Taff's Well quarry blast investigation will take many months, says HSE

The investigation into the July incident at Taff's Well Quarry will take many months, the Health and Safety Executive has said. Inspectors are examining the geotechnical assessments and designs, the design of the blast and the engineering safeguards installed at the site.

The incident happened on 30 July after a planned development blast in an area separate from the quarry's production operations. HSE says it was the second blast in the roof of the old Garth Iron Mine. The work was designed to collapse the roof and open new mineral reserves for quarrying.

What HSE has established so far

HSE says the integrity of the walls of the old mine voids and the mine adit was not compromised during the development blasting. That is a specific finding about those structures, not a conclusion about what caused the incident. The regulator says its inquiry into the cause is continuing.

Planning for the development work had taken more than nine years and involved both the previous and current quarry operators, according to HSE. It included geotechnical assessment and design, planning for the blasts and engineering mitigation measures in the mine. Inspectors are now scrutinising those parts of the work.

Who is responsible for blast safety

HSE says it does not approve individual blasting operations. Quarry operators are responsible for making sure work complies with the Quarries Regulations 1999. The regulator is responsible for investigating potential breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

An HSE spokesperson acknowledged the severe impact on the local community and the disruption to residents' lives. The update does not identify a cause, report a legal breach or give a date for the investigation to finish. HSE says it will keep partners and the affected community informed.