Statute Details
- Title: Sand and Granite Quarries Regulations
- Act Code: SGQA1970-RG1
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Sand and Granite Quarries Act (Cap. 284), Section 24
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Revised Edition: Revised Edition 2001 (31 Jan 2001)
- Original Citation: G.N. No. S 129/1974
- Commencement Date: Not specified in the provided extract
- Key Provisions (from provided metadata): Regulations 6, 12–14, 17, 21–22, 25–34 (among others)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Sand and Granite Quarries Regulations are subsidiary rules made under the Sand and Granite Quarries Act. In plain language, they set out the operational, safety, and environmental controls that quarry operators must follow when extracting sand or granite. The Regulations are designed to ensure that quarrying is carried out in a controlled manner, with appropriate safeguards for workers, the public, and surrounding land.
The Regulations work alongside the licensing framework under the parent Act. They do not merely regulate paperwork; they impose substantive duties on licensees—covering everything from the layout of quarry plans, fees and renewal processes, and security deposits, to blasting procedures, dust control, safe access routes, and minimum age requirements for employees. They also provide mechanisms for assessing and compensating damage or interference caused by quarry operations.
For practitioners, the Regulations are particularly important because they translate the Act’s broad licensing concept into detailed compliance obligations. Many provisions are framed as “Every licensee shall ensure that…”, which creates clear standards that can be used in enforcement, inspections, and prosecutions.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Licensing administration: applications, plans, and directions. Regulation 2 requires applicants for a licence to submit a written application to the Licensing Officer in the form directed. Where required, applicants must furnish further information. Regulation 3 requires a quarry plan to be submitted with the application—specifically, a comprehensive topographical survey showing the extent of the proposed quarry and salient land features; the siting of pumps, crusher plant, or other mechanical apparatus; and the siting of silting ponds (silt traps) and drainage arrangements. The plan must also, for sand quarries, indicate that at least two silting ponds will be provided, sized consistently with the capacity of the pumps or mechanical apparatus.
Once licensed, Regulation 4 empowers the Licensing Officer to issue written directions to ensure efficient and satisfactory operation. Licensees must comply and, within the time specified, amend the copies of the plan required to be submitted under Regulation 3. This is a key compliance lever: even if a quarry is operating under an approved plan, the Licensing Officer can require operational changes through directions.
Financial obligations: security deposits and licence fees. Regulation 5 allows the Licensing Officer to require a security deposit. The amounts are set by category: for sand quarries, the deposit varies depending on whether motive power is used and the aggregate power thresholds; for granite quarries, the security deposit is a fixed amount (as shown in the extract, $10,000). Regulation 6 sets annual licence fees: $4,260 per annum for sand quarries and $10,800 per annum for granite quarries. These fees apply to both issue and renewal.
Renewal and alteration control. Regulation 7 provides that renewal requires a written application and a statement either confirming the quarry remains unchanged from the original approved application/plan or describing proposed changes. Regulation 8 is a strict “no work without approval” rule: if a licensee intends to alter the quarry as represented in the approved plan, the licensee must apply in writing with two copies of a plan indicating the alterations, and must not carry out the work until the Licensing Officer approves. Unauthorised alterations are an offence, with a maximum fine (in the extract) of $2,000.
Damage assessment and compensation. Regulation 9 addresses the consequences of quarry operations on adjoining or surrounding land and property. The Licensing Officer may assess damage or interference attributable to quarry operations, including damage to or loss of livestock or poultry and interference with normal agricultural pursuits. The Licensing Officer can direct compensation to affected persons. If there is a dispute about compensation, it is referred to a committee of three persons appointed by the Minister; the committee’s decision is final and binding. Importantly for enforcement and risk management, Regulation 9(4) allows the Licensing Officer to utilise the security deposit to meet compensation. Failure to pay compensation directed or determined is an offence (maximum fine $500 in the extract). The regulation also preserves the right to bring court proceedings for damages, while preventing double recovery in certain circumstances.
Explosives and blasting: granite quarry controls. The Regulations contain detailed blasting requirements, reflecting the higher hazard profile of granite quarrying. Regulation 12 (as shown in the extract) requires that explosives used for charging holes are approved by the Arms and Explosives Branch of the Singapore Police Force, and that initiation uses an approved combination of safety fuse, cord, detonating cordtex, and detonators. It also requires at least one metre of fuse outside each hole, and if more than 20 holes are fixed at any one time, prior written approval of the Licensing Officer is required. Further, Regulation 12 requires careful examination of material blown out after blasting to ensure no cartridges remain unexploded.
Worker conduct and safety systems. The metadata highlights Regulations 13 and 14 as conduct and safety appliance provisions. While the extract is truncated, the structure indicates that licensees must ensure employees and other persons in or about a quarry follow required safety conduct, and that safety appliances are provided and used. Regulation 17 imposes an age limit: persons employed in a quarry must not be less than 18 years of age. This is a clear statutory threshold that affects hiring practices and compliance documentation.
Safe access and operational controls. Regulation 21 requires licensees to provide secure and safe travelling ways for employees to move to and from their work. Regulation 22 provides for notices requiring excavation to be worked in benches—an important safety and stability measure in quarry operations. These provisions are practical: they require physical site design and operational planning, not merely training.
Weather and prohibited persons. Regulation 28 requires that on the approach of a thunderstorm, all persons are withdrawn. Regulation 29 prohibits persons under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs from being in or about the quarry in circumstances covered by the regulation. These rules are aimed at preventing accidents during heightened risk periods and ensuring impairment does not compromise safety.
Dust and environmental controls. Quarrying can generate significant dust and particulate matter. The Regulations address this through dust extraction and related measures. Regulation 32 requires every licensee of a quarry to install dust extraction plants to ensure dust is controlled (the extract truncates the remainder, but the duty is clear). Regulation 33 (not fully shown) indicates that licensees must provide dust masks and related protective measures. Regulation 34 (also highlighted) sets out further duties of licensees, likely including ongoing compliance with safety and environmental obligations.
Explosives storage and medical/fitness-related compliance. Regulation 31 requires secure storage of explosives in magazines, with quantity thresholds and additional requirements where quantities exceed specified amounts (as indicated in the metadata). Regulation 35 (highlighted) refers to X-ray and medical examination, suggesting a statutory medical surveillance regime for persons exposed to relevant hazards. Regulation 36 requires a register of persons employed. Regulation 37 provides for the application of the Factories Act, integrating general workplace safety standards into quarry operations.
Granite quarry “duties of licensees” and site access restrictions. Regulation 34 and the metadata highlight Regulation 34/“Duties of licensees” and Regulation 34 (in the metadata list) plus Regulation 34 in the table of contents. The metadata also points to Regulation 34 as a key provision: “No licensee of a granite quarry shall allow a person to work therein unless such person …” (the extract truncates). In practice, this type of provision is typically used to ensure only suitably trained, medically fit, or otherwise qualified persons are permitted to work in high-risk roles.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Regulations are organised as a sequence of numbered regulations that move from licensing mechanics to operational controls and enforcement. The structure (as reflected in the table of contents) includes:
Regulations 1–8: citation, application for licence, submission of quarry plans, directions by the Licensing Officer, security deposits, fees, renewal, and controls on alterations to approved plans.
Regulations 9–11: assessment of damage/interference and compensation; clearing quarry waste; and disposal of silt (including requirements for overflow weirs and silting pond management).
Regulations 12–14: explosives for granite quarries; conduct of employees and other persons; and safety appliances.
Regulations 15–20: machinery safety, unauthorised entry, age limits, safety of surroundings of excavations, and restrictions on overhangs, plus notices to cease work.
Regulations 21–22: safe travelling ways and notices to work in benches.
Regulations 23–30: night work, obstruction controls, blasting operations and precautions, management of fumes/dust, thunderstorm withdrawal, prohibited persons, and cleanliness.
Regulations 31–34: storage of explosives in magazines, dust extraction plants, dust masks, and duties of licensees (including restrictions on who may work in granite quarries).
Regulations 35–37: X-ray/medical examination, registers of persons employed, and the application of the Factories Act.
Regulation 38: offences and penalties.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply primarily to licensees operating sand or granite quarries under the licensing regime established by the Sand and Granite Quarries Act. Once a licence is granted, the licensee becomes responsible for ensuring compliance with the Regulations’ operational and safety duties.
The Regulations also indirectly affect employees and other persons in or about a quarry. While the legal duties are framed as obligations on the licensee (“ensure that…”), the compliance regime requires licensees to control access, conduct, age eligibility, and safety practices of persons working on site. In addition, the Regulations impose record-keeping and medical surveillance duties that require cooperation from workers and compliance systems within quarry operations.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
For practitioners advising quarry operators, the Regulations are significant because they create clear, enforceable standards tied to licensing conditions. Many provisions are not discretionary; they are mandatory duties (e.g., safe travelling ways, age limits, withdrawal during thunderstorms, dust extraction, and explosives handling requirements). This makes the Regulations particularly relevant in compliance audits, incident investigations, and regulatory enforcement.
The Regulations also provide a structured approach to risk management. Blasting rules for granite quarries address approved materials, initiation methods, fuse length, approval thresholds for large blasting operations, and post-blast checks for unexploded cartridges. Dust and silt controls address environmental impacts and downstream effects on streams and drains. Together, these provisions help reduce both immediate safety hazards and longer-term environmental harm.
Finally, the damage assessment and compensation mechanism in Regulation 9 is important for dispute resolution and financial exposure. The ability to utilise security deposits and the availability of a final and binding committee decision provide a practical framework for handling claims. However, the preservation of court actions means operators must still manage civil liability risk beyond the regulatory compensation process.
Related Legislation
- Sand and Granite Quarries Act (Cap. 284)
- Factories Act (applied by Regulation 37)
- Granite Quarries Act (as referenced in the provided metadata)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Sand and Granite Quarries Regulations for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.