Equipment Inspections

Equipment operators must possess extensive knowledge of the machines they work with and have a "no compromise" attitude toward safety before, during, and after equipment operations. Inspecting equipment before and after placing it in service is a crucial part of every equipment operator's duties.

If any defects are found during the inspection, they must be corrected appropriately and promptly to eliminate the hazard they pose to others. In situations where the defect is continuous, the impaired equipment must be removed from service and placed in a designated area until the defect is corrected. Alternatively, the defective equipment may be marked or tagged to discourage further use until the problem has been resolved.

If maintenance workers cannot immediately correct defects on self-propelled mobile equipment, they must notify the mine operator. He or she will then make a record of the defects and keep the documentation at the mine site or the nearest mine office from the date the defects are recorded until the defects are corrected.

To learn more about MSHA Part 48 training requirements visit our MSHA Part 48 Subpart B Surface Mining Online Training web page.