---
title: "What protective clothing and equipment must surface coal mine employees wear under 30 CFR 77.1710? Answer in under 100 words."
canonical: https://www.m-i-n-d.ai/minds/mining-safety/protective-clothing-equipment-must-surface-coal-mine-employees-wear-under-30
jurisdiction: "US Federal · MSHA · 30 CFR Part 77"
last_verified: 2026-08-26
license: CC BY 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
attribution: "Source: MIND (m-i-n-d.ai)"
---

# What protective clothing and equipment must surface coal mine employees wear under 30 CFR 77.1710? Answer in under 100 words.

Under 30 CFR 77.1710, every employee in a United States surface coal mine (or the surface work areas of an underground coal mine) must wear MSHA-required protective gear: face shields or goggles when welding, cutting, or facing eye hazards; full-body coverings such as chemical-resistant suits or coveralls; protective gloves unless entanglement creates a greater hazard; a hard hat or hard cap where falling objects threaten; protective footwear such as steel-toed boots; snug-fitting clothing near moving machinery; full-body harnesses with lifelines at fall hazards; lifejackets where water immersion is possible; and seatbelts in ROPS-equipped vehicles.

## Details / How it works

**Section 77.1710** requires each employee working in a surface coal mine, or in the surface work areas of an underground coal mine within the United States, to wear protective clothing and devices per MSHA standards:

- **Eye protection:** Face shields or goggles (e.g., welding helmets, safety glasses) when welding (arc or oxy-fuel), cutting, working with molten metal, or when flying particles, intense light, or chemical splashes exist.
- **Body protection:** Suitable full-coverage clothing (e.g., chemical-resistant suits, aprons, or coveralls) when handling corrosive or toxic substances or skin-injury materials.
- **Hand protection:** Gloves appropriate to the hazard (leather, rubber, cut-resistant, or insulated).
- **Head protection:** A suitable hard hat or hard cap that is impact- and penetration-resistant.
- **Foot protection:** Steel-toed boots, metatarsal guards, or slip-, puncture-, and impact-resistant footwear.
- **Fall protection:** Safety belts (full-body harnesses) and lifelines where there is danger of falling; a second person (safety attendant) shall tend the lifeline when bins, tanks, or other dangerous areas are entered.
- **Flotation:** Lifejackets or life belts where there is danger from falling into water.
- **Vehicle restraints:** Seatbelts (operator restraint systems) in vehicles where overturning danger exists and rollover protective structures (ROPS) are provided.

## Numbers & thresholds

| Subsection | Hazard trigger | Required equipment |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Welding, cutting, molten metal, eye hazards | Face shields, goggles, welding helmets |
| (b) | Corrosive/toxic substances | Chemical-resistant suits, aprons, coveralls |
| (c) | Hand-injury materials | Leather, rubber, cut-resistant, or insulated gloves |
| (d) | Falling objects | Hard hat or hard cap |
| (e) | Foot hazards | Steel-toed boots, metatarsal guards, slip/puncture/impact-resistant footwear |
| (f) | Moving machinery | Snug-fitting (non-loose) clothing |
| (g) | Danger of falling | Full-body harness plus lifeline with attendant |
| (h) | Water immersion risk | Lifejackets or life belts |
| (i) | Vehicle overturning with ROPS | Seatbelts (operator restraint systems) |

## Exceptions & edge cases

- **Glove exception:** Gloves are *not* worn where they would create a greater hazard by becoming entangled in the moving parts of equipment.
- **Hard hat painting:** If a hard hat or hard cap is painted, nonmetallic based paint shall be used to avoid compromising electrical insulation or structural integrity.
- **Lifeline attendant:** When bins, tanks, or other dangerous areas are entered, a second person (safety attendant) must tend the lifeline.
- **Seatbelt condition:** Operator restraint systems apply specifically where a vehicle presents overturning danger *and* rollover protective structures (ROPS) are provided.

**Authority:** Section 101(a) of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969; originally published in the Federal Register on May 22, 1971 (36 FR 9382), with later amendments (36 FR 13143, July 15, 1971; 39 FR 7176, February 25, 1974).

## Sources

- [1] U.S. National Archives, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations — 30 CFR 77.1710 — Protective clothing; requirements · https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-30/section-77.1710 · as of 2026-08-26