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.