PART 3CONTROL OF MAJOR HAZARDS

Inrushes

Information about inrush hazards34

1

The mine operator must obtain, so far as is reasonably practicable, all the information which indicates, or tends to indicate, the presence or absence of a potentially hazardous area in the vicinity of any working being carried on, or proposed to be carried on, in the mine.

2

The mine operator must ensure that no working is undertaken in the mine in the vicinity of a body of surface water until—

a

such steps are taken as may be necessary to ascertain the total thickness of the strata lying between the working and the surface water; and

b

the mine operator is satisfied that the strata are sufficiently reliable to prevent an inrush of water from the surface.

3

In this regulation—

a

“body of surface water” means the sea, a lake or river, or any other body of surface water (whether accumulated naturally or not); and

b

“potentially hazardous area” means—

i

any disused workings (whether mine workings or not);

ii

any rock or stratum containing or likely to contain water (whether dispersed or in natural cavities);

iii

any peat, moss, sand, gravel, silt, or other material that flows or is likely to flow when wet; and

iv

any body of surface water.