Quarries (Explosives) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

1.  These Regulations impose requirements with respect to health and safety in the keeping, transport and use of explosives in quarries as defined and supersede the provisions of the Quarries (Explosives) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991.

2.  The Regulations give effect in relation to quarries to Council Directive 92/104/EEC ( No. L404, 31.12.92. p.10) concerning minimum requirements for improving the health and safety protection of workers in surface and underground mineral extracting industries with respect to—

(a) Articles 3.1(a), (b), (c) and (d); and

(b) in Part A of the Annex, Points 1.3 to 1.7, Section 5 and Section 8,

in so far as they relate to explosives.

3.  The Regulations—

(a) require the operator to ensure the safe storage, transport and use of explosives; to appoint an explosives supervisor; ensure that suitable shotfiring rules and specifications are drawn up and followed, that explosives workers are competent, that appropriate facilities and equipment are provided, and that explosives are stored safely (regulation 4);

(b) require the operator to ensure that shotfiring operations and trainee shotfirers are closely supervised and that records of appointment are made (regulation 5);

(c) impose duties on the shotfirer (regulation 6);

(d) require the operator to take specified steps in relation to misfires and prohibit specified activities in relation to explosives (regulations 7 and 8);

(e) provide that the Secretary of State may grant exemptions from any requirement or prohibition of the Regulations in specified circumstances (regulation 9); and

(f) revoke the Quarries (Explosives) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991 and amend the Carriage of Explosives (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2006 (regulations 10 and 11).