(1)No person shall be employed in any seam, -(a)where a fire or spontaneous heating exists in a lower seam whether such fire has been sealed off by means of fire stoppings or not; or(b)where the seam has a common ventilation system with another seam on fire; or(c)where the outlets or openings of the seam are within 60 metres of an active fire or spontaneous heating in a higher seam or on the surface in any ash heap or spoil heap or in any other heap or place or any other fire or spontaneous heating which cannot be controlled immediately or where broken ground connected with the seam exists within 60 metres of such fire or spontaneous heating; or(d)where the parting, with an overlying seam on fire or in which spontaneous heating has taken place, or with surface containing an active fire or spontaneous heating in any spoil heap or ash heap or in any other heap or place, or with any other fire or spontaneous heating which cannot be controlled immediately, consist of less than 10 metres of hard rock, except with the permission in writing of the Chief Inspector and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein.(2)In any working mine, in which a fire is known or believed to exist, -(a)adequate precautions shall be taken to prevent the passage of air, from any part of the mine on from the surface, into the fire area through any broken strata; and(b)no work other than the operations required under clause (a) shall be done in any part of the mine which is not effectively sealed off from any such goaf or broken strata.(3)In every fiery seam or gassy seam of the second or third degree, arrangements shall be made Once at least every 30 days to ascertain the atmospheric condition behind the stoppings built to seal off the area of old working or such goaf or a fire or spontaneous heating, unless such stoppings are capable of resisting force of an explosion.(4)Every stopping erected to isolate or control a fire or spontaneous heating belowground or to seal off goaf or an area of old working shall be numbered, and shall be of adequate strength and so maintained as to prevent any leakage of air or gas through it:Provided that where water is likely to accumulate behind any such stopping there shall be provided in the stopping a suitable pipe or other device to drain away the water without permitting any leakage of air or gas, etc.(5)Every stopping erected in accordance with the provision of sub-regulation (4) and the pillars containing such stoppings, shall be plastered with fire resistant or fire retardant sealant of adequate thickness using high pressure guns so as to completely fill up the cracks, cavities, crevices, joints, slips, fractures and cleats present in the working in order to completely seal off such area, which shall be kept maintained as leak proof.(6)Where in any mine or part thereof the provisions of sub-regulations (4) or (5) have not been complied with or where in the opinion of the Regional Inspector the steps so taken are inadequate, he may give notice in writing to the, owner, agent or manager requiring him to take such protective measures, within such time, as he may specify therein:Provided that in case of non-compliance with the requirements of the notice under this sub-regulation, the Regional Inspector may, by an order in writing, prohibit until the requirements of the notice have been complied with to his satisfaction, the employment in the mine or part, of any person whose employment is not, in his opinion, necessary for the purpose of complying with the requirements aforesaid.(7)A competent person shall, once at least in every seven days, inspect all stoppings erected for isolation or control of fire or spontaneous heating belowground to ascertain the general condition of every stopping by checking it for leakage and presence of gas, and the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere outside the stopping.(8)The competent persons shall after carrying Put the inspection under sub-regulation (7), place his signature, with date, on a check-board provided for the purpose at a suitable position on the stopping and which shall be maintained for a period of not less than three months, and a report of every such inspection shall also be recorded in a bound paged book kept for the purpose duly signed and dated by the person making the inspection:Provided that the Regional Inspector may, by an order in writing, require the inspection of stoppings to be made at such shorten intervals as he may specify therein.
