Inspections
17.—(1) In the case of any mine or quarry with which is associated a closed classified tip the owner of the mine or quarry shall make and ensure the efficient carrying out of arrangements whereby a competent person appointed for that purpose by the owner shall inspect every such tip and the premises on which it is situated and to the best of his ability inspect the drainage of the tip—
(a)where the tip consists of refuse accumulated or deposited wholly or mainly in solution or suspension, at intervals not exceeding six months;
(b)where the tip consists of refuse accumulated or deposited wholly or mainly in a solid state and not in solution or suspension, at intervals not exceeding twelve months.
(2) A person who has carried out an inspection in pursuance of this regulation shall forthwith make and sign a full and accurate report of the inspection, and every such report, or a copy of such report, shall, until the expiration of three years after such inspection, be kept at the office at the mine or quarry or at such other place as may be approved by an inspector and be open to inspection by, or by a person authorised in that behalf in writing by, any person employed at that mine or quarry.
(3) A person who has carried out an inspection in pursuance of this regulation shall forthwith record in a book provided for that purpose by the owner of the mine or quarry a report of every defect revealed by the inspection.
(4) The person having responsibility for a tip shall record in a book provided for that purpose by the owner of the mine or quarry the action taken to remedy any defect revealed by any inspection carried out in pursuance of this regulation.
(5) Every entry made in any such book as aforesaid or a copy of that entry shall be preserved—
(a)where the tip consists of refuse accumulated or deposited wholly or mainly in solution or suspension, until the expiration of five years after the date on which it was made or until a report has been obtained for the purposes of regulation 18, whichever is the earlier;
(b)where the tip consists of refuse accumulated or deposited wholly or mainly in a solid state and not in solution or suspension, until the expiration of ten years after the date on which it was made or until a report has been obtained as aforesaid, whichever is the earlier.