This document specifies the design loads and the design procedures for the design of rope guides and rubbing ropes used for guiding conveyances and preventing collisions in vertical mine shafts for permanent operations. It covers personnel and material hoisting, as well as rock hoisting installations. There are no fundamental limitations placed on the size of conveyances, the hoisting speeds, shaft layout configurations, or the shaft depth.

This document can be applicable to shaft sinking operations when kibbles run on the stage ropes.

There are many reasons, based on technical, timing, and cost factors, why rope guides are selected or not for a particular application, following careful assessment at feasibility stage of any project where rope guides are considered. This document provides some comments regarding the advantages and disadvantages of using rope guides compared to rigid guides, and specific design aspects for consideration when using rope guides. However, it is primarily intended to provide the technical information required to ensure good engineering of shafts where rope guided hoisting is the chosen solution.

This document does not cover matters of operational safety.