(1)No person shall go into work or be allowed to go into work in a mine unless he wears a protective footwear of a type and specification conforming to an Indian standard or an international standard adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards through harmonisation, specified by the Chief Inspector of Mines by a general order notified in the Official Gazette:Provided that where no such standard exists, the Chief Inspector of Mines may on merit specify an international standard, by a general order notified in the Official Gazette:Provided further that the Chief Inspector of Mines may, on merit, by a general order notified in the Official Gazette, specify any other international standard equivalent to the harmonised standard:Provided also that such footwear shall not be used in the mine unless the same has been tested and passed the test as per the applicable standard and the manager has kept a record of the type, details of specification, reference of the particular standard, test criteria as per the standard and status of testing, place of testing, copies of test report and any other relevant details.(2)The owner, agent and manager of a mine shall ensure supply of protective footwear referred to in sub-regulation (1) at interval not exceeding one year or such other intervals as the Chief Inspector of Mines may specify by a general or special order in writing:Provided that where such foot wear is damaged during its legitimate use, it shall be immediately replaced free of cost.(3)The owner, agent or manager of a mine shall provide protective footwear free of charge.
