Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Mines) Regulations 2018 (SI 2018/133)
Commencement: 30th April 2018
Revokes and replaces
These Regulations revoke and replace requirements formerly applied in the Mines and quarries Act 1965, and in various Regulations made under that Act. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Extractive Industries) Regulations 1997 no longer apply to a mine.
Summary
These Regulations set out requirements with respect to safety, health and welfare in mines. They implement Council Directive 92/104/EEC on the minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers in surface and underground mineral extracting industries.
Part 2 requires a competent person to be appointed as an operator of the mine. A mine manager and an adequate number of shiftbosses must also be appointed. General duties are set out for operators, mine managers, shifbossess and persons at work at a mine.
The Health and Safety Authority must be notified of the appointment of an operator and mine manager, the commencement of mining operations, the permanent cessation of mining operations and dangerous occurrences at a mine.
Part 3 requires suitable schemes are prepared, for the systematic inspection, maintenance and where appropriate testing of:
- all parts of the mine,
- all travelling routes, airways or roadways that are not normally places of work,
- all shafts and hoisting systems,
- all buildings (whether temporary or permanent) at the mine;
- any vehicle, plant and work equipment at the mine, and
- all equipment provided for fire-fighting at or within the mine.
Suitable records must be kept of the above inspections. Part 3 also requires the operator to ensure work is supervised.
Parts 4-15 set out specific requirements for the following areas:
4. roadways and vehicles,
5. ventilation,
6. stability and ground support,
7. explosives,
8. electricity,
9. access, egress and emergency planning,
10. preparation of mine places,
11. provision relating to hoisting systems,
12. provision for particular risks at mines,
13. safety provisions for ancillary surface installations,
14. health, and
15. welfare.
