An Introduction to the
Boulby Underground Labs
An Overview of the Health
& Safety Structure
Boulby - Where?
• UK’s only operational
Potash mine
• 1100m deep
• Shafts sunk 1970
Peterlee
Hartlepool
Redcar
Newton Aycl iffe
Bil ling ham
Inverness
Stockton Middlesbrough
Darlington
Edinburgh
Newcastle
Belfast
Dublin
Liverpool
Birmingham
London
Plymouth
Geology
Lias Shales
Bunter sandstone – water
bearing strata. Whilst
sinking shafts rock had to be
frozen due to saturation
Bunter mudstone horizon
prevents water ingress
Potash mining horizon ~
1100m to 1350m
Mine Plan
• 900 kms of tunnels!
• 8 miles North, 5 miles South
Map of the old Dark Matter
research areas
Map of the mine
excavations
The Good Old Days - 1990
• B & Q Garden Shed
• Germanium
detector
• Liquid Nitrogen
Dewars
Development of Lab Areas
Mid 90’s – Stub 2 ZEPLIN experiment
Stub 2a/3 - 200 Ton
Water Tank
Late 90’s – H Area
Home to NAIAD crystals
2002 onwards – JIF Area
1000m2 new lab area
housing 2nd Generation
dark matter detectors
Health & Safety Structure

Figure 1: Interrelationship between stakeholders, relevant safety
codes and rulebooks and facility users and experimental projects
Stakeholders

HM Mines Inspectorate

Power to close Mine

Cleveland Potash Ltd

Power to close facility
Boulby Underground
Facility Owners &
Operators


Experimental Institute H&S
Groups
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Experimental Group
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responsibility to ensure health
and safety codes are
implemented
responsibility to ensure duty
of care is discharged
responsibility to ensure
experiments comply with H&S
regulations and procedures
HM Mines Inspectorate

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
Branch of the Health & Safety Executive
HMI is the authorative body for Mines & Quarries
in the UK.
Regular inspections and recommendations @
Boulby Mine.
Has the authority to serve prohibition working
notices.
Investigates in event of incident/accidents
HMI has visited the JIF lab area in July 03 and
made recommendations.
Cleveland Potash Ltd (CPL)

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Mine operators.
Authorising agent for Health & Safety on site.
Ultimate Duty of Care resides with CPL.
They have the power to shutdown experiments/or
lab areas for breaches in Health & Safety.
The “Managers Rules” are the H & S Bible @
Boulby.
Frequent ‘Spot Check’ visits
Boulby Underground Facility
Boulby Management Board discharges H
& S responsibilities to operational team.
 Clear communication through regular
reporting.
 Any disputes between Users & Facility
resolved.
 Facility owned by University of Sheffield
and operated by CCLRC.

Boulby Underground Facility Group
(BUFG)
Is the sole point of contact between Users
and mine operators (designated CPL
Manager)
 Mechanism to delivery Users
needs/requirements.
 BUFG ‘Gate Keeper’ for operational safety.

Health & Safety Process
HMI recommended mechanism by which
CPL had an oversight of science
operations.
 The Project Implementation Plan (PIP)
was born.
 All new experiments have to follow this
procedure before deployment.
 Change Control is part of the process

PIP
4. Implementation
phase for exp. PIP a
‘living’ document.
Change Control forms
part of the process
3. Full Study
(management of risks,
hazards, methods and
in the experiment )
approved by
Stakeholders including
CPL
2. Green Light by BMB
for full evaluation
1. New Experiment –
initial evaluation
Boulby Safety Panel
Meets bi annually.
 All Home Institute User groups
represented. (Sheffield, CCLRC, Imperial
College).
 Audit underground visits to Boulby
 Form an advisory group in PIP @
Feasibility stage.

Safety Codes
Multi layered system.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
DM Rules (The Bible) written by JM taking into
account CPL Managers Rules (Fire Risk Assess
etc)
CCLRC Risk Assessment’s / Method statements
for Experiments
COSHH
Radiation Local Rules
Boulby Safety System (daily booklet completed
in Mess room prior to work)
On Site practical risk assessment for hostile
underground environment.
Supervision
Again multi layered approach:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Daily Supervisor – appointed by Facility Team.
Min. of 50 shifts u/g. Must have passed written
exam for competency. Can supervise working
people.
Approved Persons – Min. of 20 shifts u/g
Must have passed written exam for
competency.
New Starts - Close Personal Supervision. Must
be within ear / eye shot at all times. < 20 shifts
u/g.
Visitors - same as New Starts
Problems with u/g lab areas
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Mine roof closure – closure rate increased due to unusual
geological conditions. Lab reconstruction and relocation of
services.
Air-conditioning of labs required. Temps can reach 35-40
degrees underground.
Power outages – unreliable supply
Materials have to go vertically down 5m wide shaft.
Underground persons limit is 10. Under discussion with
CPL.
Ingress of Hydrogen Sulphide gas (replacement of
equipment, restrictions to access to labs.)
Salt very soluble – limited use of fresh water.
Salt corrosive atmosphere – regular checking of equipment
that travels in and out of the Pit.