Contact:
  • Combe Down Stone Mines Project
  • Address:

    Bath & North East Somerset Council, 10 Palace Yard Mews, Bath, BA1 2NH

  • E-mail:
    stone_mines@bathnes.gov.uk
  • Telephone:
    01225 477200
  • Fax:
     01225 425249
  • Minicom:
     
  • Page Updated:
    24/04/2008
  • Author:
    Vanessa Dale
A to Z Index

HEALTH & SAFETY

Mines Access

Byfield Mine Entrance

Following the appointment of a new Mine Manager by the Bath & North East Somerset Council, in November 2000, access to the mines was initially prohibited becasue of the hazardous nature.

Following a visit by HM Inspectorate of Mines (HMIM), access has now been seriosuly restricted. Only personnel essential to the Project are allowed to enter the mines through carefully constructed health and safety underground roadways.

There is NO public access to the mines. All known entrances have been sealed up and access to the Byfield and Firs mines is strictly controlled by the Mine Manager.

 Health & Safety Underground Roadways

Timber Roadway

Health and safety underground roadways are required to provide safe access routes for the Project personnel entering the mines.

Access into the mines was essential in order for the project’s main consultants to investigate and design the stabilisation scheme. To allow this, underground roadways were designed and constructed starting at the Byfield entrance and the Firs Field shaft.

The underground roadways are made from steel and timber. The construction of these underground roadways are carried out under the close, personal supervision of the Mine Manager. Other mine entrances not being used have been secured.

Worksites have been set up at the Byfield mine entrance, Firs Field, Ralph Allen Yard and Entry Hill Corporation Yard. The worksites contain facilities for first aid and sanitation and are used to store materials before use in the mines.

The property condition surveys are offered to land owners directly above or within the vicinity of the underground roadways. This provides the property owner with a secure record which can be compared to any change in condition after the works.

The Council’s Project Team have been working with land owners, bat and badger specialists to ensure that any disturbance during the construction of the underground roadways is minimised. The Local Planning Authority has stated that planning permission is not required.

Safety Awareness Day

Safety Awareness Day 2007

The first Health and Safety Awareness event took place on Firs Field on 28th April 2006.  Since then the Combe Down Stone Mines team have made this an annual event at the end of April.  The date was originally chosen as April 28th is Workers Memorial Day, a day when people killed or injured at work are remembered. 

Although we are fortunate to have had no serious incidents at Combe Down it is still a dangerous project and workers and the community need be reminded of the importance of health and safety in a project such as this.  The event is attended by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Mines who addresses the site workers and gathered local people.  The Mine Manager, Chairman of the Combe Down Stone Mines Community Association and Chairman of the Council also give addresses.

The next Health and Safety Awareness event will take place on the afternoon of 29th April 2008.