Division 08
Quarrying
Requirements for all quarrying
These requirements apply to all business activities in this division.
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — general duties
Enforced by HSE
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
General duty to protect employees and others affected by the work. Extraction is a high-hazard sector — HSE is the lead regulator and inspects quarries directly.
Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance)
Enforced by HSE
Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969
Required for any business employing at least one person.
UK GDPR + Data Protection Act 2018
Enforced by ICO
Data Protection Act 2018; UK GDPR (retained EU law)
Applies to any business processing personal data — staff, customers, suppliers. ICO registration unless specifically exempt.
Equality Act 2010 — protected characteristics
Enforced by EHRC
Equality Act 2010
No discrimination, harassment or victimisation in employment or services. Applies to recruitment and the workforce on site.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Enforced by LOCAL_FIRE_AUTHORITY
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Responsible person must carry out a fire risk assessment for workplace premises (offices, workshops, processing plant, fuel/explosive stores). Devolved: Fire (Scotland) Act 2005; Fire and Rescue Services (NI) Order 2006.
Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 — fire safety duties
Enforced by LOCAL_FIRE_AUTHORITY
Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
Scottish equivalent of the Fire Safety Order: the duty holder must carry out a fire risk assessment and put in place fire safety measures for workplace premises (offices, workshops, processing plant, fuel/explosive stores), enforced by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
COSHH — control of dust and respirable crystalline silica
Enforced by HSE
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) released when cutting, crushing or processing stone, sand and clay is the defining occupational-health hazard of the industry. Operators must assess exposure, apply controls (water suppression, extraction, RPE) and carry out health surveillance. Workplace exposure limit 0.1 mg/m3 (8-hour TWA).
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
Enforced by HSE
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
Crushers, screens, conveyors, excavators and haul vehicles must be suitable, maintained, inspected and used only by trained operators. Read with LOLER 1998 for lifting equipment.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
Enforced by HSE
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
Avoid, assess and reduce the risk of injury from manual handling — a continuing risk in extraction and aggregate processing.
Quarries Regulations 1999 — safe quarry operation
Enforced by HSE
The Quarries Regulations 1999
The live extractive health-and-safety regime for surface quarries across Great Britain. The operator must appoint a competent quarry manager, notify HSE before starting a quarry, prepare and keep under review a health and safety document and geotechnical assessments for excavations and tips, and manage traffic, edge protection and tip stability. Applies to every operator in this industry; underground workings are instead governed by the Mines Regulations 2014.
Minerals planning permission
Enforced by LOCAL_AUTHORITY
Town and Country Planning Act 1990
All mineral extraction is development requiring planning permission from the mineral planning authority (the county or unitary council — NOT the district), normally with an environmental impact assessment, conditions on working hours, restoration and aftercare, and periodic review of mineral permissions (ROMP). Devolved: planning authority + national policy in Wales (Planning (Wales) Act 2015); Scotland (Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997); NI (Planning Act (NI) 2011).
Minerals planning permission (Scotland)
Enforced by LOCAL_AUTHORITY
Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997
Scottish equivalent of the England & Wales minerals-permission regime: mineral extraction is development requiring planning permission from the planning authority under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, normally with an environmental impact assessment, restoration and aftercare conditions, and periodic review of mineral permissions (ROMP).
Aggregates Levy — registration, weighing, records and returns
Enforced by HMRC
Aggregates Levy (General) Regulations 2002
Quarry and pit operators commercially exploiting taxable aggregate must determine quantities, keep records, submit returns and pay Aggregates Levy. Applies to extraction and first commercial exploitation of rock, sand, gravel and similar aggregate in this industry; exemptions and credits depend on use, export, processing, disposal or bad debt.