The Coal and Other Mines (Locomotives) Order 1956

PART VII Additional provisions—storage battery locomotives

Charging and changing of batteries

32.—(1) No person shall charge or change any battery of a storage battery locomotive in any mine except at a place appointed for that purpose by the manager.

(2) The manager shall ensure that every place so appointed for charging batteries (in these regulations referred to as a “charging station” ) is so arranged in relation to the ventilation that—

(a) the charging apparatus is on the intake side of the battery racks; and

(b) the air passes from the battery racks directly into an airway and does not subsequently ventilate a working face.

(3) The manager shall ensure that every charging station—

(a) is constructed of non-inflammable material;

(b) is provided with suitable and sufficient apparatus for combating outbreaks of fire;

(c) is so equipped that the spilling of water or electrolyte is minimised.

(4) Any person spilling any water or electrolyte on any battery in a charging station shall forthwith wipe it up or cause it to be wiped up.

(5) In a mine or part of a mine which is not a safety-lamp mine or a safety-lamp part of a mine, no person shall, in, or within thirty feet of, any charging station, smoke or use any lamp or light other than a locked safety-lamp or an electric lamp adequately protected.

Posting of notices in charging stations

33.  The manager of every mine in which any storage battery locomotive runs shall ensure that a notice is kept posted in every charging station in such characters and in such a position as to be easily seen and read by the persons resorting thereto, being a notice specifying the requirements and prohibitions of paragraphs (1), (4) and (5) (if applicable) of regulation thirty-two.