The operator of a mine, at which the only means of ingress and egress for the persons employed therein is by a vertical shaft of fifty feet or more in depth, shall designate one or more persons who shall attend to the lowering and hoisting of persons into and out of such mine, and give and receive the proper signals, governing the movement of the cage while engaged in handling men. At all shaft mines where persons are lowered into or hoisted out of the mine, the number of men to be carried on the cage or skip at any one time shall be determined by the area of the cage or skip in use, allowing not less than four hundred square inches for each person on the cage or skip. The lowering of persons shall begin in time for persons to reach their working places by the hour appointed for such mine to commence work and continue until starting time. Hoisting of persons shall commence at the time for such mine to cease work, and continue until all have had time to be hoisted. Persons may be hoisted at such other times as will not interfere with the hoisting of coal or other products. No person shall be lowered into or hoisted out of a mine with powder, explosives, tools, or other material on any cage, in the same shaft, and no person shall be lowered or hoisted in a vertical shaft in a mine car. When the vertical shaft is less than fifty feet in depth and a stairway, approved by the deputy mine inspector, is not provided, the operator shall be required to lower or hoist persons, as prescribed in this section, but when such stairway is provided, the hoisting of persons shall not be required.

No operator of a mine shall refuse or neglect to comply with this section.

Effective Date: 10-29-1995.