421Safety assessment of major mining hazards

421 Safety assessment of major mining hazards

(1) The operator of a prescribed mine must conduct a comprehensive and systematic safety assessment in accordance with this regulation to assess the risks associated with major mining hazards.

(2) A safety assessment must involve an investigation and analysis of the major mining hazards in order to provide the operator of a prescribed mine with a detailed understanding of all aspects of risks associated with major mining hazards.

(3) In conducting a safety assessment under this regulation, the operator of a prescribed mine must—

(a) consider the major mining hazards cumulatively as well as individually; and

(b) use assessment methods, whether quantitative, qualitative or both, that are appropriate to the major mining hazards being considered.

(4) The operator of a prescribed mine must document all aspects of the safety assessment and the documentation must—

(a) describe the methods used in the investigation and analysis; and

(b) state—

(i) the nature of each major mining hazard; and

(ii) the likelihood of the major mining hazard causing, or contributing to, harm to any person on-site or off-site; and

(iii) the severity of the harm that may be caused; and

(c) contain reasons for the decisions reached about the matters referred to in paragraph (b)(ii) and (iii); and

(d) describe all measures considered for the control of risks associated with major mining hazards; and

(e) describe the reasons for implementing or rejecting all risk control measures considered; and

(f) be set out and expressed in a way that is readily comprehensible to all who use it.