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40. Plans on Abandonment.-Within three months of the aban- Sec. 14. donment of a mine, (except in the case of a mine where not more than 12 persons have ordinarily been employed below ground,) a plan and section or tracing thereof, showing the boundaries of the workings, are to be sent by the owner to a Secretary of State as a mining record, not, however, to be seen until after the lapse of 10 years, except by an inspector or under a licence from a Secretary of State.

Notices.

41. Notices of accidents in or about a mine must be sent by the owner or agent of the mine to the inspector of mines for the district as follow:

1. Of any accident causing loss of life or serious personal injury Sec. 11. within 24 hours after such accident.

2. Of any accident from explosion of gas, powder, or steam boiler, Sec. 11. causing any personal injury, within 24 hours after such

accident.

3. Of any death resulting from personal injury caused by an Sec. 11. accident previously reported, within 24 hours after the death

comes to the knowledge of the owner or agent.

42. Also, unless in the case of a mine where not more than 12 persons are ordinarily employed below ground, notices must be sent by the owner or agent to the inspector of mines for the district : 1. Of the commencement of any working for the

opening of a new shaft.

2. Of the abandonment of a shaft.

3. Of the re-commencement of the working of a shaft after an abandonment for more than two months.

4. Of any change in the name of the mine, or in the name of the owner or agent, except that in the case of a partnership working a mine within the Stannaries of Devon and Cornwall, notice of every change in the purser of the partnership may be given, instead of notice of every change in the members of the partnership.

5. Of any change in the officers of any incorporated company owning a mine.

Coroners Inquests.

43. In the case of an inquest being held concerning a death Sec. 22. caused by a mine accident, unless the inspector or some other

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Ventilation.

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person on behalf of a Secretary of State is present, the coroner is to adjourn the inquest, and to send to the inspector four days notice of the time and place of the adjourned inquest.

If, however, only one life has been lost by the accident, and 48 hours notice of the time and place of holding the inquest has been sent to the inspector, the inquest need not be adjourned if the majority of the jury think it unnecessary.

At the inquest the inspector of mines may examine any witness subject to the order of the coroner.

If the inspector is not present, and evidence is given of any neglect having caused or contributed to the accident or of any defect in or about the mine appearing to require a remedy, the coroner is to send to the inspector notice thereof in writing.

In the event of a fatal accident occurring in a mine and an inquest being held, no person who is employed in that mine or is concerned in its management or has a personal interest in that mine is qualified to serve on the jury.

GENERAL RULES.

44. The following are the general rules :

(1.) An adequate amount of ventilation shall be constantly produced in every mine to such an extent that the shafts, winzes, sumps, levels, underground stables, and working places of such mine, and the travelling roads to and from such working places, shall be in a fit state for working and passing therein.

Gunpowder (2.) Gunpowder or other explosive or inflammable substance and blasting. shall only be used underground in the mine as follows: (a.) It shall not be stored in the mine :

(b.) It shall not be taken into the mine, except in a case or canister containing not more than four pounds :

(c.) A workman shall not have in use at one time in any one place more than one of such cases or canisters :

(d.) In charging holes for blasting, except in mines excepted from the operation of this section by the Secretary of State, an iron or steel pricker shall not be used, and a person shall not have in his possession in the mine underground any iron or steel pricker, and an iron or steel tamping rod or stemmer shall not be used for ramming either the wadding or the first part of the tamping or stemming on the powder:

(e.) A charge of powder which has missed fire shall not be unrammed.

holes in

(3.) Every underground plane on which persons travel, which is Signalling self-acting, or worked by an engine, windlass, or gin, shall be and manprovided (if exceeding 30 yards in length) with some proper self-acting means of signalling between the stopping places and the ends of or engine planes. the plane, and shall be provided in every case, at intervals of not more than 20 yards, with sufficient man-holes for places of refuge.

horse roads.

(4.) Every road on which persons travel underground, where Spaces in the produce of the mine in transit exceeds ten tons in any one hour over any part thereof, and where the load is drawn by a horse or other animal, shall be provided, at intervals of not more than 100 yards, with sufficient spaces for places of refuge, each of which spaces shall be of sufficient length, and of at least three feet in width between the waggons running on the tramroad and the side of the road; and the Secretary of State may, if he see fit, require the inspector to certify whether the produce of the mine in transit on the road aforesaid does or does not ordinarily exceed the weight as aforesaid.

(5.) Every man-hole and space for a place of refuge shall be Keeping constantly kept clear, and no person shall place anything in a manhole or such space so as to prevent access thereto.

mine

man-holes
and
clear.

spaces

com- Fencing of air shafts and use.

(6.) The top of every shaft which was opened before the mencement of the actual working for the time being of the and has not been used during such actual working shall, if so required in writing by the inspector of the district, be securely fenced, and the top of every other shaft which for the time being is out of use, or used only as an air shaft, shall be securely fenced.

shafts not in

shafts.

(7.) The top and all entrances between the top and bottom of Fencing of every working or pumping shaft shall be properly fenced, but this entrances to shall not be taken to forbid the temporary removal of the fence for the purpose of repairs or other operations, if proper precautions are used.

(8.) Where the natural strata are not safe, every working or Securing of pumping shaft shall be securely cased, lined, or otherwise made shafts.

secure.

(9.) Where one portion of a shaft is used for the ascent and Division of descent of persons by ladders or a man-engine, and another portion shafts. of the same shaft is used for raising the material gotten in the mine, the first-mentioned portion shall be cased or otherwise securely fenced off from the last-mentioned portion.

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Signalling and guides.

Cover overhead.

Chains.

Slipping of rope on drum.

Break and indicator.

Inclination of ladders.

Dressing

room.

Fencing machinery.

Gauges and safety valve to boilers.

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(10.) Every working shaft in which persons are raised shall, if exceeding fifty yards in depth, and not exempted in writing by the inspector of the district, be provided with guides and some proper means of communicating distinct and definite signals from the bottom of the shaft and from every entrance for the time being in work between the surface and the bottom of the shaft to the surface, and from the surface to the bottom of the shaft and to every entrance for the time being in work between the surface and the bottom of the shaft.

(11.) A sufficient cover overhead shall be used when lowering or raising persons in every working shaft, except where it is worked by a windlass, or where the person is employed about the pump or some work of repair in the shaft, or where a written exemption is given by the inspector of the district.

(12.) A single linked chain shall not be used for lowering or raising persons in any working shaft or plane except for the short coupling chain attached to the cage or load.

(13.) There shall be on the drum of every machine used for lowering or raising persons such flanges or horns, and also if the drum is conical, such other appliances, as may be sufficient to prevent the rope from slipping.

(14.) There shall be attached to every machine worked by steam, water, or mechanical power, and used for lowering or raising persons, an adequate break, and also a proper indicator (in addition to any mark on the rope) which shows to the person who works the machine the position of the cage or load in the shaft.

(15.) A ladder permanently used for the ascent or descent of persons in the mine shall not be fixed in a vertical or overhanging position, and shall be inclined at the most convenient angle which the space in which the ladder is fixed allows, and every such ladder shall have substantial platforms at intervals of not more than 20 yards.

(16.) If more than twelve persons are ordinarily employed in the mine below ground, sufficient accommodation shall be provided above ground near the principal entrance of the mine, and not in the engine-house or boiler-house, for enabling the persons employed in the mine to conveniently dry and change their dresses.

(17.) Every fly-wheel and all exposed and dangerous parts of the
machinery used in or about the mine shall be and be kept securely
fenced.

(18.) Every steam boiler shall be provided with a proper steam
gauge
and water gauge, to show respectively the pressure of steam

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and the height of water in the boiler, and with a proper safety valve.

(19.) No person shall wilfully damage, or without proper authority Wilful remove or render useless, any fencing, casing, lining, guide, means of damage to mining signalling, signal, cover, chain, flange, horn, break, indicator, ladder, apparatus. platform, steam gauge, water gauge, safety valve, or other appliance or thing provided in any mine in compliance with this Act.

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