vv A > at ^ V4 * j&iIi//?^ . rr. :- -w •■ *w **».■.•* A° J ^V 4> v . t ' • <. -.-.-.• / \w v™*/ \W's* V :- *W r ^ "5> •j^Vv^'.. v? .^ Ao 5 'bV ^'*rr 1 - v ^° V^r^\^ o «^* : 1T;•^f .. V'*:r^\# °^^*\^ .. V J *.To v-o^ A i 0" »vVL'» *> A ^\ 0^ V *^7* A a^ V ^ ^ * R ^ oN0 . ^ o « o , '0\-s 'v^O^ «b -*:w a ■Co J^ - - . ->U A > ,v % ^ G V -'Mir- \/ tfB£ %/ .*&&- V* ■v. : -Ilf- ,*^ if 0' V V •^a *>kE^pv. -t^rt o^^mPk' <*^v> -~£M%Z>j, "+Mt$ r oY ^ •«• v** • 'Mi- S»? ••»• V v>» A ,> W "/ / % -^ o » '•>S- CO* ^\ ^ ^ A^ ^ .<>..'•- ■ .o-.. -^ A V .,..<* «* u ... >. M V 4 v v. Bureau of Mines Information Circular/1985 Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) Inspection and Maintenance Guide By Stephen A. Swan, Dennis C. Jones, and Kazimir Niziol UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 75 ^(NES 75TH AX^ Information Circular 9009 Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) Inspection and Maintenance Guide By Stephen A. Swan, Dennis C. Jones, and Kazimir Niziol $ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Donald Paul Hodel, Secretary BUREAU OF MINES Robert C. Horton, Director 1W. .q O 0, 10.9 Nut grade SAE 5 SAE 8 Nut markings or or MM MM I notch at each hex corner or or 2 notches at each hex corner FIGURE 5. - Bolt head markings. FIGURE 6. - Nut markings. FIGURE 7. - Rubber pad. FIGURE 8. - Rubber bushing. OVERALL CHECK FOR VISIBLE DAMAGE An overall inspection of the ROPS is necessary in order to locate possible damage that could reduce the integrity of the structure. Examples of such damage are rust, corrosion, overall shape dam- age, bent members, and cracks in the ROPS structure. The overall inspection should include the following: • Inspect the ROPS for any overall shape distortion: Door may not close to fit properly. Entire ROPS may lean to one side. Gaps may be present around windows. • Inspect individual ROPS structural members to see if they are bent. • Inspect structural members for visi- ble cracks, bulges, kinks, or dents. • Inspect ROPS for visible cracks, cor- rosion, and rust. As noted above, the overall inspection includes inspection of the entire ROPS structure for visible cracks. Cracks are usually indicated by the presence of cor- rosion or a rust track on the paint. The most critical areas are around the ROPS mounts and welded areas of the ROPS structure. Cracks can be caused by acci- dent, vibration (fatigue), by water freezing inside the ROPS tubes, etc. (figs. 9-11). Since freezing water in- side the ROPS tubing can cause the tubes to crack, some ROPS are manufactured with drain holes at the bottom of the vertical members. Visible damage to the ROPS may result when a machine is involved in an accident — rollover, exposure to intense heat, highwall caving, collision, etc. In the event of an accident resulting in visible damage to the ROPS, the ROPS man- ufacturer should be consulted to deter- mine if the ROPS can be put back into service. Most manufacturers require re- placement of the ROPS if it has been damaged. SEAT BELTS Mine regulations for coal and for metal and nonmetal mines require a seat belt in addition to ROPS on the specified mach- ines. Therefore, the following should be checked: • The belt must not be frayed, and it should not be so dirty that its use is discouraged (fig. 12). • The belt must be attached to the anchors, and the anchors must be in good condition (fig. 13). • The buckle device must work easily, and the belt length must be quickly and easily adjustable for comfort and safety (fig. 14). FIGURE 9. - Weld separation (crack). FIGURE 10. - Crack in ROPS mount. FIGURE 11. - Crack in weldment. FIGURE 12. - Frayed and dirty seat belt. FIGURE 13. - Seat belt anchors. 10 FIGURE 14.= Seat belt buckle. CHECK FOR IMPROPER REPAIRS AND/OR MODIFICATIONS All ROPS manufacturer's void the certi- fication if the ROPS has been altered, modified, or repaired without their writ- ten consent. If the certification is voided by the manufacturer, the ROPS no longer meets the MSHA requirements. The regulations for coal mines state that all field welding must be performed by welders who are certified by the coal mine operator or equipment distributor in accordance with the American Welding So- ciety Structural Welding Code. The metal and nonmetal mine regulations state that any alteration, repair, or welding on the ROPS or on the ROPS- to-vehicle frame mounts shall be perform- ed only with prior approval and with in- structions from the ROPS manufacturer or a registered professional engineer with knowledge and experience in ROPS design. In addition, the manufacturer or engineer is required to decide what qualifications the welders performing such alterations or repairs must have. Welds Welds are one of the most critical areas in determining the overall struc- tural integrity of ROPS. Poor weld ap- pearance is the most obvious indication of a potential weld defect. The most frequent cause of weld defects are care- lessness on the part of the welder and poor welding techniques such as using the incorrect welding rod, welding with the improper amount of current, applying an inconsistent amount of weld material to the damaged area, and improper prepara- tion of the damaged area prior to apply- ing the weld. Welding is a commercial method for joining two metals together and preserv- ing their individual strength character- istics, provided the weld is properly applied. However, if improperly applied, the welding process may cause metallurg- ical changes in the internal structure of the weld and/or surrounding metals, thereby weakening the respective ROPS members. Environmental conditions are other critical factors to be considered in the welding process. Unauthorized Field Modifications Some ROPS are equipped with light fix- tures, mirrors, handrails, and fire ex- tinguisher brackets by the manufacturer. Examples of unauthorized field modifica- tions made after a ROPS is placed in ser- vice include — • Welding or bolting accessories to the ROPS. • Drilling holes in the ROPS. • Additional welding to change ROPS structure. Unauthorized field modifications are illustrated in figures 15 through 18. 11 FIGURE 15. - Unauthorized spot weld. 12 FIGURE 16„ = Unauthorized mount. FIGURE 17„ = Unauthorized alteration of tube. (Note weld.) INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING ROPS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST A rule of thumb is to conduct a ROPS inspection every 1,000 h of equipment op- eration, or sooner if the structure has been subjected to any unusual loads which could cause damage (i.e., rollover, high- wall caving, collision, etc.). An easily reproducible copy of the ROPS inspection and maintenance checklist, which is based on Bureau research find- ings, follows the "Summary" section of this manual. Using the checklist as a guide, the ROPS should be inspected item by item. Each inspection item should be checked either yes or no. If a check does not appear in any of the boxes on the checklist, this indicates an unac- ceptable condition on the ROPS which must be corrected. Refer to this manual if any questions arise in completing the checklist. Addi- tional information pertaining to a spe- cific ROPS (or FOPS machine) make or mod- el can be obtained from the manufacturer. SUMMARY It is not uncommon to find the follow- ing deficiencies in ROPS, all of which affect the service life of a ROPS: • Missing, loose, or inadequate mount- ing bolts and nuts. • Deterioration of rubber vibration in- sulators (pads and bushings). • Cracks in major structural areas and other structural damage. • Improper repairs and modifications. The checklist on pages 14 and 15 details deficiencies in the above-listed cat- egories. This checklist, when used as instructed in this manual, provides a means for the systematic inspection of ROPS to ensure maximum protective capa- bility and conformance with applicable Federal regulations. 13 FIGURE 18. - Unauthorized mount an (Note welds on tube.) 14 ROPS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST Date inspected: Inspected by: Machine type and model number: Serial number: Mine machine identification number: Company and mine name: Mine identification number: NOTE. — The ROPS may have an identification or certification label, but a satisfac- tory substitute is a certificate from the ROPS manufacturer or a registered profes- sional engineer stating that the ROPS meets the performance standards and is appro- priate for the machine upon which it is installed. The following organizations may be referenced on the label or on the professional engineer's certificate: SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers MSHA - Mine Safety and Health Administration OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration COE - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers BOR - Bureau of Reclamation ISO - International Standards Organization State of California Inspection item Yes No — 1. Identification of ROPS a. Does the machine have a ROPS? I I b. Is there an identification label on the [ | ROPS or a certificate on file at the mine? 2. Visible damage a. Is the frame twisted, bent, or cracked in i — i the area of the ROPS mount? b. Is the frame and/or ROPS rusted? □ c. Is there any overall shape damage to the i — i Rops? d. Are there any localized bulges, kinks, i — i dents, or bent parts in the ROPS? e. Are there any hairline or open cracks i — i anywhere on the ROPS structure? f. Are there any signs of corrosion? I I 3. Rubber pads and bushings, if any a. Is the rubber damaged or missing? I I b. Does the ROPS rattle when the machine is operated? □ ROPS INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST— Continued 15 4. Bolts and nuts a. Are there any missing bolts or nuts? b. Are bolts the proper grade? c. Are nuts the proper grade? d. Are the bolts and nuts loose? e. Are the bolt heads and nuts property seated and in complete contact with ROPS assembly? f. Are nuts fully threaded onto bolts? g. Are the bolt threads stripped? h. Are the bolts or nuts rusted? i. Are the bolts or nuts bent or deformed? Yes □ □ □ □ No □ □ □ □ □ 5. Seat belt a. Is the seat belt missing? b. Is the belt too dirty to use? c. Is the belt frayed? d. Is the belt hard to adjust? e. Is the buckle hard to work? f. Are the anchors loose or damaged? □ □ □ □ □ □ 6. Modifications and repairs a. Are there accessories welded or bolted to the ROPS that were not provided by the manufacturer? b. Are there additional holes drilled in the ROPS? c. Have any additional welds changed the ROPS structure? □ □ <.-U.S. CPO: 1985-503-019/20.019 INT.-BU.OF MINES.PGH..PA. 27894 O D DD "0 H H m > 2 > 3 o X3 m CO 3D ° Q. 3 Q_ to 3 n to O 3 D -*- re o 3 re -*■ c z 33§0) -< -i o -^ ^ 33 OoC mZ o c Q i So rn ™ C ?=• Q (/) n 3- 1 3 "O 3" o to 3J > H 52 h m 3 § Q 01 o o -1 re 3 DF Ml ES AV INSYL 5> n re 3 (/> re re rn 2 Q • IQ re o ■^ <= m < m z m Sl ~* re <2 « > z m to __ • — Q -*- • re 3 o < o 3" - m to « CO o o z C CO 2 w m !/) < l\J 33 (D re z m O c > I— o T3 TJ O 33 -< m |— o ■< m 33 c CO -s s o - m m Z 2 > I* "* Z ± o o en "n -n 453 85 5g m o o °^. * • n • Ap 6* V V"**' A -4.9 s s '*% *> r .. l " ^ o^ c o " • « *6 «.«? vn ^ ^55^ o aV^ » aV ^ ,0^ ^ *^T^ .A V .t... ^ .o* .«-•. ^*o A.V ..^», "* & % Wws J* %. -SBC* ^ ^ -yJW* ^ %, --aK* . ^ ^ . "2* A> «T». A ,^ * '- % o V ' av^yS r v. '.- „»"V •.« ♦ A 1 rt * ^- ^ - - -*? v ^^ *> ,v •/• c ° " " » *^> "o^ ^ * * A. v~>° V^v h %<<€•> \/ .-#& v** ■#& \/ .-aft- %**♦ .•; . \/ C ^3 V .^'V V ^ ^ ^^ o v ^°^ r v^*^. ^ -^ ^^ r ^0^ . ^v**- ^ ^ A G °w 'VVi* A