Regulation 49 Precautionary examinations
No person shall fire a shot in any part of a mine to which this Part of these regulations applies unless he has carried out with respect to it an examination for general safety and tests for the presence of inflammable gas in accordance with the following provisions of this regulation. Every such test for inflammable gas shall be made with—
a locked flame safety-lamp—
(in the case of a mine of shale) of a type approved by the Minister;
(in the case of any other mine) of a type approved by the Minister for the purpose of deputies' inspections; or
a methanometer of a type approved by the Minister; or
other apparatus of a type approved by the Minister for the purpose.
No person shall fire a shot or charge a shot hole in any such part of a mine if on any such test made with respect to it he finds a percentage of inflammable gas exceeding one and a quarter per cent. or he can see an indication of gas on the lowered flame of a safety-lamp.
If a person intends to fire a shot in any such part of a mine he shall—
immediately before the shot hole is charged, carry out an examination for general safety and test for the presence of inflammable gas—
in the vicinity and at the mouth of the shot hole;
throughout every accessible place within thirty feet thereof;
immediately before firing, test for the presence of inflammable gas in the vicinity of the shot hole and at the edge of any waste opposite.