§ 33.116. Cages, chains, links, cables and safety catches.

 (a)  Requirements for cage design. Cage design shall be as follows:

   (1)  Cages shall be designed and constructed to support safely five times the dead load and ten times the live load it will be required to carry.

   (2)  Cages used for hoisting or lowering men in a shaft shall be provided with a permanent cover to protect persons riding in such cages from falling objects. The ends of each cage shall be protected by a standard railing or by chains. The sides next to the guides shall be protected with standard railings and toeboards. There shall be an adequate number of handholds for all men on the cage.

   (3)  Each cage used for hoisting or lowering men in a shaft shall be provided with safety catches to prevent the cage from dropping to the bottom of the shaft should the engine fail or the cable break. These safety catches shall be required to stop the cage within a 5 foot drop.

 (b)  Safety blocks or derails. Safety blocks, derailing devices or some other approved device designed to prevent cars from falling into a shaft or running away on a slope shall be placed at or near the head of every shaft or slope and at each landing except the bottom landing. All safety blocks, derailing devices or other devices shall be maintained in good working order.

 (c)  Main link and bridle chains. The main link of the chain connecting the cable to the cage or car in any shaft or slope shall be made of best quality wrought iron or its equivalent. Bridle chains made of the same quality iron shall be attached to the main link, cable or cable socket from the crosshead of the cage when persons are being hoisted or lowered. The cable shall be fastened to its load by a babbitted or spelter socket, or with thimbles and clamps.

 (d)  Daily inspection. Each day they are used, all cages, rope or cable, links, chains and safety catches shall be carefully examined by a competent person delegated for that purpose by the mine superintendent or foreman. All defects shall be immediately corrected, and none of the above equipment shall be used in operation until the correction of defects found is accomplished.

 (e)  Additional requirement. The requirements for chains and cables found in Chapter 25, Subchapter B (relating to cranes, booms, and hoists) shall apply to all chains and cables used for hoisting purposes in a mine.