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Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29 of 1996)

Regulations

Guideline for a Mandatory Code of Practice

Underground Rail Bound Equipment

Part A: The Guideline

4. Acronyms and definitions

 

In this guideline for a COP or any amendment thereof, unless the context otherwise indicates:

 

4.1 'abnormal load'

means a load not regularly transported on standard rolling stock due to its excessive mass or physical dimensions, or both,

 

4.2 'arresting device'

means a device or combination of devices, excluding the brakes, holding a train or part of a train stationary.

 

4.3 'bogie'

means a specifically designed material car that is normally used for the slinging and transporting of long and cumbersome material and that can independently articulate on its own set of wheels.

 

4.4 'braking system'

means a device or combination of devices capable of reducing the speed of a locomotive or train to a standstill Including emergency brake, park brake and service brake.

 

4.4.1 'emergency brake'

means an easily accessible device, which when applied, will bring the locomotive or train to a standstill under all operating conditions;

4.4.2 'park brake'

means the brake capable of holding a fully loaded, parked train stationary, at the maximum operating gradient and loading, without the support of any other braking system; and

4.4.3 'service brake'

means the primary operating brake.

 

4.5 'buffer'

means a device permanently attached to a locomotive or rolling stock, which enables coupling with other locomotives or rolling stock.

 

4.6 'COP'

means Code of Practice.

 

4.7 'coupler'

means a device or set of devices specifically designed to couple two buffers.

 

4.8 'deceleration rate'

means the rate of decrease of speed of motion of a locomotive or train.

 

4.9 'DMR'

means the Department of Mineral Resources.

 

4.10 'dynamic type test'

means the test conducted on a train to determine the deceleration rate and braking efficiency.

 

4.11 'dead man's device'

means any controlling device that, when the driver's hand, foot or body is removed from the controlling device, will cause the vehicle control circuit to be interrupted and "fail to-safe".

 

4.12 'gradient'

means the ratio of the difference in elevation between two given points and the horizontal distance between them.

 

4.13 'hand tramming'

means the movement of rolling stock on rails, manually by a person or persons.

 

4.14 'locomotive'

means a self-propelled rail bound machine which requires either a driver for manual operation or an operator for automatic operation.

 

4.15 'MHSA'

means the Mine Health and Safety Act.

 

4.16 'MRAC'

means the Mining Regulation Advisory Committee.

 

4.17 'RBE'

means rail bound equipment. "Rail Bound Equipment" means all self-propelled and other equipment used for transportation purposes having wheels running on rails underground and within the surface demarcated bank area at a mine, it includes locomotives, hoppers, material cars, explosive cars, guard cars, drill carriages and all other items of equipment transported on rails.

 

4.18 'Rail track infrastructure'

means the installed infrastructure on which rail bound equipment operates underground including the surface demarcate bank area.

 

This includes the permanently installed rails and fasteners, sleepers, ballast, switches, crossing points, turn-outs and their operating mechanisms.

 

4.19 'rolling stock'

means any rail bound equipment that is not self-propelled.

 

4.20 'SAMRASS'

means the South African Mines Reportable Accident Statistical System.

 

4.21 'SIMRAC' means the Safety in Mines Research Advisory Committee.

 

4.22 'speed indicator'

means a device fixed to the locomotive to indicate the speed of the locomotive;

 

4.23 'static test'

means the test carried out to determine the compliance of the brake holding power of a locomotive braking system measured against the design specification or an appropriate safety standard.

 

4.24 'Train'

means a combination of rail bound equipment coupled together being transported under the power of a locomotive. The locomotive shall be considered as part of the train. A locomotive in transit by itself shall be classified as a train.

 

4.25 'TMM'

means Trackless Mobile Machines,

 

4.26 'Rail traverser'

means a piece of rail equipment that is used to interrupt a railway line and consisting of a length of track or tracks which can be moved from side to side in a direction perpendicular to the railway line.

 

4.27 'visibility'

means the human ability to distinguish colour, size, movement and distance in the field of vision.