PRELIMINARY
1. Citation. These regulations may be cited as "The Mines Regulation Act Regulations of 1964".
2. Interpretation. In these regulations, unless the context requires otherwise, "Act" means "The Mines Regulation Act of 1964"; and the interpretations contained in section five of the Act shall apply.
3. Arrangement. Part !-Preliminary-Regulations Nos. 1 to 3.
Part II-Ventilation and Dust Control-Regulations Nos. 4 to 26.
Part III-Ladders and Travelling Ways-Regulations Nos. 27 to 31.
Part IV-Safety and Protection-Regulations Nos. 32 to 57.
Part V-Explosives-Regulations Nos. 58 to 89.
Part VI-Winding and Signals-Regulations Nos. 90 to 131.
Part VII-Machinery-Regulations Nos. 132 to 151.
Part VIII-Sanitation and Hygiene-Regulations Nos. 152 to 174.
Part IX-Dredges-Regulations Nos. 17 5 to 181.
Part X-Electricity in, on and about Mines-Regulations Nos. 182 to 309.
Part XI-Certificates-Regulations Nos. 310 to 321.
Part XII-Winding Licenses-Regulations Nos. 322 to 331.
Part XIII-Miscellaneous-Regulations Nos. 332 to 333.
PART II
VENTILATION AND DUST CONTROL
4. Adequate ventilation to be maintained. ( 1) Adequate ventilation shall be constantly produced and maintained in every mine.
(2) Where the ventilation of any place is inadequate no work excepting such as is necessary for the purpose of remedying such inadequacy shall be undertaken in that place.
5. Abandoned parts of mine. (1) Any part of a mine that is abandoned may be shut off from the ventilation system and any such shutting off shall be recorded.
(2) All parts so shut off shall be closed off to the satisfaction of the inspector from the parts of the mine in use.
6. Ventilation standards. ( 1) The ventilation in any place in which a person is required to enter or remain shall be deemed to be adequate if the atmosphere therein contains-
and
and and
( a) Not less than 19 percentage of oxygen by volume and not more parts of the following gases per million parts of air by volume than are here specified, namely carbon dioxide 5,000 parts, carbon monoxide 50 parts, oxides of nitrogen 5 parts, and hydrogen sulphide 20 parts;
(b) Not more than 100 micromicrocuries of radon and its daughter products per litre of air:
Provided that when gas or gases in the atmosphere in any place are in excess of the specified amounts the inspector may approve of a limited exposure of a person to the atmosphere in such a place under such conditions as the inspector may approve;
(c) Not more than 100 micrograms of uranium regardless of its chemical state, solubility, or particle size per litre of air;
(d) Not more particles of dust of sizes between 5 microns and 0 · 5 microns in diameter per cubic centimetre of air than is specified herein, that is to say, when the free silica content of the dust or parent rock is not greater than 10 percentage 700 particles, when the free silica content of the dust or parent rock is greater than 10 percentage but no~ greater than 50 percentage 400 particles, and when the free silica content of the dust or parent rock is greater than 50 percentage 200 particles: Provided that the inspector may permit a larger number of particles of dust to be present in the atmosphere under such conditions as he may approve:
Provided further that at mines where uranium minerals are mined and/ or processed no person shall enter or be permitted to enter any place unless the usual means of ventilation of such place have been in continuous operation for the previous hour, and no person shall be exposed- over the whole body to gamma radiation exceeding 0 · 1 roentgens per week.
(2) Where the temperature in the mine workings is unavoidably high the ventilation shall be adequate to maintain a reasonable limit of humidity-that is to say, at a temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit by a dry bulb thermometer, the reading of the wet bulb should be not more than 78 degrees Fahrenheit and for every 2 degl'ees rise in temperature above 80 degrees Fahrenheit by a dry bulb thermometer there should be at least an additional degree of difference between the dry and wet bulb readings. Where the percentage of humidity is greater than is shown above in any working place suitable mechanical ventilating appliances shall be provided and operated to the satisfaction of the inspector.
Regulations rr. 7-12 47 7. Tests to be made. ( 1) When instructed by the inspector in writing, the manager, or some person appointed by him, shall make such tests and take such samples to show that all the foregoing requirements have been complied with and the results of such tests shall be recorded.
(2) The frequency of testing or sampling, the methods employed and the instruments used shall be as may be determined by the inspector.
8. Ventilation officers. ( 1 ) The manager of a mine, when required to do so by the inspector, shall appoint dust and ventilation officers whose duty it shall be to examine and report on:-
(a) the quality, distribution and use of water used for laying dust;
(b) the condition of the necessary appliances for using water at each working place;
(c) the dust sampling of the mine, more particularly in relation to the development ends and in the vicinity of places where rock or ore is tipped;
(d) temperature readings in working places;
(e) the condition of the mine relating to ventilation and health more particularly as regards the amount of air supplied during the interval after blasting and before entry and during the working shift in all development ends in which there is no through air current.
(2) The manager shall notify the inspector in writing of the name of the person or persons appointed from time to time.
( 3) When requested by the inspector such specific reports as may be required by him shall be entered in the record book. Such entries shall be examined and countersigned by the manager or a responsible person appointed by the manager.
9. Stoppings and doors. Air doors, stoppings, cross~overs and brattices shall be provided where necessary for the regulation of the ventilating currents and shall be maintained in good order and condition.
10. Ventilating appliances. If, in the opinion of the inspector, the ventilation in any part of a mine is inadequate or can be improved he may require that mechanical ventilating appliances or additional such appliances be provided and operated.
11. Damage or misuse an offence.
through negligence, damages or misuses installation or who fails to use it where breach of these regulations.
Any person who, wilfully or any ventilating equipment or provided shall be guilty of a 12. Purity of air to machines. (1) The supply of air for any ventilating machine or air compressor which forces air into the workings shall be drawn from the purest source practicable.
(2) All compressed air receivers and lines shall be fitted with suit- able means approved by the inspector for removing accumulations of water.
13. Air to be split. The workings of each level in every mine shall where necessary be ventilated by a separate split of air from the main intake into such level, and after passing through those workings the air shall be led as directly as possible to the return airway.
14. Recircblation of air. Main air currents passing through every mine shall, as far as practicable, be regulated so that the air shall pass through the workings from inlet to outlet without local recirculations, that is, the same air shall not be allowed to return repeatedly through the same place: Provided that air which has passed through an air con- ditioning unit approved by the inspector may be recirculated.
15. Additional airways. In every mine there shall be constructed as soon as practicable one or more airways independent of the main shaft or other principal entrance of the mine, from the lowest level through to the surface, of sufficient area to allow passage of the amount of air required to ventilate all the parts of the mine served by such airways and they shall be maintained open and unobstructed except when it may be necessary to close some of them in order to regulate and properly distribute the air through the workings.
16. Connections between adjacent mines. All excavations by wliich two mines are connected shall, if considered necessary by the inspector, be kept open for ventilation and escape; but the inspector may order any such connections to be closed if he considers the ventilation con- ditions of either mine will be improved thereby: Provided that if in the opinion of the Chief Inspector compliance with any such direction entails any expense in connection with the regulating and conducting of hot, moist or foul air from one mine through the workings of any other mine for the purpose of improving the working conditions of the men employed in either mine, such expense shall be borne by the owners of such mines in such proportions as the Chief Inspector shall direct.
17. Adjacent mines to be connected when directed. Adjacent mines shall be connected by such excavations as are deemed necessary by the Chief Inspector for the purposes of ventilation and escape, and such connections shall be made at the expense of the owners of such mines, or of such of them and in such proportions, as the Chief Inspector may direct.
18. Ventilation plans. When required by the inspector, the direction, course and volume of the air currents and the position of all air doors, stoppings, fans and ventilating devices throughout the mine shall be marked on plans and sections to be kept at the mine. A copy of such plan shall be sent to the inspector when required by him.
19. (1) Distance of development ends from through air currents.
No development end or winze shall be advanced more than such distance as may be prescribed by the inspector from the through air current and no working shall be taken off such development end or winze at a distance greater than such prescribed distance from the through air current unless ventilating equipment is installed delivering air through pipes to the face with sufficient volume and velocity to provide adequate ventilation.
Exhausting equipment shall be used in conjunction when it is, in the opinion of the inspector, necessary.
(2) Ventilation of winzes. (a) Explosives shall not be fired in a winze or any working from a winze unless efficient means of ventilation are available: Provided that for the purposes of this subsection, com- pressed air discharge from a hose or pipe shall be deemed efficient ventilation.
Regulations rr. 20-25 49
(b) The discharge end of the hose or pipe shall be secured so as to discharge air to the bottom of the winze or working face unless otherwise approved by the inspector.
(c) The master valve controlling the supply of air to a winze or any intermediate workings within 20 feet of such winze shall be situated at the brace or top of the winze and no other valve shall be allowed in the winze except by permission of the inspector.
20. Rises. The inspector may impose ~pecial conditions in connection with the ventilation of rises.
21. Suppression of dust. (1) Where dust is produced in the course of mining operations or in ·any rock crushing plant or reduction mill, to such an extent that the health of the workmen may be endangered thereby, the owner, authorised representative or manager of the mine, plant or mill concerned shall make provision for preventing or allaying such dust or the danger to persons liable to inhale such dust. No person shall work in or cause or allow a person to work in any underground place, rock crushing plant or reduction mill until such provision is made and is effectively and constantly used.
(2) The appliances so used shall be such as lay the dust by the use of water delivered from sprays or jets, or other effective methods, and shall be approved by the inspector.
(3) Every person in a mine shall comply with the instructions of the manager or the inspector as to the use of water and the appliances provided in the mine for the suppression of dust.
( 4) Where, in the opinion of the inspector, the dust from tailings dumps, or any other heaps of waste rock or mill residues on a mine is a nuisance to persons employed on them or in their vicinity or is detri- mental to their health, he may give notice in writing to that effect to the manager and the manager shall thereupon provide and cause to be constantly in use such appliances as will effectively lay the dust.
( 5) The water that is used either on surface or underground for the purpose of laying dust, shall be free from pollution.
22. Hours of blasting. When required by the inspector bla!>ting operations shall only be carried out at such hours as may be fixed by the inspector in consultation with the manager, and under such con- ditions as the inspector may consider necessary. The hours for firing and any conditions laid down by the inspector shall be entered in the record book and such hours and conditions may be altered or cancelled as he deems necessary.
23. Entry after blasting. No person shall enter any working plac~
after blasting has taken place until the fumes and toxic gases arising from the explosives have been effectively dispersed.
24. Use of tailings for filling. Tailings used for filling worked out ground shall not contain more free cyanide than is equivalent to 0 · 01 per cent. of potassium cyanide. A strong current of air shall be main- tained through any workings which are being filled with such tailings so long as men are therein.
25. Acid treatment of zinc slimes. All vessels used for the acid treatment of zinc slimes from the cyanide process shall be fitted with hoods or other appliances which shall prevent the fumes from entering
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the air breathed by the workmen engaged on that process and which shall discharge the fumes into the atmosphere in such a manner as to cause no hazard to workers in or on the mine.
26. Noxious fumes, rays, etc. (1) In every case where fumes, rays, toxic gases or dust which, in the opinion of the inspector, are noxious and dangerous to persons are likely to escape from any furnace or other plant used in connection with any metallurgical processes in quantities or conditions likely to endanger the health and life of persons engaged in, on or about the premises in which the metallurgical process is carried on, such furnace or other plant shall be equipped with suitable devices as may be approved by the inspector to ensure that such fumes, rays, toxic gases or dust are not a source of danger to persons in on or about the mine.
(2) Such devices shall be constructed and operated at all times to the satisfaction of the inspector.