49Connecting workings

49 Connecting workings

49 Connecting workings

(1) The mine operator of an underground mine must ensure, if 2 working faces are approaching each other at an underground mine, 1 of the workings is stopped, made safe and barricaded as soon as reasonably practicable before the distance separating the faces creates a risk to health or safety.

Maximum penalty—

(a) for an individual—60 penalty units, or

(b) for a body corporate—300 penalty units.

(2) The mine operator of an underground mine, before connecting underground mine workings to other workings, including disused workings, must ensure the other workings are inspected for the following—

(a) water,

(b) gas,

(c) misfires,

(d) butts,

(e) other circumstances that may be a risk to the health or safety of a person at the mine, other than a risk associated with an inrush hazard.

Maximum penalty—

(a) for an individual—60 penalty units, or

(b) for a body corporate—300 penalty units.

(3) The requirements of subsection (2) are satisfied in circumstances where there is no safe access to the workings to be connected, if the mine operator ensures, before the workings are connected, exploratory bore holes or other exploratory methods are used to identify circumstances that may be a risk to the health and safety of a person at the mine.