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Mines Act (Northern Ireland) 1969

1969 c. 6 (N.I.) · Enacted 24 June 1969 · Extends to Northern Ireland

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An Act to make fresh provision with respect to the management and control of mines and for securing the safety, health and welfare of persons employed thereat; to regulate the employment thereat of women and of young persons and certain other persons under the age of twenty-one years; to enable certain tips to be regulated and to require the fencing of abandoned and disused mines; to amend the Quarries Act (Northern Ireland) 1927; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid.

[24th June 1969]

Contents

  1. Part I: GENERAL DUTIES OF MINE OWNERS
  2. 1General duties of mine owners. Repealed
  3. Part II: MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL
  4. Chapter: Managers and under-managers
  5. 2Appointment, and general duties and powers, of mine managers. Repealed
  6. 3Rights of mine manager with respect to instructions given by or on behalf of owner. Repealed
  7. 4Qualifications of mine managers. Repealed
  8. 5Limitation on number of mines which a person may manage. Repealed
  9. 6Under-managers. Repealed
  10. 7Temporary appointments during vacancy in office of mine manager or under-manager. Repealed
  11. 8Daily supervision by mine managers and under-managers. Repealed
  12. 9Charge of mine when neither manager nor under-manager nor substitute is present. Repealed
  13. 10Duties of mine managers with respect to reading of reports, &c. Repealed
  14. Chapter: Surveyors
  15. 11Surveyors. Repealed
  16. Chapter: Officials and technicians
  17. 12Deputies. Repealed
  18. 13Other officials, engineers, technicians, &c. Repealed
  19. 14Duty of mine manager to ensure that persons appointed by him understand their duties. Repealed
  20. Chapter: Provisions ancillary to foregoing sections
  21. 15Notification to Ministry of appointments by mine owners. Repealed
  22. 16Disqualification of contractors and their employees for appointment as managers, &c., of mines. Repealed
  23. Plans
  24. 17Keeping of plans. Repealed
  25. 18Furnishing of documents and information requisite for preparation of plans. Repealed
  26. 19Faulty plans. Repealed
  27. 20Transmission to Ministry, and preservation, of plans of abandoned or disused mines, seams and veins. Repealed
  28. Part III: SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE
  29. Provisions for securing safe ingress and egress
  30. 28Provision of winding and haulage apparatus. Repealed
  31. Safety precautions in connection with shafts, &c., and entrances to disused workings
  32. 30Securing of shafts and staple-pits. Repealed
  33. 31Safety precautions with respect to entrances to shafts, staple-pits and outlets. Repealed
  34. 36Prohibition of use of vehicles and conveyors in roads not affording free movement. Repealed
  35. 37Transport rules. Repealed
  36. 39Provisions for securing safety of foot-passengers in transport roads. Repealed
  37. 40Provision of refuge holes. Repealed
  38. 41Safety measures relating to use of vehicles. Repealed
  39. Provisions for securing safe operation of winding and rope haulage apparatus and conveyors
  40. 42Charge of winding and rope haulage apparatus when persons are carried. Repealed
  41. 43Charge of winding and rope haulage apparatus when persons are not carried. Repealed
  42. 44Charge of conveyors at working faces. Repealed
  43. 45Signalling in shafts and outlets. Repealed
  44. 46Signalling in roads. Repealed
  45. Support
  46. 48Duty to secure safety of roads and working places. Repealed
  47. 49Systematic support in coal, shale and fireclay mines. Repealed
  48. 51Supply of materials for support. Repealed
  49. 52Withdrawal of support. Repealed
  50. 53Duties of deputies in relation to support. Repealed
  51. 54Provisions as to support rules. Repealed
  52. Ventilation
  53. 55Duty to provide adequate ventilation. Repealed
  54. 56Avoidance of danger from gas in waste. Repealed
  55. 58Provisions as to means of ventilation. Repealed
  56. 59Prevention of leakage of air between airways. Repealed
  57. 60Provision of barometers and other measuring instruments. Repealed
  58. Lighting, lamps and contraband
  59. 61Lighting. Repealed
  60. 62Permitted lights. Repealed
  61. 64Prohibition of taking into mines safety-lamps not provided by owner or of approved type. Repealed
  62. 65Offences relating to safety-lamps. Repealed
  63. 66Prohibition of possession of smoking materials in certain mines and parts of mines. Repealed
  64. 67Prohibition of taking into certain mines and parts of mines of articles producing flames or sparks. Repealed
  65. Chapter: Blasting materials and devices
  66. 69Blasting materials and devices. Repealed
  67. Fire precautions and provisions as to rescue
  68. 73Means of escape from rooms in which there is special risk of fire, &c. Repealed
  69. Chapter: Dust precautions
  70. 74Dust precuations. Repealed
  71. Precautions against external dangers to workings
  72. 75Duty of mine owners and managers to seek evidence of proximity of disused workings, water-bearing strata, &c. Repealed
  73. 76Duty of mine owners and managers to ascertain thickness of strata between workings and surface water. Repealed
  74. 77General duty to take precautions against inrushes of gas, water, &c. Repealed
  75. Chapter: Duties of officials and workmen in cases of danger
  76. 79Withdrawal of workmen in cases of danger. Repealed
  77. 80Duty of workmen to deal with, or report, danger. Repealed
  78. Machinery and apparatus
  79. 83Restrictions on use below ground of certain engines, &c. Repealed
  80. 84Air, gas and steam containers. Repealed
  81. Chapter: Buildings, structures, means of access, &c.
  82. 86Buildings and structures to be kept safe. Repealed
  83. 87Safe means of access and safe means of employment. Repealed
  84. Chapter: Training and discipline
  85. 88Restriction on doing of work by unskilled persons. Repealed
  86. 89Penalization of failure to observe safety directions, &c. Repealed
  87. 90Penalization of negligent acts or omissions and unauthorised removal, &c., of articles. Repealed
  88. Chapter: First-aid
  89. 91First-aid. Repealed
  90. Medical examinations and prohibition of heavy work
  91. General welfare provisions
  92. 94Sanitary conveniences Repealed
  93. 95Measures against vermin and insects. Repealed
  94. 97Supply of drinking water. Repealed
  95. Notification and Investigation of Accidents and Diseases
  96. VWORKMEN'S INSPECTIONS
  97. 105Inspections of mines on behalf of workmen employed thereat. Repealed
  98. VIIRECORDS, RETURNS AND INFORMATION
  99. 112Form of official books and preservation and inspection of entries therein. Repealed
  100. 113Records of certain appointments. Repealed
  101. 114Provision of copies of this Act and other instruments. Repealed
  102. 115Posting of notices. Repealed
  103. 116Furnishing to workers of information with respect to this Act and orders and regulations thereunder. Repealed
  104. 118Notification of beginning and ending of certain mining operations. Repealed
  105. 119Notification of change of ownership or name of mine. Repealed
  106. VIIIREGULATIONS
  107. 120Regulations.
  108. 122Variation, revocation, &c., of regulations. Repealed
  109. Part X: GRANT, CANCELLATION AND SUSPENSION OF CERTIFICATES
  110. 126Grant of certificates. Repealed
  111. 127Cancellation or suspension of certificates. Repealed
  112. Part XI: REGULATION OF TIPS AND FENCING OF ABANDONED AND DISUSED MINES
  113. 128Regulation of tips. Repealed
  114. 129Fencing of abandoned and disused mines.
  115. XIIOFFENCES, PENALTIES AND LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
  116. 130Offences.
  117. 131Supplementary provisions as to offences.
  118. 132Working, &c., of horses in parts of mine below ground. Repealed
  119. 133Penalty for offences for which no express penalty is provided.
  120. 134Defence available to person charged with offence not committed personally.
  121. 135Persons not to be under liability for contraventions which it was impracticable to avoid or prevent.
  122. 136Special defence available to mine under-managers with limited jurisdiction. Repealed
  123. 137Liability of owners for breaches of statutory duty by their servants.
  124. 138Liability of parents for unlawful employment of young persons.
  125. 140Removal or defacement of notices, &c. Repealed
  126. 141Prosecution of offences.
  127. 142Restriction on institution of certain proceedings.
  128. 143Duty to report results of proceedings against persons employed at mines.
  129. 144Liability of parents for unlawful employment of children.
  130. Part XIII: MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL
  131. Supplementary provisions
  132. 145Division of mines. Repealed
  133. 146Provisions as to references upon notices served by the Ministry. Repealed
  134. 148Parliamentary control of orders, rules and regulations. Repealed
  135. 149Mode of service of notices under this Act. Repealed
  136. 150Provisions as to exemptions, &c.
  137. 151Articles certified or approved in Great Britain.
  138. 155Application to the Crown.
  139. Chapter: Interpretation
  140. 156Meaning of “mine”
  141. 157Meaning of “owner”.
  142. 158General interpretation provisions.
  143. 159Application of Act to training mines.
  144. Chapter: Relationship of the Office and Shop Premises Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 and this Act in case of certain premises
  145. 160Office and Shop Premises Act to continue to apply to colliery storage premises until appointed day. Repealed
  146. General
  147. 165General savings.
  148. 166Saving for persons managing certain small mines at commencement of this Act.
  149. 167Saving for common law rights of workmen, &c.
  150. 168Commencement.
  151. 169Short title.
  152. Schedule Schedule
  153. Schedule 3: INQUIRIES INTO FITNESS OF HOLDERS OF CERTIFICATES AND DELIVERY UP AND CUSTODY OF CERTIFICATES IN CONNECTION WITH PROSECUTIONS AND INQUIRIES Repealed
  154. Part I: INQUIRIES INTO FITNESS OF HOLDERS OF CERTIFICATES Repealed
  155. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  156. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  157. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  158. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  159. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  160. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  161. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  162. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  163. 9Paragraph 9 Repealed
  164. 10Paragraph 10 Repealed
  165. Part II: DELIVERY UP AND CUSTODY OF CERTIFICATES IN CONNECTION WITH PROSECUTIONS AND INQUIRIES Repealed
  166. 11Paragraph 11 Repealed
  167. 12Paragraph 12 Repealed
  168. 13Paragraph 13 Repealed
  169. 14Paragraph 14 Repealed
  170. 15Paragraph 15 Repealed
  171. 16Paragraph 16 Repealed
  172. Schedule Schedule
  173. Schedule Schedule