The Quarries Miscellaneous Health and Safety Provisions Regulations 1995

Regulation 9

SCHEDULE 2 ADDITIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

PART I REQUIREMENTS ON EMPLOYERS

The additional health and safety requirements on an employer of persons at work at a quarry are as follows:–

Work permits

1.—(1) Where it is shown by the health and safety document that such a measure is necessary, a system of work permits shall be introduced for carrying out hazardous operations and usually straightforward operations which may interact with other activities to cause serious hazards.

(2) Work permits shall specify the conditions to be fulfilled and the precautions to be taken before, during and after, the work concerned and shall be issued by the employer or person at work in charge of those operations.

PART II REQUIREMENTS ON OWNERS

The additional health and safety requirements on every owner of a quarry are as follows:

Means of evacuation and escape–

1.—(1) Persons at work at a quarry shall be trained in appropriate action to be taken in the event of an emergency.

(2) Rescue equipment shall be provided at readily accessible and appropriately sited places and kept ready for use.

Safety drills

2.—(1) Safety drills shall be held at regular intervals at every quarry for persons at work at the quarry.

(2) The main purpose of such drills shall be —

(a) to train the persons who work at the quarry in the appropriate actions to be taken in an emergency; and;

(b) to train and check the skills of such persons to whom specific duties have been assigned in the event of an emergency involving the use, handling or operation of emergency equipment.

(3) Where appropriate the persons described in sub-paragraph 2(b) shall also be drilled in the correct use, handling or operation of that equipment.

Benches and haul roads

3.  In every quarry the benches and haul roads shall be designed, constructed and maintained so that they are of sufficient strength and stability for the plant that is used and moved upon them.

Lighting

4.  Every part of a quarry in which a person is likely to be exposed to risks in the event of the failure of artificial lighting shall be provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity and where that is impractical persons at work in that place shall be provided with a personal lamp.

Control of explosive atmospheres

5.  Where there is a risk of an unintended explosion at any place at a quarry all necessary measures shall be taken with a view to—

(a) preventing the occurrence and accumulation of explosive atmospheres; and

(b) preventing the ignition of explosive atmospheres.

Smoking and use of open flame

6.  At every place at a quarry where there is a particular risk of fire or explosion—

(a) smoking shall be forbidden; and

(b) no open flame shall be used nor any work carried out which may give rise to an ignition hazard unless safety precautions are first taken to prevent the occurrence of any fire or explosion.

Fire-fighting equipment

7.  The location of fire-fighting equipment shall be indicated by signs which are placed at appropriate points at the quarry.

Written instructions

8.  Written instructions shall be drawn up for every quarry which shall set out comprehensible

(a) rules and safety instructions to be observed to ensure the health and safety of persons at work and the safe use of equipment; and

(b) information on the use of emergency equipment and action to be taken in the event of an emergency at or near any place of work at the quarry.