Gary, As you are probably aware the Electrical Code does not have jurisdiction (yet) on electrical installations in a mine setting. The OESC in Ontario states:
Section 2—Administration General Rules
General
¨ 2-000 Scope. This Code does not apply to:
(f) Electrical equipment and electrical installations in a mine as defined in the Mining Act excepting any dwelling house or other building not connected with or required for mining operations or purposes or used for the treatment of ore or mineral;
I suggest you purchase CSA Standard CAN/CSA-M421-93, Use of Electricity in Mines; and they should clarify any misconceptions that may exist regarding electrical mine safety
Originally posted by Labrador Gary:
I work in an Iron Ore Mine that is situated in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. I graduated from college with an electrical engineering tech diploma and have spent my past three years in an industrial electrician apprenticeship program. I certainly don't know everything, at times it feels like I know nothing. I have had a serious problem with the mine where I work. They have no cable handling procedures, the mine's equipment runs on electricity. That is, all the shovels and drills require 'trailing cables' to provide power at a voltage of 4160 volts(3 phase). My problem is I can't seem to find anything in the mining code about handling these live trailing cables. Non-electrical personnel continually move these cables with nothing to protect them other than their normal leather gloves!! These cables have multiple cold shrink splices throughout, and are routinely handled by heavy equipment - dragged across rocks, tugged on with excessive force, on and on the violations go. I myself continuously tell these people they shouldn't be handling the live cables, however it still continues because miraclously no one has been hurt or killed to date (40 years of operation). Is this legal? I don't think so, but can someone show me this on paper??!! Help!!
