time delays before restart to warn the miner(s) performing the work so power will not be restored without the miner's knowledge.

Background
Miners have suffered serious injuries and fatalities when performing maintenance work on machinery that started up and moved unexpectedly. Adequate methods to assure the miners' safety were not used. There is a consequent need to emphasize and clarify the applicable law and the ways the legal standard can be met.

Authority
The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended, 30 U.S.C. § 801 et seq., and 30 C.F.R. § 75.1725(c).

Internet Availability
This program policy letter may be viewed on the Internet by accessing MSHA's homepage at www.msha.gov then choosing "Rules & Regs" and "Compliance Assistance Information."

Contact Person(s)
Coal Mine Safety and Health
Acting Chief, Safety Division
Stephen J. Gigliotti, (202) 693-9479
E-mail: Gigliotti.Stephen@dol.gov

Coal Mine Safety and Health
Safety Division, Senior Electrical Engineer
Salwa El-Bassioni, (202) 693-9525
E-mail: El-Bassioni.Salwa@dol.gov

Distribution
MSHA Program Policy Manual Holders
Miners' Representatives
Coal Mine Operators
Manufacturers of Mine Equipment
Special Interest Groups




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