Mines: Your health and safety guide

What it contains

Mining involves significant risks. These risks apply to workers and people living or working near a mine. People can be seriously injured or killed by a range of mining hazards like falling rock, an inrush of water, shaft sinking, gas outbursts and loss of ventilation. This document helps you understand the risks of working in mining. It also tells you:

• the most common risks in mining
• an employer and employee’s legal duties
• an employer’s legal duty to consult with employees
• how to identify and assess risks and hazards
• how to control these risks using one or a combination of approaches
• when an employer must review hazard identification, risk assessment and risk controls

At the end of the document, you’ll find a list of terms used in this document and what they mean. You’ll also find a list of relevant tools you can use for more information or advice.