(A) No person shall cross the longwall working face conveyor while it is in operation unless a safe crossover is provided.

(B) The operator shall provide telephone pager communications or other means of providing an effective warning signal in a longwall working section. Prior to starting a longwall working face conveyor, the person who is going to activate the conveyor shall sound the telephone pager communications or other effective warning signal to alert all persons across the longwall working face.

(C) No person shall ride the longwall working face conveyor. However, an operator may submit a plan to the chief of the division of mineral resources management, as part of the plan required by section 1567.69 of the Revised Code or later, for approval for the removal of injured persons on the longwall working face conveyor if it is necessary to transport injured persons on a stretcher or backboard.

(D) On and after July 20, 1984, an operator shall equip all newly installed face roof support units with adjacent unit controls unless the units have a wide single canopy over each unit that protects the workers from falling material when operating unit controls from within the support of the shield unit being removed.

(E) On and after July 20, 1984, all newly installed face roof support units shall be equipped with an outlet to facilitate measurement of the interior prop pressure and an outlet to facilitate measurement of the yield pressure. Any yield valves of face roof support units that do not maintain at least eighty-five per cent of the yield pressure specified in the approved roof control plan shall be promptly repaired or replaced. The valves of face roof support units shall be tested at least annually, and a legible record of the date of the test, the person performing the test, and the valves repaired or replaced shall be kept in an appropriate mine record.

Effective Date: 06-14-2000.