Queensland Consolidated Regulations

COAL MINING SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATION 2017 - REG 181

181 ERZ0

(1) The site senior executive for an underground mine must ensure electrical equipment installed or operated in an ERZ0 at the mine—

(a) is suitable for use in an underground mine; and

(b) is certified as having explosion protection category Ex ia, Ex s or Ex l.

(2) Subsection (1) (b) does not apply to electrical cables that are part of an Ex ia, Ex s or Ex 1 circuit.

(3) Also, subsection (1) (b) does not apply in relation to electrical equipment operated in a mine, or part of a mine, that is an ERZ0 if—

(a) the mine, or part of the mine, has been sealed and does not have an explosive atmosphere; and

(b) the equipment is operated for the purpose of assessing the risk of—

(i) persons re-entering the mine or part of the mine; or

(ii) ventilating the mine or part of the mine; and

(c) a risk assessment is carried out before the equipment is operated in the mine, or part of the mine, to—

(i) identify the oxygen nose point for the atmosphere in the mine or part of the mine; and

(ii) identify hazards involved in operating the equipment in the mine or part of the mine; and

(iii) identify ways of effectively controlling the hazards; and

(d) the atmosphere around the equipment is continuously monitored using a gas monitoring device to detect the general body concentration of oxygen and methane; and

(e) both of the following actions are taken if the general body concentration of oxygen around the equipment exceeds 60% of the oxygen nose point identified in the risk assessment—

(i) the electrical supply to the equipment is immediately switched off;

(ii) the equipment is immediately withdrawn to a safe location; and

(f) any hazards identified in the risk assessment can be effectively controlled; and

(g) any ways identified in the risk assessment of effectively controlling the hazards are implemented.

(4) The gas monitoring device mentioned in subsection (3) (d) must automatically activate an audible or visible alarm when the general body concentration of oxygen exceeds 60% of the oxygen nose point identified in the risk assessment.