What should be provided and maintained to all working areas?

The correct choice emphasizes that a safe means of access is essential in all working areas within a mining environment. Providing and maintaining safe access helps ensure that workers can enter and exit workspaces without risk of injury. This includes proper walkways, ladders, ramps, and other infrastructure designed to minimize hazards while moving around the site.

Safe access is particularly crucial in mining operations where uneven terrain, machinery, and various potential hazards can exist. Ensuring that workers can safely navigate these areas contributes to overall workplace safety and can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.

While safety gear, emergency exits, and proper signage are all important aspects of a safe working environment, they serve different purposes. Safety gear protects individuals once they are in position, emergency exits provide routes for evacuation in case of danger, and proper signage communicates hazards or instructions. However, without safe means of access, the effectiveness of these other safety measures is undermined, as workers could encounter dangers simply getting to their work locations.