### Mines (Safety) Regulations 《礦場(安全)規例》

1. Citation
These regulations may be cited as the Mines (Safety) Regulations.

2. Interpretation
In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—
agent (代理人) is a person holding a power of attorney in accordance with section 7 of the Ordinance;
gang foreman (礦隊管工) means the labourer or miner in charge of a gang or, if doubt exists whether a particular labourer or miner in the gang is in charge, the responsibility of the gang foreman shall devolve upon the manager;
kilowatt power (千瓦特功率) in relation to steam, internal combustion or ignition compression engines means the output kilowatt power declared in the maker’s specifications; (L.N. 87 of 1986)
machinery book (機械手冊) means a book so inscribed upon the cover and retained in the manager’s possession and in which shall be entered the matters required by these regulations;
manager (礦長) means the person notified, from time to time under regulation 88(4), to the Superintendent of Mines as being responsible for the safety, welfare, health and housing conditions of persons employed in prospecting or mining operations, and when no person has been so notified, it means the holder of a prospecting or mining licence or the lessee of a mining lease or the agent of any of them;
opencast (露天礦) means a working in which excavation is performed from the surface or which is exposed to open air;
shot-firer (炮王) means the holder of a valid mine blasting certificate issued in accordance with these regulations;
steeply inclined (急傾斜的) means, in connexion with shafts or other underground excavations, an inclination to the horizontal of 45 degrees or more. (E.R. 1 of 2021)

3. Report of bringing plant into use
(1) At least 14 days before bringing into use for the first time any steam, oil or gas engine, or any hydraulic plant for the generation of power, the manager shall give to the Superintendent of Mines written notice of his intention so to do together with a statement of the nature and kilowatt power of the plant and the purpose for which it is to be used. (L.N. 87 of 1986)
(2) Where any such plant as aforesaid has been out of use for a period of 12 consecutive months or more, a notice similar to that mentioned in paragraph (1) shall be given before such plant is again brought into use.

### Mines (Safety) Regulations 《礦場(安全)規例》

4. Duty to have competent engineer in charge
Any plant, the power of which is more than 9 kilowatts, shall be directly under the charge of a competent person:
Provided that this regulation shall not be deemed to exonerate the manager from responsibility for seeing that any plant of 9 kilowatts or less is used only under proper supervision.(L.N. 87 of 1986)

5. Prohibition against removal or rendering useless any fencing, etc.
No person, not properly authorized on that behalf, shall remove or render useless any fencing, means of signalling, signal chain, flange, brake, indicator, ladder, platform, steam-gauge, water-gauge, safety-valve, or anything in any mine provided for the safety of any person.

6. Inspection of plant
(1) A mines officer may at any time require a manager to prepare an engine or other plant for inspection and shall give not less than 1 week’s notice in writing of the date on which the inspection will be held. (L.N. 156 of 1963)
(2) The machinery book shall always be accessible to a mines officer.

7. Power of mines officers to give directions
In case of objection to any instruction or decision given by a mines officer regarding any thing or any practice in connexion with machinery or any part thereof not provided for by any provisions of these regulations, the manager may within 21 days lodge a written appeal with the Superintendent of Mines.
(L.N. 156 of 1963)

8. Duty to keep boilers, etc. in good condition and repair
All engines, ladders, windlasses, brakes, ropes, winding gear and other mechanical appliances shall be kept in good condition and repair to the satisfaction of a mines officer.
(L.N. 156 of 1963)

9. Duty to fence off dangerous machinery. Prohibition against repairing, etc. when risk of personal injury exists
(1) All exposed machinery, which when in motion may be dangerous to persons, must be securely fenced off so that no person can inadvertently come into contact with or be injured by reason of the same.
(2) Efficient safety guards shall be provided to the satisfaction of a mines officer to such parts of machinery as may in his opinion be a source of possible danger to persons.
(3) The repairing, adjusting, cleaning or lubricating of machinery in motion shall not be undertaken where there is a risk of personal injury.

10. Prohibition against use of loose clothing
Persons engaged in close proximity to moving machinery shall not be allowed to wear loose outer clothing.

### Mines (Safety) Regulations 《礦場(安全)規例》

11. Friction clutches
(1) Belt-driven machinery which it is necessary to stop and start without interfering with the speed of the prime mover shall be permanently fitted with a satisfactory mechanical appliance for the purpose.
(2) Shipping or unshipping driving belts whilst the machinery is in motion is forbidden, with the exception of the customary shifting of light belts on the pulleys of machine tools for the purpose of alterations in the working speed.

12. Air compressors
(1) The supply of air for air compressors shall be drawn from the purest and coolest source possible.
(2) Receivers, inter-coolers and their connexions to air cylinders shall be kept clean and free from carbonized oil or other material liable to ignition and shall be opened for inspection at least once every 3 months in which they may be in use and a written record made of their condition.

13. Safety valves
All cylinders and receivers for air and gas of a higher pressure than the atmosphere shall be fitted with satisfactory apparatus for showing the pressure of air or gas within such cylinder or receiver while in use and also with relief or safety valve or other apparatus capable of preventing any undue accumulation of pressure above the maximum permissible working pressure of the container.
(L.N. 156 of 1963)

14. Duty to fence off dangerous places. Duty to post notices
(1) Dangerous places such as elevated platforms, pits and trap-holes, shall be fenced off so as to safeguard effectively persons in the vicinity.
(2) Unauthorized entrances into any place where machinery or steam boilers are erected are prohibited; notice to this effect shall be posted up at all entrances.

15. Inspection of electrical installations
(1) In a mine, the Superintendent of Mines or any authorized mines officer may examine any electrical installation at any reasonable time.
(2) If any matter appears to be defective, the Superintendent of Mines shall report thereon to the manager who shall take steps to carry out the necessary repairs within 24 hours of receiving the report.

16. Power of Superintendent with regard to blasting
It shall be lawful for the Superintendent of Mines to prescribe in writing—
(a) the precautions to be taken in respect of the blasting of any stone, earth or other material in a mine; and
(b) the hours during which blasts may be fired off therein.

17. Power to sell and buy explosives
The manager may sell, and a contractor working in a mine may buy from him, explosives solely for use in connexion with any contract in or about the mine so long as such explosives are not sold for profit and remain under the sole control of the mine management.