UK Statutory Instrument
2014
United Kingdom
Mines Regulations 2014
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
71 compliance obligations, 8 practical guides
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Citation, commencement and extent
Interpretation
Meaning of “mine”
Application of these Regulations
Part 2
Duties of the owner
- Appoint a suitable mine operator and keep written appointment records
Notification of mining operations
- Notify HSE before starting mining operations and report any changes
General duties of the mine operator
- Operate and maintain the mine safely, coordinate H&S, and leave mine safe on closure
Co-operation
- Cooperate with the mine operator on health and safety compliance
Health and safety document
- Prepare and maintain a mine health and safety document
Management structure
- Establish and maintain a mine management structure
Competence
- Ensure all mine workers are competent or supervised
Instructions, rules and schemes
- Put health and safety rules in place and ensure they are followed at the mine
Permits to work
- Operate a permit-to-work system for hazardous mining operations
Inspection of the mine
- Systematically inspect all below-ground parts of your mine
Maintenance and inspection of equipment
- Maintain a written scheme for inspecting and testing mine equipment
Record of persons below ground
- Keep a record of everyone below ground at your mine
Danger areas
- Identify danger areas and prevent unauthorised access to them
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Power of safety representatives to report imminent risk
Part 3
General duty
- Prevent and manage fire risk at the mine, and provide fire-fighting equipment
Fire protection plan
- Prepare and implement a fire protection plan for your mine
Explosive atmospheres
- Detect and reduce flammable gas in explosive zones
Ignition risks
- Manage flammable gas ignition risks and prohibit smoking materials underground
Burning and welding in coal mines
- Restrict burning and welding to shafts or insets with prior risk assessment
Risks of explosion in coal mines
- Control explosion risks from coal dust and install explosion barriers in coal mines
General duties relating to explosives
- Manage safe transport, storage, handling and use of explosives
Duties relating to explosives in mines with explosive atmospheres
- Use suitable explosives and test for flammable gas before firing shots
Storage of explosives
- Designate and secure underground explosives storage areas
Rules
- Include shotfiring and explosives rules in mine safety rules
Duty to take ground control measures
- Take ground control measures and assess risks before excavation
Precautions against inrushes
- Prevent inrushes of gas or water into mine workings
Information about inrush hazards
- Obtain information on inrush hazards before working near them
Mine workings in potentially hazardous areas
- Assess inrush risk and prepare scheme of work near hazardous areas
Shaft construction and modification
- Ensure shaft construction and modification is safe
Equipment in relevant shafts and outlets
- Provide and maintain safe travel equipment in mine shafts and outlets
Safety features of winding apparatus
- Ensure winding apparatus has safety features to control speed, stop on overwind, and monitor position
Inspection, maintenance and testing
- Inspect, maintain and test mine shafts and winding apparatus
Signalling and communication
- Provide safe communication and signalling in mine shafts
Transport systems
- Ensure safe design, operation and maintenance of underground transport systems
Transport rules
- Include transport safety rules in mine safety rules
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Application of regulations 22 and 23
Application of regulations 25 and 26
Application of regulations 28 to 31
Part 4
Ventilation
- Maintain and monitor underground ventilation systems at mines
Part 5
Assessment and control of inhalable and respirable dust in coal mines
- Assess and control dust exposure in underground coal mines
Lighting
- Provide suitable lighting underground and emergency lighting above ground
Personal lamps
- Provide suitable personal lamps to all underground workers
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Application of COSHH below ground in coal mines
Part 6
Exits from the mine
- Ensure two separate mine exits and prepare single-exit emergency plan
Ways out from places of work
- Ensure every workplace in the mine has at least two safe escape routes
Emergency routes and emergency doors
- Keep emergency routes clear and emergency doors easily openable in mines
Auxiliary equipment
- Provide backup escape equipment at mines
Intake airways
- Construct mine intake airways from fire-resistant materials
Duties of the mine operator with regard to escape and rescue
- Ensure emergency escape, rescue and communication arrangements at your mine
Escape and rescue plan
- Prepare and maintain a written escape and rescue plan for your mine
Emergency equipment and communication systems
- Provide and maintain emergency equipment and communication systems at mines
Training and information
- Train mine workers on emergency actions and hold regular safety drills
Self-rescuers
- Provide and manage self-rescuers for mine workers
Part 7
Surveyor
- Appoint a suitably qualified mine surveyor
Working plans, sections, ventilation plans and geological map
- Maintain working plans, sections, ventilation plans and geological map
Part 8
General duty to ensure safety of tips
- Ensure tips are designed, built, operated and maintained safely
Appraisal of tips
- Arrange competent appraisal of mine tips and record findings
Tips which are a significant hazard (notifiable tips)
- Arrange regular geotechnical assessments for notifiable tips
Records of substances tipped
- Keep detailed records of all substances tipped at notifiable tips
Notification of tips
- Notify HSE before starting or continuing mine tip operations
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Geotechnical assessments
Tips rules
Abandoned tips
Part 9
Record keeping
- Keep mine records and duty statements for at least three years
Plans of abandoned mines
- Send accurate plan of abandoned mine or tip to HSE within 3 months
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Exemptions
Part 10
Transitional provisions: tips
- Carry out first appraisal of unclassified tips
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Transitional provisions: general
Transitional provision: Winsford mine
Repeals and revocations
Modifications
Review
Schedules
In the case of face workings where props are used—...
- Set and maintain prop spacing in mine face workings to specified limits
In the case of roadways where rockbolts are used as...
- Meet minimum rockbolt support standards in mine roadways
In the case of roadways where machines are used to...
- Limit machine advance to 1.2 metres per cycle in roadway cutting
In the case of roadways where persons work or pass...
- Use temporary supports in mine roadways beyond the last permanent support
In the case of face workings where bars are used—...
- Maintain correct bar spacing and advance bars promptly in face workings
In the case of workings where powered supports are used—...
- Advance powered supports promptly after extraction in mine workings
In the case of face workings where packs are used—...
- Control roof exposure width and waste edge position in pack-supported face workings
In the case of face workings where persons work or...
- Use temporary supports in face workings and keep workers within 0.9m
In the case of roadways where props and bars are...
- Maintain minimum support standards for roadways using props and bars
In the case of roadways where steel arches are used...
- Keep steel arch supports in mine roadways within spacing limits
Site survey
- Prepare accurate site survey plan for mine or tip
Site investigation
- Keep records of all site investigation information for mine tips and slopes
Cross-sections based on site investigations
- Prepare accurate cross-section of tip site based on site investigation
Browse 26 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
For the purpose of this Schedule, “bar” means a support...
For the purpose of paragraph 3— (a) “powered support” means...
In this Schedule, “face working”— (a) in relation to a...
Plans based on site investigation
Assumptions made before analysis
Findings of analysis
Design coming out of analysis
Requirements during and after construction
In the 1954 Act, for section 180 substitute the following—...
In the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999, in regulation 4—
In PUWER, in regulation 6(5)(d), for “Mines (Shafts and Winding)...
In the Quarries Regulations 1999, in regulation 3(1)(c), for “regulation...
In the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000, in regulation 2(1),...
In the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority for Railways and...
In the REACH Enforcement Regulations 2008, in Part 1 of...
In the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations...
In the Reservoirs Act 1975 (Exemptions, Appeals and Inspections) (England)...
In the 2014 Regulations— (a) in regulation 2(1)—
(1) Despite the revocation of the Management and Administration of...
In the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act 1969—
In the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, in...
In the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981—
In the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989—
In the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, for...
In the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998, in...
In the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, in...
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Natural Resources Wales / Register your reservoir (opens in a new tab) from NRW Detailed Guidance
- HSE: mines regulations (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
- GOV.UK: minerals planning (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- The Coal Mines (Owner's Operating Rules) Regulations 1993 (opens in a new tab) from HSE Code of Practice
- First aid at mines. Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 (opens in a new tab) from HSE Code of Practice
- Mines Regulations 2014 (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
- Mines Regulations 2014 and other legislation (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
- Contacts (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Health and Safety Executive
Workplace health, safety, and welfare regulation across all industries. Enforces the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related regulations. Investigates …
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