Parts: I - II - III - IV - V - VI - VII - VIII - IX - X - XI - XII - XIII - XIV - XV - XVI - XVII - XVIII - XIX - XX - XXI - XXII - XXIII - XXIV - XXV - XXVI - (XXVII)

PART IX VENTILATION, GASES AND DUST
Ventilation

9.1 (1) The mine manager shall ensure that all accessible parts of the mine are ventilated in a manner adequate to :-

(a) clear away smoke, steam and dust;

(b) dilute gases that are flammable or noxious so as to render them harmless;

c) keep such accessible parts in a fit state for persons to work in or pass through.

(2) Any accessible part of a mine shall not be deemed to be adequately ventilated and fit for persons to work in or pass through, if -

(a) the air contains -

(i) less than 19 per cent by volume of oxygen;

(ii) more than 5000 parts per million by volume of carbon dioxide;

(iii) more than 100 parts per million by volume of carbon monoxide;

(iv) more than 5 parts per million by volume of oxides of nitrogen;

(v) more than 20 parts per million by volume of hydrogen sulphide;

(vi) more than 2 parts per million by volume of sulphur dioxide;

(vii) more than 25 parts per million by volume of ammonia;

(viii) more than 5 parts per million by volume of aldehydes (as formaldehyde),

or such other percentages or parts as may from time to time be determined by the Chief Inspector and made known by notice in writing to the mine manager.

(b) the concentration of airborne dust exceeds such standards as may from time to time be determined by the Chief Inspector and made known by notice in writing to the mine manager.


Heat and humidity

9.2 (1) The mine manager shall cause such steps to be taken as are necessary, in the case of underground workings, to prevent excessive rise of temperature or humidity which may be harmful to the health of persons at work and, in the case of opencast workings, to protect such persons from extremes of temperature and weather conditions.

(2) In treatment or processing plants, having regard to the operation or process carried on thereat, a reasonable temperature and movement of air shall be maintained and persons at work protected from direct exposure to sources of heat. 


Quantity and velocity of air in underground workings

9.3 (1) The mine manager shall ensure that the ventilating current from a main intake airway shall be suitably split to provide each ventilating district at all times with a quantity of fresh air of not less than two cubic meters per minute per person employed in the ventilating district.

(2) The quantity of air -

(a) supplied at the working face of any development end, raise or winze which is being advanced and at the bottom of any shaft in the course of being sunk shall not be less than 9 cubic meters per minute for each square meter of average cross-sectional area of excavation;

(b) required to dilute the exhaust gases from diesel engines shall not be less than 3,8 cubic meters per minute per kilowatt engine output based on the maximum rating of the engine.

(3) The velocity of air along the working face of a stope shall on average not be less than 15 meters per minute.

Main ventilating fans

9.4 Unless, in all parts of a mine required to be constantly ventilated, there is provided, by natural means, ventilation to the standards required by these regulations, the mine manager shall cause such mine to be provided with one or more main ventilating fans, and shall maintain such fan or fans in good working order.

Scheme for control and operation of ventilating fans

9.5 In a mine where a main mechanical ventilator is installed, the mine manager shall formulate a scheme for the control and operation of such fan.

Auxiliary fans in underground workings

9.6 (1) The mine manager shall, before an auxiliary fan is installed in underground workings, be satisfied that a sufficient quantity of air is reaching the fan to prevent recirculation of air.

(2) No person other than a person duly authorized by the mine manager shall stop, start or otherwise control the operation of auxiliary fans.

(3) The switchgear necessary to operate a fan shall be positioned in fresh
air so that the switch can be operated from a position of safety.

(4) Where a place is provided with an auxiliary fan, no person shall remain in that place when the fan is stopped, unless duly authorized by the mine manager to do so.

Unventilated areas to be barricaded

9.7 The mine manager shall cause any part of the workings which is not ventilated up to the standards prescribed in these regulations to be barricaded so as to prevent persons from inadvertently entering such part.


Entry to pits, tanks, manholes, vessels or chambers

9.8 Before any person enters any pit, tank, manhole, vessel, chamber or other place specified by the Chief Inspector by notice in writing to the mine manager which is likely to contain noxious or flammable fumes or gases, an atmosphere deficient in oxygen or radiating excessive heat, such pit, tank, manhole, vessel, chamber or place shall be examined by a competent person duly trained to conduct such an examination, and no person shall enter or remain in any such pit, tank, manhole, vessel, chamber or place, unless it is safe to do so.

Provision of flues

9.9 The mine manager shall cause any fire or furnace in a room or building to be provided with an efficient flue discharging to the outside atmosphere.

Prevention of air pollution

9.10 The mine manager shall ensure that no dust, fumes or smoke from any dust or fume extraction system or from any other operation at the mine is discharged into the atmosphere unless adequate provision and suitable air quality monitoring arrangements have been made so as to ensure as far as is practicable that such discharge is harmless to the health of persons.

Detection of flammable gas 

9.11 When the presence of flammable gas is detected in any mine workings or any part of such workings, the mine manager shall immediately -

(a) suspend all work in such workings or part;

(b) withdraw all persons from the ventilating district in which such gas is detected and erect barricades so as to prevent persons from inadvertently entering such ventilating district;

(c) notify the Chief Inspector of the presence of such gas; and 

(d) take such precautions as the Chief Inspector may determine to deal with the presence of such gas.

Scheme for control of airborne dust

9.12 The mine manager shall formulate a scheme for the control of airborne dust at the mine and in its vicinity.

Dust control

9.13 The mine manager shall make suitable arrangements so as to control airborne dust at all workplaces, loading and dumping points, transfer points, crushing stations and haulage roadways where hazards to persons may be created as a result of impaired visibility.

Air monitoring

9.14 The mine manager shall cause at any workings -

(a) measurements to be made of-

(i) the quantity and quality of air circulating in any ventilating district;

(ii) heat and humidity; and

(iii) the amount of respirable dust in the air at places fixed by him or her in the main airways and at the workplaces.

(b) The measurements referred to in paragraph (a) shall be made during the main working shift at intervals not exceeding three months or at such shorter periods as may be determined by the Chief Inspector in writing.

(c) a record of the measurements taken and samples analyzed shall be kept.

(d) the Chief Inspector may verify the measurements. 

Ventilation plan

9.15 (1) In every mine having underground workings, the mine manager shall cause a plan, and where necessary, sections be drawn in accordance with such conventions as may be determined by the mine manager which shall be indicated in a legend and to any convenient standard natural scale, showing the system of ventilation in the mine, and in particular -

(a) the direction and distribution of the air currents;

(b) every location where air measurements are taken; and

(c) every device for the regulation and distribution of air.

(2) The ventilation plan and sections referred to in sub-regulation (1) shall be maintained up-to-date within three months.

(3) A true copy of any plan or section required to be kept under these regulations shall be deposited at the office of the Chief Inspector.

(4) The mine shall ensure that at intervals not exceeding 12 months the copies referred to in sub-regulation (3) are updated and redeposited at the office of the Chief Inspector.

(5) The copies referred to in sub-regulation (3) shall not be away from the custody of the Chief Inspector for more than 60 days in any such period of 12 months.