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NSC Home Page > EUAS Contents > General considerations
LOGISTICS
Health and safety
General considerations
HSE's 'Simple guide to the Quarries Regulation 1999' records that although much has been done to improve the safety record in quarries the presence of moving vehicles (often large), explosives, steep quarry faces, lagoons and transport of large volumes of materials, means that quarries are statistically much more dangerous than the construction or manufacturing industries. However, the guide and the regulations describe the steps involved in careful planning, preparation, day-to-day activities which eliminate or significantly reduce hazards and the need for monitor and review procedures to ensure that safety standards are continually improved. Of particular relevance to visitors to quarries are:
Site planning/layout - especially haul roads and tips
Establishing site health and safety rules in a document and ensure everyone concerned understands them
Ensuring that there are sufficient and suitably trained/experienced employees and contractors to do the work [including the supervision of visitors]
Provision of induction training for all those on site
Ensuring that hazards, accidents and dangerous occurrences are reported and that appropriate action is taken
Reviewing procedures, responding to changes of operation/materials, before anything goes wrong; after accidents or near misses, investigating why and responding accordingly (including keeping all those concerned, informed)
The Health and Safety Document must demonstrate that the risks at the quarry have been identified, the measures taken to control them and that they are properly managed.