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The Mines (Fire and Safety) Regulations requires each operating mine, having more than 50 people employed, to have a dedicated trained mine rescue team, and a critical element of mine safety is emergency preparedness.
To build and ensure the competence of these rescue teams, the Annual Mines Rescue Competition has been held in Ireland most years since 1978.
Mines competition
Over the years our Senior Mines Inspectors have actively assisted in the adjudication of the competition. In recent years these competitions now involve teams from mines in Ireland, the UK and occasionally visiting teams from other EU states.
The 2006 competition was held at the Irish Salt Mines in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, the 2007 competition was held at the Galmoy Mine, County Kilkenny and the 2008 competition was held at Tara Mines, Co. Meath. A report of the 2007 competition was compiled by the H.S.A. and can be viewed on the link below.
- Search & Rescue Competition Report 2007
Fig 1. Search & Rescue Competition
Galmoy Mine 2007
14th meeting of the Heads of State Mining Authorities
The 14th meeting of the Heads of State Mining Authorities, held in Slovenia in June 2008, focused on “Escape & Rescue Arrangements at Underground Mines”. An Irish delegation headed by H.S.A Senior Inspector Mr. Pat Griffin along with John Grennan of Tara Mines and Mike Lowther of Galmoy Mines presented a paper to the conference outlining Escape and Rescue arrangements at underground mines and emergency arrangements at surface mines in Ireland. This paper can be viewed on the link below.