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persons are employed, shall construct and maintain at least two distinct openings, which in mines operated by shaft shall be separated by natural strata of not less than three hundred feet in breadth, and in mines operated by slope or drift, not less than two hundred feet in breadth, to which ingress and egress at all times shall be unobstructed to the employes and persons having occasion to use the same as escape ways or place of exit from the mine.

Escape Shafts Equipped with Stairway. How Constructed.

SEC. 22. All escape shafts hereafter constructed not provided with hoisting appliances as hereinafter provided, shall have stairs at an angle of not more than forty-five degrees in ascent, nor less than eighteen inches wide in the clear, with proper, safe and substantial landing at convenient and easy distances and equipped with good and substantial hand rails or banisters. If shaft be used for an escape shaft and air shaft, that part of the shaft used as an escape way shall be divided and partitioned closely with good and substantial material from the part used as an air shaft, all of which shall be kept in a safe condition as by this act provided.

Escape Shaft Equipped with Hoisting Apparatus.

SEC. 23. All escape shafts not provided with stairs shall be provided with suitable appliances for hoisting underground workmen, ready for use at all times, both day and night, while the workmen are at labor, which hoisting apparatus shall be separate and apart from the hoisting shaft, and the equipment shall include a depth indicator brake on the drum, steel or iron cage, safety catches on cages and covers on cages to securely protect any person while on the cage.

Traveling Ways. How Constructed. Sign Boards. SEC. 24. In any mine affected by this act, and every seam of coal worked therein there shall be constructed, kept and maintained, safe and accessible traveling ways from the escape ways or place of exit to main haulage roads, which shall be maintained free from falls of roof, standing water, or other obstructions. At all points where the passage or traveling ways to the escapment shaft or place of exit intersect other road ways or entries, conspicuous sign boards shall be placed thereat, indicating the way to such place of exit. Escape Ways Kept Free from Foul Air, Ice and Obstructions.

SEC. 25. The escape way shall be ventilated and kept free from vitiated air, accumulations of ice and obstructions of every kind; nor shall steam or heated air be discharged therein during the day time, unless an attendant be kept in charge thereof and the equipment so arranged that the steam or

warm air may be readily turned off at any time when required, and a conspicuous sign board placed in plain view, indicating the point where the steam or warm air may be turned off, as by this act contemplated; and all surface or other water which flows therein, shall be conducted by rings or otherwise to receptacles for the same so as to keep the stairway reasonably free from falling water.

Lights at the Top and Opening of Shaft.

SEC. 26. In all cases, after twilight, or when by reason of steam or other causes obscuring the plain view of the top or opening of any shaft, there shall be maintained a good and substantial light, but in no case shall an open light or torch be used.

Traveling Way Around Bottom of Hoisting Shaft.

SEC. 27. At the bottom of each hoisting shaft there shall be constructed a safe and convenient traveling way around the shaft for employes and animals, and it shall be unlawful for any person to pass across the shaft bottom in any other manner or in any other way than the traveling way herein contemplated, except such employes as may be necessary to perform the work at the bottom of the shaft or those engaged in making repairs.

Stable Location. Construction. Not Used for Storage Pur

poses.

SEC. 28. The owner, operator, lessee or person in charge of any mine shall not be allowed to locate any stable at a point in any mine where the air current supplied to the employes passes through such place. The materials used in the construction of the stables herein contemplated shall, as near as practicable, be incombustible, and such stables shall not be used as a place for storing, nor shall any inflammable material be stored therein, except such hay as may be necessary for one day's use, except in case of emergency.

Places of Refuge. Signals. Lights.

SEC. 29. On all single track haulage roads where haulage. is done by machinery, which roads the persons employed in the mine must use, while traveling on foot to and from their work, there shall be places of refuge on one side not less than three feet in depth from the side of the car, and not less than five feet long and not less than the height of the entry as driven and not more than sixty feet apart. On rope haulage roads means of signaling shall be established between the haulage engines at all points on the road. A conspicuous light must be carried on the front of every trip or train of such cars moved by machinery. On all haulage roads on

which the hauling is done by draught animals whereon men are obliged to pass to and from their work, there shall be places of refuge not less than three feet in width from the side of the car and not less than five feet long and not less than the height of the entry as driven, and not more than sixty feet apart. Refuge places shall not be required in the entries on which room necks are turned at regular intervals not exceeding sixty feet apart, which furnish required refuge places. All places of refuge must be kept clear of obstruction, except supports, and no materials shall be stored or be allowed to accumulate therein.

Means of Communications, Safety Appliances, Etc.

SEC. 30. The operator or superintendent shall provide and maintain from the top to the bottom of every shaft where persons are raised or lowered, a metal tube suitably adapted to the free passage of sound, through which conversation may be held between persons at the top and bottom of said shaft, and also means of signaling from the top to the bottom thereof, and shall provide every cage used for the hoisting or lowering of persons, with a sufficient overhead covering to protect these persons when using the same, and shall provide also for each said cage a safety catch approved by the mine inspector and to be tested by drop quarterly. The said operator or superintendent shall see that flanges with sufficient clearance, when the rope is wound around the drum, to prevent the rope slipping off the drum of every engine that is used for lowering and hoisting persons to and out of the mine, are used, and also, that adequate brakes are attached to the drums : Provided, That the rope shall be left around the drum at least one and one-half times when the cage is at the bottom of the shaft. Safety gates, to be approved by the mine superintendent, shall be so placed as to prevent persons from falling into the shaft. The ropes, chains and machinery, and all its connections used for lowering or raising the employes into or out of the mines shall be kept in a safe condition and inspected once every twenty-four hours by a competent person provided by the mine operator for that purpose, who shall make a daily record of such inspection in a book provided for that purpose, and such machinery and the method of its inspection shall be approved by the mine inspector.

Safety in Hoisting Men.

SEC. 31. Hoisting and lowering men. Every cage on which persons are carried must be fitted with iron bars or rings in proper place and sufficient number to furnish a secure handhold for every person permitted to ride thereon, and not more than ten persons shall be allowed to descend or ascend in any cage at one time, or such less number as may be fixed

by the mine inspector. No person at any time shall be allowed to ride in the shaft or on any cage with a car, tools or other material or when such car, tools or material is on the opposite cage, except when absolutely necessary in the performance of work in the making of repairs; and no person shall ride upon a loaded trip while in any part of the mine, except the person or persons in charge thereof. Cages on which employes are riding shall not be lifted or lowered at a rate of speed greater than four hundred feet per minute.

Competent and Sober Engineers. Duties.

SEC. 32. The owner, operator or lessee or any person in charge of any mine shall not place in charge of any engine in and around the mine, any but competent and sober engin eers, who shall not permit any person but those designated to handle, operate, or interfere with it or any part of the machinery, except such as may be necessary in making proper and needed repairs, and no person shall be permitted to talk to the engineer while in the performance of his duty in hoisting or lowering employes, coal or mineral. There shall be placed in plain view of the engineer while at his post of duty, at some conspicuous point, a code of signals as by this act provided, and which shall be in like manner placed at the top and bottom of the shaft, slope or drift; and it shall be the duty of the engineer at least once each day to carefully inspect all of the machinery and apparatus under his charge, and carefully note all of its parts, and if any defects appear which will endanger the life or limb of any employe in the use thereof, he shall cease operating the machinery until the defects are corrected.

SEC. 33. One bell:

Code of Signals.

Hoist cage, stop cage when in motion.

Two bells: Lower cage.

Three bells: Hoist car of dirt.

Four bells: Men and cage ready to be hoisted; cage must always be stopped at landing on four bells.

Five bells: Hoist slowly, danger.

Notice to men at bottom coming up.-Ring four bells. After engineer gives one blast with whistle, get on cage and ring one bell to be hoisted. Engineer wanting cage while at bottom will give four blasts with whistle before moving cage.

Conveying of Explosives.

SEC. 34. Blasting powder or explosives must not be taken into or out of a coal mine, or moved from place to place in a coal mine along any entry or haulway, where there are electric wires, while the power is on such wires, except when such powder or explosive is conveyed in insulated cars or packages.

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SEC. 35. The owner, lessee, operator or person in charge of any mine shall on or before the first day of August in each year, send to the office of the inspector, upon blanks furnished by the State, a correct return with respect to the year ending July first of each year, the quantity of coal mined and the number of persons ordinarily employed in, at and around such mine, designating the number of persons below and above ground. In all cases the owner, operator, lessee or person in charge of any coal mine in this State, upon the happening of any accident by which injury occurs to any of the employes above or below ground, shall immediately report the same to the mine inspector, which report shall contain a detailed statement of the extent of the accident, and the manner in which it occurred, which report shall conform to the standard form of reports as provided by the mine inspector in such cases.

Stretchers, Blankets and Bandages.

SEC. 36. The owner, operator, lessee or person in charge of any mine shall at all times keep in readiness for use in case of accident and at the mine at some convenient place, one good and substantial stretcher for each one hundred employes engaged in the operation of the mine, and proper and sufficient woolen blankets for each stretcher, together with a sufficient and reasonable supply of bandages.

Caps, Timber and Props.

SEC. 37. The owner, agent or operator of any and all coal mines shall keep a supply of timber constantly on hand of sufficient length to be used as props and cap pieces, and the same shall be promptly delivered to the miner at his respective place of work, as he may designate in writing, on blanks to be furnished by the operator.

Duties of Mine Foreman, or Pit Boss.

SEC. 38. It shall be the duty of the mine foreman, or pit boss in charge of any mine or part thereof, to make careful inspection of the working places in the mine two times each week by himself or assistant, and at any such other time as in his judgment may be required. He shall give such directions and formulate such rules for the guidance of the men employed in the mine, as skillful and safe operation of the mine may require. He shall see that the miners are supplied with props, when ordered by the miner, of proper length, caps and other, timbers necessary to securely prop the roof of such mine and the rooms wherein the men are employed, and such material shall be delivered to their

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