Extractive industry sites present the most demanding version of the logistics challenges MWE products were designed to solve: remote locations with no mains infrastructure, heavy excavating plant already on site, large fuel requirements, intensive dust generation, and continuous dewatering needs. MWE products work where mains-connected alternatives cannot.
Mining excavators, drilling rigs, haul truck refuelling stations, crushing plant engines and remote generators cannot be reached by conventional tow-behind bowser lorries on unmade pit roads, overburden slopes or restricted-access platforms. The FuelBag's 60mm lifting pin allows it to be repositioned anywhere the site excavator can access — on rough ground, in pit bottoms, on spoil heaps — without chains and without a second operative.
Active mine workings, quarry faces and oil/gas well pads generate continuous groundwater inflow that must be removed to maintain access and safe working conditions. Traditional pump-and-hose setups require hose infrastructure across difficult terrain and are constrained by hose length and pump siting. The WetBag's self-contained 2,000L tank and 3-inch pump provides flexible, repositionable dewatering — no mains power, no fixed infrastructure.
Unpaved haul roads in quarries and open-cast mines are among the most prolific dust generation environments in industry. Silica dust from drilling, blasting and crushing operations is a critical COSHH obligation — WEL 0.1 mg/m³ — with no mains water available across most of the site footprint. The DustBag's 2,000L integrated tank and 30-metre oscillating cannon provides at-source suppression without mains connection.
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas sites have the heaviest plant, the most remote locations, and the least mains infrastructure of any UK industry. MWE products are designed specifically for the plant and conditions already present on extractive industry sites — no additional infrastructure required.
FuelBag
Remote Plant Fuelling — Mining & Drilling Sites
2,000L bunded diesel bowser with 8-metre hose reel, repositioned by the site excavator or wheel loader via the 60mm MW Easy-Lift pin. No chains, no banksman, no tow vehicle required. Works on rough ground, pit bottoms and slopes. PPG26 bunded containment. DSEAR: position outside the hazardous zone as defined by your site area classification — contact us to discuss specific requirements.
View FuelBag →WetBag
Mine Dewatering — No Mains Power Required
Self-contained dewatering unit with 2,000L integrated tank and 3-inch dirty water pump. No mains power. Diesel engine or hydraulic drive options. Repositioned by excavator or wheel loader to wherever dewatering is needed. Tank storage allows water to be transported to approved discharge points — relevant on sites with permit-controlled discharge requirements.
View WetBag →DustBag
Haul Road & Face Dust Suppression — Standalone
2,000L integrated water tank, 180° oscillating cannon, up to 5 hours of standalone operation. Repositioned along haul roads or to follow the working face by excavator or wheel loader. No mains water connection. COSHH-compliant at-source silica dust suppression for quarry and mine environments — no fixed hose infrastructure required.
View DustBag →BarrierBag
Exclusion Zones & Safety Barriers — Site Safety
144 crowd control barriers in one mechanised load — deployed and recovered by telehandler or excavator. Establishes exclusion zones around blasting areas, heavy plant operations, and hazardous locations on mining and O&G sites. Doubles deployment rate vs manual methods. Organised storage reduces barrier damage across long-term site operations.
View BarrierBag →Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas sites operate under specific regulatory frameworks that affect the siting and use of all fuel storage equipment. The key regulations relevant to MWE product deployment on extractive industry sites include:
DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002) applies to all workplaces where hazardous substances — including diesel and petroleum — are stored or used near potentially explosive atmospheres. DSEAR requires the production of an area classification document defining the extent of hazardous zones (0, 1, 2). Fuel storage equipment must be sited outside the relevant zone unless specifically rated for that zone.
The FuelBag stores and dispenses diesel fuel. It is not ATEX-rated and should be positioned outside the hazardous zone as defined by your site area classification. Within a non-hazardous area on an oil or gas site, its PPG26-compliant bunded design is appropriate for diesel storage and dispensing.
The Quarries Regulations 1999 impose specific duties on quarry operators for health and safety management, including dust control. The Quarries Regulations require that dust is controlled at source as far as reasonably practicable — the same hierarchy as COSHH, with water suppression as the preferred engineering control.
DSEAR / ATEX Enquiries
If you are deploying MWE products on a site with DSEAR classified zones, contact our team to discuss your site's area classification before deployment. We can discuss appropriate siting arrangements and, where required, bespoke modifications. Call 01905 935679 or email info@mwequipment.co.uk.
Key Regulations — Extractive Sites
DSEAR 2002
Dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres — zone classification for fuel storage
Quarries Regulations 1999
Dust control obligations for quarry operators — at-source suppression required
COSHH 2002
Silica WEL 0.1 mg/m³ — engineering controls before RPE — applies to all extractive industry workers
PPG26
Environment Agency fuel storage guidance — 110% bunding required above 200L. FuelBag bunding is integral to the design.
Environmental Permitting Regs 2016
Water discharge from site — WetBag tank storage allows transport to compliant discharge points
The FuelBag is a bunded diesel bowser compliant with Environment Agency PPG26 guidance. It stores and dispenses diesel — a flammable liquid subject to DSEAR requirements. The FuelBag is not ATEX-rated. On oil and gas sites with potentially explosive atmospheres (DSEAR Zones 0, 1 or 2), the FuelBag must be sited outside the defined hazardous zone as determined by your site's area classification document. Within a non-hazardous area of an O&G or mining site, its bunded design provides appropriate containment for diesel fuel storage. Contact us to discuss your specific site arrangement — we are happy to assist with siting questions or to discuss bespoke modifications where required.
The WetBag's 3-inch dirty water pump provides significant targeted dewatering capacity — suitable for quarry face dewatering, sump management, and localised groundwater control on mining and extraction sites. For very high-volume continuous dewatering of large mine workings requiring specialist wellpoint or ring-main systems, the WetBag complements rather than replaces specialist dewatering contractor operations — handling localised face dewatering and sump management while larger systems manage the overall water table. For bespoke high-capacity systems, contact our design team.
Quarrying and mining are subject to COSHH 2002 (silica WEL 0.1 mg/m³, requiring at-source engineering controls before RPE) and the Quarries Regulations 1999 (specific quarry operator duties for dust control). The Mining Industry Advisory Committee (MIAC) has published specific guidance on dust in mines and quarries. The HSE actively enforces both. At-source water suppression — the DustBag's function — is the preferred engineering control for both haul road dust and face/processing dust. The DustBag's standalone 2,000L tank means it can operate anywhere on a site without mains water connection.
Yes. MW Equipment offers a bespoke design and manufacture service for extractive industry applications — including non-standard tank capacities, specific pump configurations, or integration with site-specific plant interfaces. The patented MW Easy-Lift System (GB 2600815.1) can be incorporated into bespoke equipment, allowing repositioning by the excavators and wheel loaders already on site. Contact our design team on 01905 935679 or info@mwequipment.co.uk to discuss your specific requirements.
Contact our team to discuss your specific site requirements — including DSEAR siting, bespoke configurations and fleet supply.