Mining safety permit
Mining safety refers to the structural and technical safety of mines, the prevention of hazards and accidents and the mitigation of the adverse effects of accidents.
The construction of a mine and its operation require a mining safety permit. A mining safety permit cannot be issued until the associated mining permit has become legally binding.
Mining safety permits are issued by Tukes.
Applying for a mining safety permit
You can apply for a mining safety permit by sending a free-form application to Tukes’s registry at [email protected]. Your application must be accompanied by
- the applicant’s details
- a general plan of the mine
- the business’s operating principles for preventing accidents
- an internal emergency rescue plan
- an assessment of mining safety risks.
More detailed instructions on the contents of the permit application are included in Tukes’s guide to mining safety regulations (in Finnish).
Periodic mining safety inspections
Tukes periodically inspects all active mines. The inspection interval is determined by the nature of the mining operation and the conditions in the mine.
Mines that operate regularly in challenging conditions are inspected annually. The inspection interval can be lengthened if the business has systematic procedures in place that allow Tukes to satisfy itself of the technical safety of the mine and the efficiency of the management system. The inspection interval can also be shortened if this is deemed necessary for ensuring safety.
Tukes’s inspections are designed to verify the technical implementation, operating principles and management systems of mines. The findings are documented in an inspection report, which details the inspected areas and any shortcomings found.
Mining safety coordinator
A mining safety coordinator must be appointed before a mine is built and production begun. The business must ensure that the mining safety coordinator is able to performing his or her duties in compliance with the regulations and the terms of the mining safety permit decision.
The mining safety coordinator can be anyone who
- has passed an examination organised by Tukes
- works in the mine in question
- is familiar with the regulations governing mining technology and mining safety
- knows mining safety procedures especially in the mine in which he or she works
- has been given appropriate training for the role and has sufficient practical work experience.
The mining safety coordinator is responsible for ensuring that mining safety regulations and the terms of the mining safety permit as well as mining safety procedures and principles are followed in the mine.
