Lesson 5 – Procedure For Cleaning/Loading The Shaft

Waste rock gets loaded into the skip by means of manual loading using shovels.
All employees in shaft bottom shall move to the bank/station or to nearest safe landing area prior to the skip being signaled to proceed with hoisting/tipping procedure. No person will remain in the shaft barrel whilst the skip is moving up or down the decline shaft.
No person shall be positioned in the shaft when hauling is taking place.
Every ±20m a cubby will be blasted into the sidewall as to accommodate the persons loading the shaft where they can be positioned as to be clear from the shaft barrel. No portion or any part of his/her body of the people that will be positioned in the cubby, protrude past the sidewall’s imaginary fine.
The size of these waiting cubbies will be of adequate size to accommodate the shaft workers.
The bell system will be positioned at the lowest ladder position.
When the skip return to the bottom and only once a signal has been given by the winder/winch operator, the crew may move down to the loading area in the shaft bottom.

The following lock bell system must be implemented:

One (1) lock bell is positioned not more than 15 meters from shaft bottom (at the lowest drop set). The second lock bell is positioned on the bank or nearest landing.
The lock bell on the nearest landing or bank, is only used when the skip is in motion and approaching the headgear for tipping purposes. The lock bell in the shaft at the lowest drop set is only used to lower the skip beyond the fast drop set by means of the 4 pause 1or 4 pause 2 signals, raise or lower signals respectively.

The procedure is as follows:

The bell operator (standing on the nearest landing or bank) signals to the winch operator to raise the skip up to the highest drop set position.
The bell operator opens the highest drop set and signals the hoist driver to commence hoisting. The skip will be stopped when cleared of the top drop set. The drop set will then be lowered. Skip will be rung to go to the tip.
The skip tips and progresses down to the lowest drop set position, following the same procedure as above, but in reverse.
The bell operator signals the winch operator to stop the skip before the lowest drop set.
NB: The winch operator must indicate all drop set positions on his dial/drum.
The bell operator opens the lower drop set and signals the hoist driver to lower the skip slowly down to the loading position by means of the 4 pause 1or 4 pause 2 signals.
Only once the skip has stopped and the winch operator gave the signal, the people conduct the loading operations by moving back into the shaft.

SIGNALS

The signals are as follows

SIGNALS

The bell operator must be trained and properly instructed on the standard signals.
The signaling arrangement must be provided from the winch operator to any position where loading takes place. A clear code of signals must be posted up at this position.
The winch or hoist operator logbook system to communicate with people working in the shaft must be signed before shift and upon completion of the shift by the Driver and the Shift Supervisor. The Miner must over inspect this logbook every day and the Shift Supervisor must over inspect it weekly.

The drop set positions will be clearly marked on the winch drum. Shaft examination while sinking:

The sunk portion of the shaft must be examined once a week not more than 10 working days apart as per regulation by the Shift Supervisor.
The record of this shaft examination must be recorded in the Shift Supervisor logbook and the checklist for unlicensed shaft examinations must be kept for three months in the Shift Supervisor’s office.