29 MARCH THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 697

Addition to Tongariro National Park Bylaws

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PURSUANT to the National Parks Act 1952, a resolution has been passed by the Tongariro National Park Board resolving that a further bylaw, as set out in the Schedule hereto, be added to the bylaws already made for Tongariro National Park.

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SCHEDULE

NO. II—SAFETY REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE OPERATION OF CHAIR LIFTS, SKI LIFTS, AND SKI TOWS

1. DEFINITIONS:

Chair Lift: A devise for the transportation of passengers sitting in chairs attached to and suspended from a moving wire rope, the passengers not being in contact with the ground or snow surface.

Surface Lift: A device for the transportation of passengers uphill while remaining in contact with the snow surface, propulsion being a circulating overhead wire haul rope.

T-bar Lift: A surface lift having an inverted “T”-shaped device attached to the haul rope with passengers located on either or both sides of the stem of the “T”.

Platter Lift: A surface lift having suspended from the haul rope a single stem with a platter or disc attached to its lower end upon which the passenger positions himself astride the stem.

Ski Lift: The terms “ski lift” and “lift” includes both chair lifts and surface lifts.

Rope Tow: A device for the transportation of passengers uphill while remaining in contact with the snow, propulsion being by means of a circulating natural or synthetic fibre rope which the passenger grasps or to which the passenger attaches himself by means of a rope gripping device.

The term “tow” includes a rope tow.

Qualified Engineer: A person approved by the Board to carry out inspections of ski lifts and tows.

Licensee: A licence holder operating a ski lift and/or a tow in the Tongariro National Park under the terms and conditions of a licence issued by the Tongariro National Park Board.

Chief Ranger: The Chief Ranger of the Tongariro National Park.

Haul Rope: The rope on a lift or tow moving up-hill.

Return Rope: The rope on a lift or tow moving down-hill.

Board: The Tongariro National Park Board.

Rope: Means wire rope or wire cable except for rope tows where “rope” means natural or synthetic fibre rope.

2. RECORDS: A licensee shall maintain the following records for each lift or tow:

2.1 Operational Log: An operational log book to be entered for each day of operations shall be maintained for each ski lift or tow specifying the following minimum information:

(a) Date.

(b) Operating hours.

(c) Temperature, wind, and weather conditions.

(d) Record of compliance with a daily operational inspection.

(e) Position of tension carriage and counterweight.

(f) Accidents, malfunctions, or abnormal occurrences during operation.

(g) Names of attendants.

2.2 Maintenance Log: A record book shall be kept showing the execution of all maintenance and repair work, components serviced, components replaced, and the reason for the maintenance or repair.

2.3 Wire Rope Log: A record book shall be kept for each lift using wire rope showing:

(a) Specification of the rope in use.

(b) Test reports.

(c) Date installed.

(d) Details of each splice.

(e) Records of each lubrication, including type of lubricant, and date applied.

(f) Records of each maintenance and annual inspection.

(g) Reports of injury to rope.

2.4 The above records shall be produced on request to any statutory inspecting authority, to the inspector conducting annual inspections and to the Chief Ranger.

3. INSPECTION AND MACHINERY:

3.1 Inspection:

(a) The licensee shall, each winter, prior to the use of a surface lift or rope tow by the public, obtain a report from a qualified engineer as to the mechanical and/or structural integrity of all machinery, wire or fibre rope, pylons, sheaves, safety devices, foundations, and any other matter which, in the inspector’s opinion, may affect the safety of the public while using the lift or tow.

(b) The licensee shall ensure that the tow is in full operational condition for the inspection as aforesaid.

(c) A copy of the inspector’s report shall be deposited with the Board immediately on receipt by the licensee.

(d) The licensee shall comply immediately with any requisitions of the Board arising from the inspector’s report conveyed to him in writing.

(e) A chair lift shall not carry a fare-paying passenger or passengers unless it is operated pursuant to a valid inspection certificate issued by the Marine Department.

3.2 Machinery:

3.2.1 All ski lift and tow driving machinery accessible to the public shall be housed, guarded, or screened in a manner that will prevent the public coming into contact with the machinery.

3.2.2 Except in the case of guide sheaves installed for the haul rope of a rope tow, all moving machinery including sheaves and rope return wheels shall be screened in a manner to prevent any person or his equipment coming into contact therewith unless the machinery is erected at least 7 ft above the snow surface.

3.2.3 When an internal combustion engine is used as a prime mover and is housed in a building accessible to the public the building shall be ventilated to prevent the products of combustion or fuel fumes from contaminating the atmosphere in the engine room.

3.2.4 Engine exhaust pipes shall discharge to the atmosphere and shall not pass within 2 in. of any wooden member or flammable material.

3.2.5 Fire extinguishers shall be installed in every engine room.

3.2.6 An exit shall be provided in every engine room to permit a person to leave rapidly in case of flash fire.

3.2.7 Guy wires or struts supporting any pylons, towers, or machinery which are likely to be struck by skiers and which are not in themselves obvious in adverse weather conditions shall be adequately marked and protected.

4. COUNTERWEIGHTS AND TENSIONING DEVICES:

4.1 Counterweights or other suitable devices shall be provided to determine and regulate the tension of all haul ropes.

4.2 Counterweights, if used, shall be arranged to move freely up and down.

4.3 Enclosures for counterweights shall be provided where necessary to prevent snow or ice from accumulating under and around counterweights or otherwise interfering with their free movement.

4.4 Where enclosures are not provided, guardrails or screens shall be provided to prevent any person from coming into contact with or passing under counterweights.

4.5 A wire rope holding the counterweight shall not contain a splice.

4.6 End connections on counterweight ropes shall be such as to prevent failure or slippage under a tension equal to 80 percent of the strength of the rope and such end connections shall comply with the recommendations of the manufacturers of the wire rope and end fittings respectively.

4.7 Sections of wire rope permanently deformed or damaged shall not be used in any load bearing capacity.

4.8 Limit switches shall be installed to stop the lift or tow before any counterweight or tension carriage reaches either end of its travel.

4.9 If a counterweight is not used to tension a rope tow, an effective mechanical or hydraulic tensioning system shall be provided and the licensee shall ensure that the haul rope tension does not exceed a value of one-fifth of the design strength of the rope under the most unfavourable accumulation of stress due to loading and operating conditions.

4.10 Tension on the haul rope of rope tows shall be maintained at the minimum required to keep the haul rope above the snow surface but not exceeding the maximum tension provided in the preceding bylaw.

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