Notifications to the Mines Inspectorate

Mining legislation requires the notification of certain events to HSE.  In practice, notification should be made to HM Inspectorate of Mines  

Notification of mining operations

Regulation 6 of the Mines Regulations 2014 (MR14) requires the mine operator to notify HSE of the following, in writing, at least 28 days before a mine is worked:

• the name and address of the mine
• the name and address of the owner, and
• the name and address of the mine operator

The mine operator must also notify HSE, within 28 days of the event occurring, of

• any change in the name, address or location of the mine;
• any change in the name, address or location of the mine operator;
• the use of a mine for a purpose other than the extraction of mineral;
• the abandonment of the mine or a seam or vein system, shaft or outlet.

Notification of tips (regulation 65)

Any tip that represents a significant hazard, either by way of instability or movement is referred to in MR14 as a notifiable tip.

If the mine operator judges that a new tip is likely to create a significant hazard, they must inform HSE at least 30 days before starting tipping. Notification is not required where HSE has already been notified of a classified tip under the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Regulations 1971.

In the case of existing tips which were not previously classified, the operator must inform HSE within 30 days of a geotechnical specialist concluding that a tip is a significant hazard.

Within two months of a geotechnical specialist concluding that a previously notified tip no longer presents a significant hazard the mine operator must inform HSE.

Where there are several notifiable tips on the same site, a single, combined notification is sufficient.