UK Statutory Instrument SI 2014 United Kingdom

Mines Regulations 2014

The Mines Regulations 2014 (the “Regulations”) consolidate and modernise the law on health and safety in mines in Great Britain. The Regulations implement, as regards Great Britain, Council Directive 1992/104/EEC on the minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers in surface and underground mineral-extracting industries.

Read it on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
HSE
Status
In Force
Penalty ceiling
Regulated

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Operator63 Any Person7 Employer3

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Operator — also bound by 746 other Acts
Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts
Employer — also bound by 682 other Acts
TULRCA 1992 72 duties

What it requires

Regulations creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1

0 of 4 sections shown
4 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.001 Citation, commencement and extent
s.002 Interpretation
s.003 Meaning of “mine”
s.004 Application of these Regulations
Part 2

13 of 14 sections shown
s.005 Duties of the owner Regulated
  • Appoint a suitable mine operator and keep written appointment recordsAny Person
s.006 Notification of mining operations Regulated
  • Notify HSE before starting mining operations and report any changesOperator
s.007 General duties of the mine operator Regulated
  • Operate and maintain the mine safely, coordinate H&S, and leave mine safe on closureOperator
s.008 Co-operation Regulated
  • Cooperate with the mine operator on health and safety complianceEmployer
s.009 Health and safety document Regulated
  • Prepare and maintain a mine health and safety documentOperator
s.010 Management structure Regulated
  • Establish and maintain a mine management structureOperator
s.011 Competence Regulated
  • Ensure all mine workers are competent or supervisedOperator
s.012 Instructions, rules and schemes Regulated
  • Put health and safety rules in place and ensure they are followed at the mineOperator
s.013 Permits to work Regulated
  • Operate a permit-to-work system for hazardous mining operationsOperator
s.014 Inspection of the mine Regulated
  • Systematically inspect all below-ground parts of your mineOperator
s.015 Maintenance and inspection of equipment Regulated
  • Maintain a written scheme for inspecting and testing mine equipmentOperator
s.016 Record of persons below ground Regulated
  • Keep a record of everyone below ground at your mineOperator
s.017 Danger areas Regulated
  • Identify danger areas and prevent unauthorised access to themOperator
1 other section in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.018 Power of safety representatives to report imminent risk
Part 3

21 of 24 sections shown
s.019 General duty Regulated
  • Prevent and manage fire risk at the mine, and provide fire-fighting equipmentOperator
s.020 Fire protection plan Regulated
  • Prepare and implement a fire protection plan for your mineOperator
s.022 Explosive atmospheres Regulated
  • Detect and reduce flammable gas in explosive zonesOperator
s.023 Ignition risks Regulated
  • Manage flammable gas ignition risks and prohibit smoking materials undergroundOperator
s.025 Burning and welding in coal mines Regulated
  • Restrict burning and welding to shafts or insets with prior risk assessmentOperator
s.026 Risks of explosion in coal mines Regulated
  • Control explosion risks from coal dust and install explosion barriers in coal minesOperator
s.028 General duties relating to explosives Regulated
  • Manage safe transport, storage, handling and use of explosivesOperator
s.029 Duties relating to explosives in mines with explosive atmospheres Regulated
  • Use suitable explosives and test for flammable gas before firing shotsOperator
s.030 Storage of explosives Regulated
  • Designate and secure underground explosives storage areasOperator
s.031 Rules Regulated
  • Include shotfiring and explosives rules in mine safety rulesEmployer
s.032 Duty to take ground control measures Regulated
  • Take ground control measures and assess risks before excavationOperator
s.033 Precautions against inrushes Regulated
  • Prevent inrushes of gas or water into mine workingsOperator
s.034 Information about inrush hazards Regulated
  • Obtain information on inrush hazards before working near themOperator
s.035 Mine workings in potentially hazardous areas Regulated
  • Assess inrush risk and prepare scheme of work near hazardous areasOperator
s.036 Shaft construction and modification Regulated
  • Ensure shaft construction and modification is safeOperator
s.037 Equipment in relevant shafts and outlets Regulated
  • Provide and maintain safe travel equipment in mine shafts and outletsOperator
s.038 Safety features of winding apparatus Regulated
  • Ensure winding apparatus has safety features to control speed, stop on overwind, and monitor positionOperator
s.039 Inspection, maintenance and testing Regulated
  • Inspect, maintain and test mine shafts and winding apparatusOperator
s.040 Signalling and communication Regulated
  • Provide safe communication and signalling in mine shaftsOperator
s.041 Transport systems Regulated
  • Ensure safe design, operation and maintenance of underground transport systemsOperator
s.042 Transport rules Regulated
  • Include transport safety rules in mine safety rulesEmployer
3 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.021 Application of regulations 22 and 23
s.024 Application of regulations 25 and 26
s.027 Application of regulations 28 to 31
Part 4

1 of 1 section shown
s.043 Ventilation Regulated
  • Maintain and monitor underground ventilation systems at minesOperator
Part 5

3 of 4 sections shown
s.045 Assessment and control of inhalable and respirable dust in coal mines Regulated
  • Assess and control dust exposure in underground coal minesOperator
s.046 Lighting Regulated
  • Provide suitable lighting underground and emergency lighting above groundOperator
s.047 Personal lamps Regulated
  • Provide suitable personal lamps to all underground workersOperator
1 other section in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.044 Application of COSHH below ground in coal mines
Part 6

10 of 10 sections shown
s.048 Exits from the mine Regulated
  • Ensure two separate mine exits and prepare single-exit emergency planOperator
s.049 Ways out from places of work Regulated
  • Ensure every workplace in the mine has at least two safe escape routesOperator
s.050 Emergency routes and emergency doors Regulated
  • Keep emergency routes clear and emergency doors easily openable in minesOperator
s.051 Auxiliary equipment Regulated
  • Provide backup escape equipment at minesOperator
s.052 Intake airways Regulated
  • Construct mine intake airways from fire-resistant materialsOperator
s.053 Duties of the mine operator with regard to escape and rescue Regulated
  • Ensure emergency escape, rescue and communication arrangements at your mineOperator
s.054 Escape and rescue plan Regulated
  • Prepare and maintain a written escape and rescue plan for your mineOperator
s.055 Emergency equipment and communication systems Regulated
  • Provide and maintain emergency equipment and communication systems at minesOperator
s.056 Training and information Regulated
  • Train mine workers on emergency actions and hold regular safety drillsOperator
s.057 Self-rescuers Regulated
  • Provide and manage self-rescuers for mine workersOperator
Part 7

2 of 2 sections shown
s.058 Surveyor Regulated
  • Appoint a suitably qualified mine surveyorOperator
s.059 Working plans, sections, ventilation plans and geological map Regulated
  • Maintain working plans, sections, ventilation plans and geological mapOperator
Part 8

6 of 8 sections shown
s.060 General duty to ensure safety of tips Regulated
  • Ensure tips are designed, built, operated and maintained safelyOperator
s.061 Appraisal of tips Regulated
  • Arrange competent appraisal of mine tips and record findingsOperator
s.062 Geotechnical assessments Regulated
  • Carry out geotechnical assessment of tips and record findingsAny Person
s.063 Tips which are a significant hazard (notifiable tips) Regulated
  • Arrange regular geotechnical assessments for notifiable tipsOperator
s.064 Records of substances tipped Regulated
  • Keep detailed records of all substances tipped at notifiable tipsOperator
s.065 Notification of tips Regulated
  • Notify HSE before starting or continuing mine tip operationsOperator
2 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.066 Tips rules
s.067 Abandoned tips
Part 9

2 of 3 sections shown
s.068 Record keeping Regulated
  • Keep mine records and duty statements for at least three yearsOperator
s.069 Plans of abandoned mines Regulated
  • Send accurate plan of abandoned mine or tip to HSE within 3 monthsOperator
1 other section in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.070 Exemptions
Part 10

1 of 6 sections shown
s.072 Transitional provisions: tips Regulated
  • Carry out first appraisal of unclassified tipsOperator
5 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.071 Transitional provisions: general
s.073 Transitional provision: Winsford mine
s.074 Repeals and revocations
s.075 Modifications
s.076 Review
Schedules

Schedules

14 of 39 shown
s.sch001 In the case of face workings where props are used—... Regulated
  • Set and maintain prop spacing in mine face workings to specified limitsOperator
s.sch001 In the case of roadways where rockbolts are used as... Regulated
  • Meet minimum rockbolt support standards in mine roadwaysOperator
s.sch001 In the case of roadways where machines are used to... Regulated
  • Limit machine advance to 1.2 metres per cycle in roadway cuttingOperator
s.sch001 In the case of roadways where persons work or pass... Regulated
  • Use temporary supports in mine roadways beyond the last permanent supportAny Person
s.sch001 In the case of face workings where bars are used—... Regulated
  • Maintain correct bar spacing and advance bars promptly in face workingsOperator
s.sch001 In the case of workings where powered supports are used—... Regulated
  • Advance powered supports promptly after extraction in mine workingsAny Person
s.sch001 In the case of face workings where packs are used—... Regulated
  • Control roof exposure width and waste edge position in pack-supported face workingsOperator
s.sch001 In the case of face workings where persons work or... Regulated
  • Use temporary supports in face workings and keep workers within 0.9mAny Person
s.sch001 In the case of roadways where props and bars are... Regulated
  • Maintain minimum support standards for roadways using props and barsOperator
s.sch001 In the case of roadways where steel arches are used... Regulated
  • Keep steel arch supports in mine roadways within spacing limitsOperator
s.sch002 Site survey Regulated
  • Prepare accurate site survey plan for mine or tipOperator
s.sch002 Site investigation Regulated
  • Keep records of all site investigation information for mine tips and slopesOperator
s.sch002 Cross-sections based on site investigations Regulated
  • Prepare accurate cross-section of tip site based on site investigationAny Person
s.sch002 Assumptions made before analysis Regulated
  • Record assumptions used in tip safety assessmentsAny Person
25 other schedules
s.sch001 For the purpose of this Schedule, “bar” means a support...
s.sch001 For the purpose of paragraph 3— (a) “powered support” means...
s.sch001 In this Schedule, “face working”— (a) in relation to a...
s.sch002 Plans based on site investigation
s.sch002 Findings of analysis
s.sch002 Design coming out of analysis
s.sch002 Requirements during and after construction
s.sch005 In the 1954 Act, for section 180 substitute the following—...
s.sch005 In the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999, in regulation 4—
s.sch005 In PUWER, in regulation 6(5)(d), for “Mines (Shafts and Winding)...
s.sch005 In the Quarries Regulations 1999, in regulation 3(1)(c), for “regulation...
s.sch005 In the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000, in regulation 2(1),...
s.sch005 In the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority for Railways and...
s.sch005 In the REACH Enforcement Regulations 2008, in Part 1 of...
s.sch005 In the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations...
s.sch005 In the Reservoirs Act 1975 (Exemptions, Appeals and Inspections) (England)...
s.sch005 In the 2014 Regulations— (a) in regulation 2(1)—
s.sch005 (1) Despite the revocation of the Management and Administration of...
s.sch005 In the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act 1969—
s.sch005 In the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, in...
s.sch005 In the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981—
s.sch005 In the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989—
s.sch005 In the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, for...
s.sch005 In the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998, in...
s.sch005 In the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, in...

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

8 more guides that reference this instrument
Coal mining compliance checklist Get the permits and consents for quarrying and mining Meet your coal mining regulatory duties Meet your worksite compliance duties for mining support Metal ore mining: compliance checklist Mining support service: compliance checklist Quarrying and mining: compliance checklist Set up and run a safe metal ore mine

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.