Mines Rescue Competitions

The Mines (Fire and Safety) Regulations requires each operating mine, having more than 50 people employed, to have a dedicated trained mine rescue team, and a critical element of mine safety is emergency preparedness.petitions now involve teams from mines in Ireland, the UK and occasionally visiting teams from other EU states.

Over the years our Senior Mines Inspectors have actively assisted in the adjudication of the competition. In recent years these competitions now involve teams from mines in Ireland, the UK and occasionally visiting teams from other EU states

To build and ensure the competence of these rescue teams, the Annual Mines Rescue Competition has been held in Ireland most years since 1978.

Mines Rescue

Mines Rescue Competitions 2015

The Irish and UK Mines Rescue competition 2015 was hosted and run by Somincor Neves-Corvo mine in Portugal on the 7th and 9th of May 2015 as the first  European Metalliferous Mines Rescue Competition.

Because many Irish teams were unable to travel to Portugal, the New Boliden Tara Mines Internal Rescue Competition 2015 was kindly opened to external teams to compete in and was hosted & run at New Boliden Tara Mines on the weekend of 9th & 10th October 2015.  The competition which took place over 2 days involved a Search and Rescue response exercise at crusher chamber facility along with a classroom exercise, involving desk top exercises, first aid & a number of problem solving exercises. Extensive arrangements were made to facilitate viewing of the exercises by all 7 competing teams, their trainers, accompanying management and visitors. A comprehensive report of the 2015 Competition held at Tara Mines on 9th  and 10th October is available here

Mine Rescue Competition 2014

The All Ireland and UK Mine Rescue Competition 2014 was held at Boulby Mine (Cleveland Potash Ltd.) on the weekend of May 16th-18th 2014. The Irish Mines were well represented by Boliden Tara Mines, The Lisheen Mine and Irish Salt (Northern Ireland). Teams from the UK, Spain and Portugal were also competing. The dedication and commitment of the individual team members, Mine Rescue officers and management to Mine Rescue training at each facility, in parallel with day-to-day operations,is highly commendable. A number of awards were presented at the Mine Rescue Dinner on the Saturday night,

  • The Lisheen Mine were awarded "Best Irish Team"
  • Lisheen Mine also won the First Aid event and Bench and Oral tests
  • Boliden Tara Mines were awarded the "Team Safety"award.

 

Mine Rescue Competition 2013


Mine Rescue Competition 2013
 
The 2013 All Ireland and UK Mine Rescue Competition took place at Boliden Tara Mines near Navan Co. Meath on 17th and 18th May.
 
Participants were
 
Lisheen Mine (Vedanta)
Boulby Mine (Cleveland Potash)
Winsford Mine (Salt Union)
Kilroot Mine (Irish Salt)
Galistar- a combined team drawn from Mines at Galmoy, Lisheen and Tara
Tara Mines (Boliden)
 
The competition involved exercises in Search and Rescue, First Aid, Fitness and a Bench Test and Oral. The objectives of the event are to promote mine safety; practice mine rescue skills; build team and personal confidence; promote comradeship between teams and develop mine rescue skills between Ireland and the UK. It provides a unique opportunity in developing team and morale building within individual mining companies as it requires a substantial commitment of time, energy and resources by each participating company.
 
The sponsors of the 2013 Mines Rescue Competition were:
Best Team Captain (Irish Mining and Quarrying Socirty)
Team Safety; Lisheen (Irish Industrial Explosives)
Search & Rescue; Tara Mines (Finning CAT)
Bench Test; Tara Mines (Respro)
Fitness Test; Irish Salt (Smiley Monroe)
First Aid; Tara Mines (Atlas Copco)
Best Irish Mine Rescue Team; Tara Mines (MA Healy)
Best Overall Mine Rescue Team; Tara Mines ( Priority Drilling)
 
The Air Corps which is committed to airlift Mine Rescue Teams if required was also in attendance represented by Lt. Col. John O’Keeffe.