Australian Mine Safety Journal is digital publication on mining industry

Mining industry leaders across Western Australia have gathered to talk mining health & safety . Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston officially opened the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety’s fourth annual Registered Managers Forum in Perth on Friday. The event brings together mining managers, from across the State, to focus on a range of mining health safety topics. Minister Johnston said on opening of the meeting that “Workplace safety is one of the McGowan Government’s number one priorities, and there are always improvements to be made.   Today’s event is an opportunity for delegates and government to work together to improve safety across Western Australia’s mining industry.”  He added that “Workers, supervisors, managers and inspectors all have a role to play in preventing injuries and fatalities on site.” The outcomes from the 2017 meeting included: Considering establishing protocols for coordination of activities b...

Safe Work mining October is National Safe Work Month, a time to commit to building a safe and health workplace for you and your colleagues. Safe Work Australia was established in 2008 to develop national policy and guidance for WHS and workers’ compensation. Since then, they’ve been running national campaigns to raise awareness about WHS in the Australian working community. Since Safe Work Australia’s inception, there has been a steady decline in the rate of work-related fatalities and workers’ compensation claims. However, work-related injury and disease cost the Australian community $61.8 billion in a year. There’s still work to be done. No industry should be unsafe to work in and no death or injury is acceptable. And, because the whole community bears the financial cost of poor WHS, safe and healthy work benefits everyone. This is why, during October each year, Safe Work Australia ask workers and employers across Australia commit to building safe and healthy workpl...

The 2017 SA Mines Emergency Response Competition was held over the weekend of May 5-7, hosted at BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam. The competition provided friendly rivalry for the six SA and NSW teams, but most importantly provided an excellent opportunity to practice emergency response skills in a safe but realistic environment. Teams are tested across nine challenges including theory, search and rescue, firefighting, mass casualty, vertical rescue, BA practical, skills, road crash rescue, and confined space rescue. The weekend’s tight contest saw BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam 1  crowned top emergency response team with a score of 85.9% overall, while Challenger  came in second with wins in firefighting, theory and road crash rescue. Olympic Dam 2  were the best on the day in firefighting and newcomers Cadia  took out the award for search and rescue. Rounding out the six teams were  Prominent Hill  and  Carrapateena . Ben Treagus, f...

The first confirmed case of black lung disease in a Queensland open cut mine has been revealed. The diagnosis has sparked widespread concern in the mining industry, with the potentially fatal lung disease thought to be only a risk for underground mine workers. Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (CWP) was thought to have been eradicated in Australia until last year. Since then, 15 underground miners have been diagnosed with the disease, caused by breathing in coal dust, and many more are expected to be affected by the disease. The latest victim, 55-year-old Paul Head, currently works at BHP Billiton’s Goonyella Riverside Mine in central Queensland. In his 31 years in the mining industry, Mr Head has only worked in open cut mines, and said he has only ever received one chest x-ray when he first started. CFMEU Mining and Energy Division Queensland District President Stephen Smyth said workers and communities in all states and territories with underground and open cut coa...