[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 30, Volume 1]

[Revised as of July 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 30CFR57.4201]



[Page 335-336]

 

                       TITLE 30--MINERAL RESOURCES

 

  CHAPTER I--MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

 

PART 57_SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS_UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES

--Table of Contents

 

                  Subpart C_Fire Prevention and Control

 

Sec.  57.4201  Inspection.



    (a) Firefighting equipment shall be inspected according to the 

following schedules:

    (1) Fire extinguishers shall be inspected visually at least once a 

month to determine that they are fully charged and operable.

    (2) At least once every twelve months, maintenance checks shall be 

made of mechanical parts, the amount and condition of extinguishing 

agent and expellant, and the condition of the hose, nozzle, and vessel 

to determine that the fire extinguishers will operate effectively.

    (3) Fire extinguishers shall be hydrostatically tested according to 

Table C-1 or a schedule based on the manufacturer's specifications to 

determine the integrity of extinguishing agent vessels.

    (4) Water pipes, valves, outlets, hydrants, and hoses that are part 

of the mine's firefighting system shall be visually inspected at least 

once every three months for damage or deterioration and use-tested at 

least once every twelve months to determine that they remain functional.

    (5) Fire suppression systems shall be inspected at least once every 

twelve months. An inspection schedule based on the manufacturer's 

specifications or the equivalent shall be established for individual 

components of a system and followed to determine that the system remains 

functional. Surface fire suppression systems are exempt from these 

inspection requirements if the systems are used solely for the 

protection of property and no persons would be affected by a fire.

    (b) At the completion of each inspection or test required by this 

standard, the person making the inspection or test shall certify that 

the inspection or test has been made and the date on which it was made. 

Certifications of hydrostatic testing shall be retained until the fire 

extinguisher is retested or permanently removed from service. Other 

certifications shall be retained for one year.



      Table C-1--Hydrostatic Test Intervals for Fire Extinguishers

------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                  Test

                      Extinguisher type                         interval

                                                                (years)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soda Acid....................................................          5

Cartridge-Operated Water and/or Antifreeze...................          5

Stored-Pressure Water and/or Antifreeze......................          5

Wetting Agent................................................          5

Foam.........................................................          5

AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam).............................          5

Loaded Stream................................................          5

Dry-Chemical with Stainless Steel Shells.....................          5

Carbon Dioxide...............................................          5



[[Page 336]]





Dry-Chemical, Stored Pressure, with Mild Steel Shells, Brazed         12

 Brass Shells, or Aluminum Shells............................

Dry-Chemical, Cartridge or Cylinder Operated, with Mild Steel         12

 Shells......................................................

Bromotrifluoromethane-Halon 1301.............................         12

Bromochlorodifluoromethane-Halon 1211........................         12

Dry-Powder, Cartridge or Cylinder-Operated, with Mild Steel           12

 Shells \1\..................................................

------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Except for stainless steel and steel used for compressed gas

  cylinders, all other steel shells are defined as ``mild steel''

  shells.