Outline of stakeholder engagement in hid Specialist Industries

SI1 Mines

Cross Industry

The principal formal link with the main stakeholders in the mining industry has been via the Deep Mined Coal Industry Advisory Committee, which was replaced during 03/04 by the reconstituted Mining Industry Committee. The change was used to significantly widen the representation of the Committee to include miscellaneous mines, i.e. mines other than coal.

The Mining Industry Committee (MIC) will be augmented by a small number of Working Groups, these include:

• A new Occupational Health WG dealing with, noise, whole body and hand-arm vibration, inhalable dust.
• A Mines Rescue Working Group with tasks remitted from the Committee.
• A Safe Manriding In Mines WG dealing specifically with matters relating to mine shafts and winding.
• Safety in Mines Research.

Other similar formal 'free-standing' industry working groups also exist to deal with specific topics. These include the Mine Operator's Engineer's Liaison Committee, designed to promote good engineering practice throughout the fragmented mining industries and to spread knowledge relating to accidents, health issues and defects / modifications made to commonly used mining equipment.

These working groups draw on representatives from mining employers, trades unions, mining contractors and mining equipment manufacturers/suppliers as necessary.

Following a fatal accident, an ad hoc working group was formed to consider systems of ground support at the face of underground mine tunnels. The Group members comprised HSE staff, representatives from two employers and four trades unions. The group has made clear recommendations to improve the standard of support and the information is currently being disseminated throughout the industry and looks to be well received.

SI1 staff attend the Quarries Joint Advisory Committee, the particular interest being the Opencast Coal Mining Sector. Support is also given to the Northern Region Annual Quarries Conference organised annually by FODYNE for Quarries / OCCS employers TUs etc.

SI1 staff actively participate in the work of the Institution of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IMMM) with several staff serving as officers of the various bodies making up the institution. This gives opportunities to influence the work of the Institution and those senior engineers, managers and scientists encountered in the various activities.

SI1 staff actively participate, along with manufacturers and users, in the writing of British and European Standards relating to the design and construction of equipment intended for use in gassy mines.

Employers / Federations

There is a good working relationship with the senior mining staff of the largest employer "UK Coal" and the Head of the Mines Unit (SI1) has a standing invitation to the UK Coal National Health and Safety Committee.

Contact is also maintained with the main employers' federations - the Mining Association of the United Kingdom (MAUK), the Federation of Independent Mines (FIM) and the Coal Mining Contractors Association (CMCA).

The West Country building/decorative stone mining operators, principally mining Bathstone, participate in a relatively informal joint advisory committee supported by the inspector based in that Region.

Workforce

There are well developed close links with the principal mining trades unions, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM), the National Union of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers (NACODS) and the British Association of Colliery Management (BACM). Bilaterals are held when necessary at national and regional levels and in the case of the NUM there is a planned programme of three / four "Keep in Touch" meetings between the Head of SI1and national officials. The visiting staff maintain close links with the officials at the mines and have access to safety committees.

Other Regulators

Longstanding links exist to overseas mining Regulators e.g. two senior staff attend the annual meeting of the Representatives of Mining Authorities and Administration of European Countries.

Very close relationships are maintained with the Coal Authority, which administers coal mining licenses and deals with issues related to health and safety issues from closed and ancient mines. Regular programmed meetings are held in addition to ad-hoc contacts to deal with specific issues and incidents.

The issue of risks of contamination of water supplies and rivers etc from old mine workings and the options for remedial action or prevention requires liaison with the Environment Agency on a case by case basis and the interaction appears to work well and efficiently.

Again on a case by case basis, there is sometimes cooperation with Local Authorities, e.g. Building Control Enforcement officers, concerning acute subsidence /danger of collapse relating to old mine workings.

SI2 Explosives

Industry

• The main forum for engagement with the explosives industry is the Explosives Industry Forum (EIF). This body has been established for around 15 years and has led to production of considerable jointly produced guidance on how to achieve regulatory requirements. It is concerned with operational issues and has representation from the four leading trade associations, ie CBI Explosives Industry Group, Institute of Explosives Engineers, British Pyrotechnists' Association and the British Fireworks Association. During 2004/05 three meetings will be held. Particular issues that will be taken forward are:
  • pyrotechnic measures working group, which will develop guidance on risk assessment for the explosives industry;
  • working group on revision of guidance on the disposal of explosives;
  • working group on occupied buildings and remote explosives manufacturing operations;
  • input into international standards for carriage of explosives.
• SME Self-help Groups:
  • the Explosives Inspectorate set up two groups in the late 1990s to deal with fireworks and use of explosives in oil exploration. They have declined in recent years due to lack of inspector input. In 2004/05 we plan to reinvigorate these in quarters 3 and 4.
• COMAH:
  • the revised COMAH thresholds following Seveso II amendments will come into force in 2005 and bring more explosives sites within scope for the first time. We shall discuss with industry the development of programmes and guidance to deal with this.

Workforce

• Meetings with safety representatives at all site visits.
• There are no formal links with Trade Unions due to the industry being made up of mainly small businesses and there being no particular unions that represent worker interests in the relatively small explosives industry.

Other Regulators

• HSE/LA Enforcement Working Group. This was established in 2003 and will concentrate on two issues in the coming year - problems with illegal fireworks storage and the new Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations.
• Defra Enforcement Group on Ammonium Nitrate (High Nitrogen Regulations). This was set up in 2003 and has representation from HMC&E, LG Regulation (formerly LACORS), Trading Standards as well as HSE.
• Consultation with DTI on new regulations on fireworks following the introduction of the Fireworks Act 2003.

Other Government Departments

• Membership of the MoD Explosives Storage and Transport Committee and its associated working groups. This deals with the development of technical and operational standards for explosives in the MoD.
• Input into Cabinet Office fora concerned with civil contingencies.
• Provision of technical expertise to DEFRA on storage of ammonium nitrate and development of related policy.

SI 3 Gas & Pipelines

Cross Industry (Employers, employee representatives, public representatives, other government departments):

• Represented on the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances (ACDS) Gas Safety Sub-committee.
• Represented on ACDS Pipelines Working Group.
• Represented on Gas & Electricity Industry Emergency Committee and associated work groups on security of gas supplies.

Industry

• High level strategic meeting 3 times a year at Band 1/Transco Director level.
• The Unit is represented on Independent Gas Transporters Forum which meets 3 times a year.
• Annual tripartite meeting between Transco / Ofgem / HSE on mains replacement.
• Attend United Kingdom Onshore Pipelines Association (UKOPA) meetings, typically 3 times per year.
• Ofgem / industry / OGD meetings and workgroups, specifically on issues related to the security of gas supplies and safety aspects of industry liberalisation.
• Meetings and work groups organised by United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) on pipeline issues.
• Ad hoc meetings with industry and public representatives (e.g. Energy Watch, Gas Forum).
• Represented on various Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers (IGEM) and British Standards Institution standards making groups.
• Corporate member of the Pipelines Industries Guild.

Workforce

• Formal meetings with Transco Trades Unions.
• Meetings with safety representatives at all site visits. Ad hoc meetings with other employees.

Other Regulators

• Bi-annual liaison meeting with Ofgem.
• Consultation with DTI on pipeline and security of gas issues.
• Annual meeting with European Pipeline Authorities.
• Liaison with pipeline interconnector authorities.

HSE Stakeholders

These activities are important for cross Directorate working but also give access to views of other external stakeholders:

• Regular liaison meetings with Offshore Division on pipeline issues.
• Formal annual meeting with Gas Safety Policy and Field Operations Directorate on cross Directorate issues.
• Attend OSD safety case Programme Board meetings.