The government of New Zealand has recently announced it is working on new solutions to handle emergencies and accidents in underground mines.

The protocol will provide guidelines and regulation in case of a mining emergency in the country, defining which persons and agencies are responsible for responding to major events and what are their functions and duties, the site MSN.nz quoted.

This initiative will also set out the lines of authority when it comes to decision making and communication. The police minister Anne Tolley commented on the subject:

Implementation will require close collaboration between the police, the Mines Rescue Service, WorkSafe New Zealand, the Fire Service and the mining industry.

The protocol will include an incident controller with mining experience, supported by a management team, the Labor minister Simon Bridges announced.

The project, which is a response to the Pike River disaster, will be phased and will take effect from December 2014.