The vault shall be air tight as near as possible, and must have two ventilating pipes of iron of 4 inches diameter, both inlet and outlet pipes to reach within 6 inches of the bottom of the vault, the outlet ventilating pipe to rise above surface 8 feet, and the inlet ventilating pipe to rise above surface 6 feet.
Syphon to be arranged so as carry out any seepage or leakage into the vault, and discharge same upon the ground, where its burning would not endanger surrounding property.”
The following are a part of the rules adopted by the German Government to prevent accidents in mills and factories: they are equally applicable in all places where steam power is used:
“All work on transmissions, especially the cleaning and lubricating of shafts, bearings and pulleys, as well as the binding, lacing, shipping and unshipping of belts, must be performed only by men especially instructed in or charged with such labors. Females and boys are not permitted to do this work.
The lacing, binding or packing of belts, if they lie upon either shafting or pulleys during the operation, must be strictly prohibited. During the lacing and connecting of belts, strict attention is to be paid to their removal from revolving parts, either by hanging them upon a hook fastened to the ceiling, or in any other practical manner; the same applies to smaller belts which are occasionally unshipped and run idle.
While the shafts are in motion they are to be lubricated, or the lubricating devices examined only when observing the following rules: (1) The person performing this labor must either do it while standing upon the floor, or by the use of (2) firmly located stands on steps, especially constructed for the purpose so as to afford a good and substantial footing for the workman; (3) firmly constructed sliding ladders, running on bars; (4) sufficiently high and strong ladders, especially constructed for this purpose, which by appropriate safeguards (hooks above or iron points below) afford security against slipping.
All shaft bearings are to be provided with automatic lubricating apparatus.
Only after the engineer has given the well-understood signal, plainly audible in the workrooms, is the engine to be started.
If any work other than lubricating and cleaning of the shafting is to be performed while the engine is standing idle, the engineer is to be notified of it, and in what room or place such work is going on, and he must then allow the engine to remain idle until he has been informed by proper parties that the work is finished.
Plainly visible and easy accessible alarm apparatus shall be located at proper places in the workrooms, to be used in case of accident to signal to the engineer to stop the engine at once.