B. 10.2. Water Storage And Pumping

Question 0

What must the employer do with regards to water storage?

Answer 0

10. 2(3) The employer must-
    (a) take reasonable practicable measures to prevent persons from being injured by the unintentional release of water and hydraulic pressure from any dam storing water underground; and
    (b) prepare and implement a procedure to prevent injury to persons involved with the installation, construction, inspection, testing and maintenance of the following hydraulic pressure systems-
    (i) high pressure water jetting systems;
    (ii) shaft high pressure cement columns;
    (iii) shaft water and sludge columns;
    (iv) dam water and sludge systems;
    (v) mine residue discharge pumps;
    (vi) hydraulic water accumulator systems;
    (vii) high pressure pumping installations; or
    (viii) backfill columns and associated equipment.

Question 1

From what shall the employer prevent persons from being injured due to dam walls, plugs or barricades and what measures shall the employer put in place to prevent this?

Answer 1

10. 2(1) The employer must take reasonable measures to ensure that no person is injured as a result of the failure of any dam wall, plug or barricade keeping back water underground due to inappropriate design, substandard construction, or inadequate inspection and maintenance of such dam wall, plug or barricade.
11. 2(2). The measures to be taken by the employer to comply with regulation 10.2(1) above, must include measures to ensure that-
    (a) any dam wall, plug or other barricade keeping back water underground, where the product of the capacity in cubic meters and the hydraulic head in meters of the dam storing water underground and of which they form part, exceeds 50 000, is designed by and constructed under the supervision of a competent person;
    (b) any dam wall, plug or barricade contemplated in sub-regulation (a) above is maintained by competent person;
    (c) any dam wall, plug or other barricade keeping back water underground, where the product of the capacity in cubic metres and the hydraulic head in metres of the dam storing water underground and of which they form part, does not exceed 50 000, is designed, constructed, inspected and maintained under the supervision of a competent person; and
    (d) all design calculations and drawings of dam walls, plugs and barricades and mine plans indicating the exact position of such dam wall, plugs and barricades are stored safely for the life of such dam walls, plugs and barricades and are readily available.

Question 2

What procedures must the employer implement for hydraulic pressure systems?

Answer 2

10. 2(3) The employer must-
    (b) prepare and implement a procedure to prevent injury to persons involved with the installation, construction, inspection, testing and maintenance of the following hydraulic pressure systems-

                            (i) high pressure water jetting systems;
                            (ii) shaft high pressure cement columns;
                            (iii) shaft water and sludge columns;
                            (iv) dam water and sludge systems;
                            (v) mine residue discharge pumps;
                            (vi) hydraulic water accumulator systems;
                            (vii) high pressure pumping installations; or
                            (viii) backfill columns and associated equipment.

Question 3

What reasonable measures must the employer take to ensure that no person is injured as a result of the failure of any dam wall, plug or barricade keeping back water underground?

Answer 3

10.2(1) The employer must take reasonable measures to ensure that no person is injured as a result of the failure of any dam wall, plug or barricade keeping back water underground due to inappropriate design, substandard construction, or inadequate inspection and maintenance of such dam wall, plug or barricade.

Question 4

Who must design any dam wall, plug or other barricade keeping back water underground, where the product of the capacity in cubic meters and the hydraulic head in meters of the dam storing water underground and of which they form part, exceeds 50 000?

Answer 4

10. 2(2). The measures to be taken by the employer to comply with regulation 10.2(1) above, must include measures to ensure that-
    (a) any dam wall, plug or other barricade keeping back water underground, where the product of the capacity in cubic meters and the hydraulic head in meters of the dam storing water underground and of which they form part, exceeds 50 000, is designed by and constructed under the supervision of a competent person;
    (b) any dam wall, plug or barricade contemplated in sub-regulation (a) above is maintained by competent person;

Question 5

Who must design any dam wall, plug or other barricade keeping back water underground, where the product of the capacity in cubic metres and the hydraulic head in metres of the dam storing water underground and of which they form part, does not exceed 50 000?

Answer 5

(c) any dam wall, plug or other barricade keeping back water underground, where the product of the capacity in cubic metres and the hydraulic head in metres of the dam storing water underground and of which they form part, does not exceed 50 000, is designed, constructed, inspected and maintained under the supervision of a competent person; and

Question 6

What must be done with all design calculations and drawings of dam walls, plugs and barricades?

Answer 6

(d) all design calculations and drawings of dam walls, plugs and barricades and mine plans indicating the exact position of such dam wall, plugs and barricades are stored safely for the life of such dam walls, plugs and barricades and are readily available.