[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 30, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 30CFR19.7]

[Page 125]
 
                       TITLE 30--MINERAL RESOURCES
 
  CHAPTER I--MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
 
PART 19--ELECTRIC CAP LAMPS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 19.7  Protection against explosion hazard.

    Unless properly designed, electric cap lamps may present two sources 
of probable explosion hazards: Ignition of an explosive atmosphere by 
the heated filament of the bulb in case the bulb glass is accidentally 
broken, and ignition by sparks or flashes from the battery. MSHA 
therefore requires the following safeguards:
    (a) Safety device or design. The headpiece shall have a safety 
device to prevent the ignition of explosive mixtures of methane and air 
if the bulb glass surrounding the filament is broken. Alternatively, if 
the lamp is designed and constructed to prevent the ignition of 
explosive mixtures of methane and air by protecting the bulb from 
breakage and preventing exposure of the hot filament, no safety device 
is required.
    (b) Headpiece lock or seal. The headpiece shall be provided with a 
lock or seal to prevent unauthorized removal of the lens and tampering 
with the safety device, the bulb, or the electrical contacts.
    (c) Locks on charging terminals. Lamps shall be equipped with a 
magnetic or other equally effective lock at the battery, the headpiece, 
or the cord assembly to prevent unauthorized access to live charging 
terminals.
    (d) Protection of battery terminals. The battery covers of lamps 
that are recharged through the cord shall be so constructed and 
assembled as to prevent unauthorized access to the battery terminals.
    (e) Battery current restricted. The amount of current flow between 
the conductors of the cord, if short-circuited just outside of the 
battery casing or cord armor, shall be limited by the design of the 
battery or by a fuse to such a value\4\ as will not produce sparks that 
will ignite an explosive mixture of methane and air.
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    \4\ The following maximum short-circuit current values may be used 
as a guide in the design of cap lamp batteries: 100 amperes for a 4-volt 
battery; 75 amperes for a 6-volt battery; 50 amperes for an 8-volt 
battery.
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    (f) It shall not be possible to obtain a difference of potential 
between any two accessible points of the cap lamp when assembled for 
use.
    Note: Paragraph (a) of this section is issued under the authority of 
Sec. 101 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, Pub. L. 91-
173 as amended by Pub. L. 95-164, 91 Stat. 1291 (30 U.S.C. 811). All 
other paragraphs in this section continue under the original authority.

(Sec. 101, Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 91 Stat. 1291 (30 
U.S.C. 811))

[Sched. 6D, 4 FR 4003, Sept. 21, 1939, as amended at 47 FR 11369, Mar. 
16, 1982]