ANNEXU.K.MINIMUM SAFETY AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS AS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 10 OF THE DIRECTIVE
PART AU.K.COMMON MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND MINERAL-EXTRACTING INDUSTRIES AND TO ANCILLARY SURFACE INSTALLATIONS
4.Protection from explosion risks, harmful atmospheres and fire hazardsU.K.
4.1.GeneralU.K.
4.1.1.Measures must be taken for assessing the presence of harmful and/or potentially explosive substances in the atmosphere and for measuring the concentration of such substances.U.K.
Where required by the safety and health document, monitoring devices measuring gas concentrations at specified places automatically and continuously, automatic alarms and devices to cut off power automatically from electrical installations and internal combustion engines must be provided.
Where automatic measurements are provided for, the values measured must be recorded and kept as stipulated in the safety and health document.
4.1.2.Smoking is forbidden in areas subject to particular fire or explosion hazards.U.K.
The use of any open flame and the execution of any work that may give rise to an ignition hazard is prohibited unless adequate safety precautions are taken to prevent the occurrence of fires or explosions.
4.2.Protection from explosion risksU.K.
4.2.1.All necessary measures must be taken to combat the formation and accumulation of explosive atmospheres.U.K.
4.2.2.In areas where there are risks of explosion, all necessary measures must be taken to prevent the ignition of explosive atmospheres.U.K.
4.2.3.An explosion prevention plan detailing the equipment and measures required must be prepared.U.K.
4.3.Protection from harmful atmospheresU.K.
4.3.1.Where harmful substances accumulate or may accumulate in the atmosphere, appropriate measures must be taken to ensure:U.K.
(a)
their suppression at source; or
(b)
their extraction at source or removal; or
(c)
diliction accumulations of such substances,
in such a way that workers are not at risk.
The system must be capable of dispersing these harmful substances in such a way that workers are not at risk.
4.3.2.Without prejudice to Directive 89/656/EEC(), appropriate and sufficient breathing and resuscitation equipment must be available in areas where workers may be exposed to atmospheres which are harmful to health.U.K.
In such cases, a sufficient number of workers trained to use such equipment must be present at the workplace.
The equipment must be suitably stored and maintained.
4.3.3.Where toxic gases are, or may be, present in the atmosphere, a protection plan detailing the protective equipment available and the preventive measures taken must be available.U.K.
4.4.Protection from fire hazardsU.K.
4.4.1.Wherever workplaces are designed, constructed, equipped, commissioned, operated or maintained, adequate measures must be taken to prevent fires from starting and spreading from the sources identified in the safety and health document.U.K.
Provision must be made for fast and effective fire-fighting.
4.4.2.Workplaces must be equipped with appropriate fire-fighting equipment and, as necessary, with fire detectors and alarm systems.U.K.
4.4.3.Non-automatic fire-fighting equipment must be easily accessible and simple to use and, where necessary, protected from damage.U.K.
4.4.4.A fire protection plan detailing the precautions to be taken, in accordance with Articles 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this Directive, to protect against, detect and combat the outbreak and spread of fires must be kept on site.U.K.
4.4.5.The fire-fighting equipment must be indicated by signs in accordance with the national regulations transposing Directive 92/58/EEC() into law.U.K.
Such signs must be placed at appropriate points and be made to last.