Derek Speirs began his career in the mining industry at 16, following his father's footsteps. After gaining extensive experience in mining and rescue operations, he joined MRS Training & Rescue in 2013 and swiftly rose through the ranks.
Meet Derek Speirs, Assistant Operations Manager, Mansfield Centre
Derek Speirs is Assistant Operations Manager and an active Mines Rescue Officer at MRS Training and Rescue in Mansfield.
Derek began his mining career at the age of 16, inspired by his father, who was a part-time rescue worker with the Mines Rescue Service. As a child, he often accompanied his father to the rescue station, fostering a deep respect for the rescue profession.
He started his career at Rufford Colliery but moved to Clipstone Colliery in 1993 after Rufford’s closure, where he became part of its rescue team. In 1994, he moved to Maltby Colliery, where he completed a three-year course in mining and rescue principles, ultimately qualifying as a Mines Official.
Derek joined MRS Training & Rescue in 2013 as a full-time brigadesman, bringing extensive experience in handling emergencies such as fires, explosions, structural collapses, and confined space rescues. His dedication and expertise earned him a promotion to Team Leader in 2015 and, later, to Assistant Manager in 2023.
A qualified lecturer and assessor, Derek has delivered numerous health and safety training courses. His exceptional communication and relationship-building skills have made him a key figure within MRS Training & Rescue.
"I have attended many training courses in the past and found them to be ok. However, I attended this working at height and confined spaces course hosted by Derek Speirs and this is how a course should be done. I found Derek has a vast amount of knowledge, his people skills are second to none and the guy even has a great sense of humour. The site is very well organised even in these Covid times. I would highly recommend this course and would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to Derek from the whole team at Veolia/ Biochemica. Derek, you're a Top man." - Graham Williamson
Discover more about a typical week for Derek on the MRS website.
Mining Awards and Achievements:
- Winner of the UK Coal Risk Assessment Competition (2002).
- Vice-captain, 3rd place in Ireland & UK Mines Rescue Competition (2009).
- Captain, overall winners and best captain in Ireland & UK Mines Rescue Competition (2010), awarded the Irish Mining and Quarrying Society silver medal.
Accreditations:
- Deputy Class 1 Certificate
- Shot Firing Certificate including multi shot authorised
- Advanced First Aid Certificate
- Morphine/Pethidine Authorised Administrator
- Health and Safety
- Manual Handling
- Tunnel and district De – gassing trained
- Kinetic Lifting
- Mines Rescue Officer
- Fire Awareness
- Heavy and Awkward Loads
- Risk Assessment Assessor
- Ford Motor Company Optional Course
- Coal Mining Safety
- Shift Management Training
- I. O. S. H. Safety Certificate
- Nebosh Level 3 Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety 2004
- Nebosh Level 3 certificate and managing construction 2020
- C&G Trainer and Assessor Confined Space & Working at Height
- CITB Tunnel Skills & Tunnel Safety Trainer & Assessor
- Tunnel Emergency Escape Procedure Trainer & Assessor
- IOSH Technical member Trainer in Managing IOSH safely
- Permit authoriser trainer
