ion, maintenance and use of steel wire ropes in vertical mine shafts Deep Mined Coal
Industry
Advisory
Committee
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Guidance on the
selection,
installation,
maintenance and
use of steel wire
ropes in vertical
mine shafts Members of the DMCIAC working group on steel wire ropes for haulage and vertical
shafts at mines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mr A Kirk
A Kirk and Associates (consultant)
Mr J Naylor
HM Inspector of Mines
Mr M Holyoak
HM Inspector of Mines
Mr PJ McGuiness
HM Inspector of Mines
Mr M Williams
HM Inspector of Mines
Mr S Denton
HM Inspector of Mines
Mr K Acton
Mining Association of the United Kingdom
Mr A Bilton
Federation of Independent Mines
Mr J Browett
UK Coal Mining Ltd
Mr C Clegg
Bridon Ropes Ltd
Mr L Hilton
Scottish Coal Ltd
Mr SJ Mills
British Gypsum Ltd
Mr R Letham
National Association of Colliery Overmen,
Deputies and Shotfirers
Mr R Young
British Association of Colliery Management
Mr A Walker
Tower Mine
Mr A Dobbs
Union of Democratic Mineworkers Deep Mined Coal
Industry
Advisory
Committee
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Guidance on the
selection,
installation,
maintenance and
use of steel wire
ropes in vertical
mine shafts © Crown copyright 2004
Applications for reproduction should be made in writing
to: Copyright Unit, Her Majestys Stationery Office,
St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ
First published 2004
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior
written permission of the copyright owner.
This guidance was prepared, in consultation with the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE), by a working group
representative of all sides of the mining industry. The
guidance represents what members of the working group
consider to be good practice. It has been agreed by the
Deep Mined Coal Industry Advisory Committee, the
Mining Association of the United Kingdom and the Health
and Safety Commission.
Following the guidance is not compulsory and you are
free to take other action. But if you do follow the
guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply
with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure
compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance
as illustrating good practice.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Page ii
Deep Mined Coal Industry Advisory Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Page iii Deep Mined Coal Industry Advisory Committee
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION..........1
Who should read this document..........1
Rope selection..........1
Winding ropes..........2
Storage of ropes used in shafts..........4
Installation..........4
Capping and recapping..........4
Inspection, examination and testing..........5
Maintenence..........7
Repair and renewal..........8
Keeping records..........9
TECHNICAL ANNEX 1 - TYPES OF SHAFT ROPE INCLUDING SELECTION
PROCESS..........10
Introduction to shaft ropes..........10
Wire shapes..........11
Strand construction..........11
Round strands..........13
Triangular strands..........13
Oval strands..........13
Flat or ribbon strands..........13
Rope construction..........14
Lay..........15
Cores..........16
Rope designation..........17
Rope specifications..........18
Single layer round strand ropes..........18
Single layer triangular strand ropes..........18
Multi-strand ropes..........19
Flat ropes..........19
Full-locked coil ropes..........20
Half-locked coil ropes..........22
Preforming..........22
Surface finishing (galvanising)..........22
Rope selection..........24
Winding ropes..........24
Balance ropes..........26
Guide and rubbing ropes..........27 TECHNICAL ANNEX 2 - ROPE STORAGE, HANDLING AND
INSTALLATION..........29
Rope storage..........29
Unreeling and handling ropes..........29
Installation and operation of ropes..........29
Hazard indentification, risk assessment and method statements ..........29
Winding rope installation..........29
Headgear pulley grooves..........30
Polyurethane inserts..........30
Winding drum grooves..........30
Reference samples..........31
Torque and twist in winding ropes..........31
Pre-stretching and pre-stressing by the manufacturer..........32
Correct coiling of stranded ropes on drum winders..........32
Rope tensions in friction-winder ropes..........34
Installation and operation of balance ropes..........36
Installation and attachment of guide and rubbing ropes..........38
TECHNICAL ANNEX 3 - THE SERVING AND CAPPING OF GUIDE
ROPES..........40
Introduction..........40
Hazards from inadequate capping procedures..........40
Rope serving..........41
Serving and clamping..........41
Serving..........41
Size of serving wire..........41
Length of serving..........43
Serving tools..........43
The ordinary or buried wire serving..........44
The soldered or wiped serving..........45
Capping with resin or molten white metal..........46
Cutting the rope and forming the brush..........47
Cutting..........47
Preparing the brush..........47
Forming a resin capping..........52
Health and safety requirements during resin capping..........52
Material..........53
Preparation, cleaning and positioning of the rope and socket - additional
guidance for resin capping..........53
Temperatures..........56
Mixing..........57
Pouring..........58
Curing..........58
Inspection..........59
Marking..........59
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Page iv Deep Mined Coal Industry Advisory Committee Re-lubrication..........59
Handling..........59
Disposal of resin residue..........60
Other safety precautions..........60
Reporting..........60
Application of service loading..........60
Resin kit sizes..........60
Capping with white metal..........61
Dismantling the clamps and servings..........63
Possible faults in procedure..........63
Recovery of a socket..........64
Wedge capping..........64
Serving and clamping..........65
Cutting..........65
Fitting the safety block..........65
Fitting the capping..........66
Capping of balance ropes..........68
Resin or white metal cappings..........69
Thimble and clamp terminal fastenings for flat balance ropes..........69
Capping of guide and rubbing ropes..........69
White metal capping..........69
Resin capping..........70
Wedge type suspension glands..........71
Assembling the gland..........71
Dismantling a gland..........72
TECHNICAL ANNEX 4 - MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE, DETERIORATION
AND DISCARD CRITERIA FOR SHAFT ROPES..........74
Maintenance procedures..........74
Introduction..........74
Rope lubrication..........75
Lubrication of ropes during manufacture..........75
Lubrication and cleaning during service..........76
Drum-winder ropes..........76
Friction winder ropes..........78
Pressure lubrication..........79
Balance ropes..........79
Guide ropes..........79
Lubrication after capping..........80
Deterioration in shaft ropes..........80
Wear..........80
External wear..........81
Internal wear..........81
How wear leads to breakage..........82
Wear fractures..........83
Corrosion..........84
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
Page v
Deep Mined Coal Industry Advisory Committee External corrosion..........84
Internal corrosion..........85
Corrosion fractures..........85
Fatigue..........85
Secondary bending fatigue..........86
Fatigue fractures..........88
Corrosion-fatigue..........89
Corrosion-fatigue fractures..........89
Surface embrittlement..........89
Plastic-wear embrittlement..........89
Martensitic embrittlement..........90
Surface embrittlement fractures..........91
Accidental damage and distortion..........91
Kinking..........91
Slack rope..........92
Distortion in ropes..........92
Fractures at damage and distortions..........93
Repair of locked coil winding ropes..........93
Non-destructive testing..........94
When to discard a rope..........95
Types of deterioration in shaft ropes..........96
Types of deterioration affecting winding ropes..........96
Wear..........98
Corrosion..........100
Fatigue..........100
Corrosion-fatigue..........101
Distortion..........102
Martensitic embrittlement..........102
Types of deterioration affecting balance ropes..........103
Corrosion..........103
Wear..........103
Damage and distortion..........104
When to discard a balance rope..........105
Types of deterioration affecting guide and rubbing ropes..........105
Wear..........105
Corrosion..........105
When to discard a guide or rubbing rope..........106
APPENDIX 1 - REPORT ON THE CAPPING OF SHAFT ROPES USING
RESIN..........109
APPENDIX 2 - REPORT ON PERIODIC EXAMINATION OF WINDING ROPES
AND BALANCE ROPES..........111
APPENDIX 3 - REPORT OF INTERNAL EXAMINATION OF LENGTH OF
WINDING ROPE CUT OFF DURING RECAPPING..........113
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .