45.1-161.267 - Fire precautions.

§ 45.1-161.267. Fire precautions.

A. An examination for fire shall be made after every blasting operation.

B. No person shall smoke or use an open flame within twenty-five feet oflocations used to handle or store flammable or combustible liquids or wherean arc or flame may cause a fire or explosion.

C. Areas surrounding flammable liquid storage tanks, electrical substationsand transformers shall be kept free of combustible material for at leasttwenty-five feet in all directions. Such storage tanks, substations andtransformers shall be posted with readily visible fire hazard warning signs.

D. Structures or areas used for storage of flammable materials shall beconstructed of fire resistant material, well ventilated, kept clean andorderly and posted with readily visible fire hazard warning signs.

E. Fuel lines shall be equipped with shut-off valves at the sources. Suchvalves shall be readily accessible and maintained in good operating condition.

F. Battery charging areas shall be well ventilated and posted with warningsigns prohibiting smoking or open flames within twenty-five feet.

G. Oil, grease, other flammable hydraulic fluid, and other flammablematerials shall be kept in closed metal containers and separated from othermaterials so as to not create a fire hazard.

H. Combustible materials, grease, lubricants, paints and other flammablematerials and liquids shall not be allowed to accumulate where they couldcreate a fire hazard. Provision shall be made to prevent the accumulation ofsuch material on any equipment, at storage areas and any location where thematerial is used.

I. Electric motors, switches, lighting fixtures, and controls shall beprotected by dust-tight construction.

J. Precautions shall be taken to ensure that sparks or other hot materials donot result in a fire when welding or cutting. Welding or cutting with arc orflame shall not be done in excessively dusty atmospheres or locations.Fire-fighting apparatus shall be readily available when welding or cutting isperformed.

K. Precautions shall be taken before applying heat, cutting or welding on anypipe or container that has contained a flammable or combustible material.

L. Oxygen and acetylene bottles shall be stored in racks designated andconstructed for the storage of such bottles with caps in place and securedwhen not in use. Such bottles shall not be stored near oil, grease, and otherflammable material.

M. Oxygen and acetylene gauges and regulators shall be kept clean and free ofoil, grease, and other combustible materials.

N. Belt conveyors shall be equipped with control switches to automaticallystop the driving motor of the conveyor in the event the belt is stopped byslipping on the driving pulley, by breakage or other accident.

O. Areas surrounding main fan installations and other mine openings shall bekept free from grass, weeds, underbrush and other combustible materials fortwenty-five feet in all directions.

P. Internal combustion engines, except diesel engines, shall be shut offprior to fueling.

(Code 1950, § 45-85.9; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, § 45.1-39; 1978, c. 729;1994, c. 28.)