Escape and Rescue from Mines Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

PART IIESCAPE AND EMERGENCY ORGANISATION

Emergency plan

4.—(1) The manager of every mine shall prepare and maintain a written plan (in these Regulations referred to as an “emergency plan”) setting out the action to be taken to effect safely and promptly the evacuation and rescue of persons from the mine should an emergency situation occur.

(2) In preparing an emergency plan the manager shall have regard to any relevant risk assessment made in accordance with regulation 3 of the 1992 Regulations.

(3) The manager shall make a thorough review of the emergency plan—

(a)whenever—

(i)there is reason to suspect that the emergency plan is no longer appropriate;

(ii)there has been a significant change either in the matters to which the emergency plan relates, or in the ownership or operation of the mine;

(iii)the risk assessment referred to in paragraph (2) is reviewed; or

(iv)the plan has been put into action; and

(b)in any event at least once every twelve months.

(4) Where as a result of any such review any change to the emergency plan or to the action to be taken under it is required the manager shall make such change and shall keep a record of any action taken as a result.

(5) The manager shall—

(a)ensure that the appropriate action set out in the emergency plan is taken should an emergency situation occur; and

(b)keep, readily available at the mine, a sufficient number of copies of the emergency plan as amended from time to time.

Emergency accommodation

5.—(1) The owner of every mine shall provide on the surface at the mine suitable accommodation which is sufficient for any persons who may be engaged in the rescue of persons from below ground or practising such work and located near to a shaft or entrance which gives convenient access to all parts of the mine.

(2) The manager of every mine shall appoint a competent and suitably experienced person to be in charge of the emergency accommodation.

Emergency equipment

6.—(1) The owner of every mine shall make effective arrangements to ensure that appropriate equipment is promptly available for use at all times in any operation involving escape or rescue from the mine.

(2) The manager of every mine shall take effective steps to ensure that the equipment referred to in paragraph (1) is maintained in good condition and ready for use at all times and is stored in an easily accessible place.

Mine plans for emergency use

7.  The owner of every mine shall keep readily available at the mine a sufficient number of plans of the workings of the mine which are suitable for use in an emergency situation.

Warning and other communication systems

8.—(1) The owner of every mine shall establish and maintain the necessary warning and other communication systems to enable assistance, escape and rescue operations to be launched forthwith if necessary.

(2) The manager of every mine shall ensure that in the event of an emergency situation occurring at the mine the warning and communication systems referred to in paragraph (1) are put into operation forthwith.

Access in an emergency situation

9.  The manager of every mine shall take effective steps to ensure that in the event of an emergency situation occurring at the mine only persons authorised by the manager of the mine go below ground at the mine or enter an affected area on the surface and that an accurate record of the names of such persons is kept.

Arrangements for escape

10.—(1) The owner of every mine shall provide—

(a)where necessary, suitable self-rescuers for all persons going below ground at the mine; and

(b)where necessary, safe havens or facilities for the exchange and recharge of self-rescuers.

(2) The manager shall ensure that—

(a)every person issued with a self-rescuer under paragraph (1) has been instructed how to use it and does not go below ground without it; and

(b)the self-rescuers are checked regularly, are maintained in good condition and are stored in a suitable place at the mine when not in use.

(3) Every person at a mine who is provided with a self-rescuer shall keep the self-rescuer with him and available for use at all times when he is below ground at the mine.

Training and information

11.—(1) The manager of every mine shall ensure that—

(a)all persons who work at the mine are trained in the appropriate actions to be taken in the event of an emergency situation occurring at the mine and in the use of equipment to be used in an emergency situation and shall ensure that practices of the actions are held at regular intervals; and

(b)all other persons who go below ground at the mine receive information on the appropriate actions to be taken in the event of an emergency situation occurring at the mine and in the use of equipment to be used in an emergency situation.

(2) The manager of every mine shall ensure that each person who works at the mine receives appropriate written instructions and information on the actions to be taken in the event of an emergency situation occurring at the mine as is appropriate having regard to the provisions of the emergency plan.

(3) The manager of every mine shall ensure that a copy of the emergency plan and the emergency instructions for the time being in force shall be kept in the covered accommodation provided at the mine in accordance with section 114 of the 1969 Act.

(4) Every person at work at the mine shall comply with the emergency instructions.