Australian Mine Safety Journal is digital publication on mining industry

The Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has announced performance benchmarks for mine safety inspection and compliance activities across the WA mining industry for July to September 2018. The results show that the inspectorate: Completed 307 visits to mines for inspection; 29 visits were unannounced i.e. mines did not know the inspectors were coming; 154 Improvement notices were issued; 40 Prohibition notices were issued; 45 complaints to the Department were received.  Complaints from industry and the public regarding alleged unsatisfactory conditions or practices at a mining operation. The Department’s focus on transparency of information has been identified as ‘best practice’ for Australian Inspectorates with some jurisdictions in Australia concealing mine safety inspection activities until annual reporting is publically issued some 6-12 months beyond year-end. You can read the  Department’s Activi...

A recent decision by the Fair Work Commission to not reinstate a worker after he was sacked for taking Nurofen Plus on the job has shone a light on the need for employee compliance with direction, effective and concise drug and alcohol policies and reasonableness when it comes to over the counter medications In the case of Guorgi vs Transdev, Transdev alleged that Mr Guorgi, a Compliance Co-ordinator, failed to notify Transdev that he was taking Nurofen Plus, failed to report the use by not providing a medication declaration form to his Manager and failed to comply with the Drug and Alcohol Testing Procedure in relation to a saliva test. Additionally, Transdev considered that Mr Guorgi failed to appreciate the seriousness of these allegations or to acknowledge any error was of particular concern given his role of Compliance Coordinator. He was terminated on the basis of a breach of the Transdev Queensland drug and alcohol policy Mr Guorgi’s case to the Fair Work...

OPINION  There is no doubt that there are some safety challenges facing the mining industry in Australia. While it’s clear that there are pockets of excellence with some outstanding initiatives being undertaken by individuals, unions, governments and companies alike, there are also many challenges being faced by parties to realise their own safety goals. As we begin in 2019, it’s a great time to ask ourselves, have we finally reached our safety destination or are we still on the journey ? Over the last three-four months the Australian mining industry has seen a major train wreck, a mine catch fire, a driver killed in a speeding haul truck crash and sadly as the year finished, a dozer operator plummet off a bench at Queensland coal mine…just to name a few. In the midst these incidents, there’s been a raft or serious workplace injuries and near misses. Some of which will see injured operators never returning to the pit. When you read the detail, many of these inci...

SPONSORED CONTENT US based speciality lighting company, Phoenix has recently introduced new mining equipment lighting to bring a new level of safety to mine sites worldwide with its newest product – The Danger Light™. This heavy duty LED fixture leaves a distinct red beam around the shovel perimeter, clearly marking the area that should remain clear to avoid a truck-shovel impact. Phoenix says that “Human error is to blame for 93% of equipment accidents on a mine site. In an environment where safety is paramount, the Danger Light is taking the uncertainty out of this traditional mining hazard.” The 42W fixture provides 2100 lumens of efficient, LED light and maintenance-free operation. The adjustable harp allows for aiming versatility with many equipment models. “The components of the Danger Light follow the same standards of durability that Phoenix is known for, including fully potted drivers, impact-resistant lenses and conformally coated circuit boards.” The...

New laws requiring organisations to protect whistleblowers and implement whistleblowing policies have passed through the Australian Government and is expected to come into effect on 1 July. On 19 February 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whistleblower Protections) Bill 2018 . The Bill is due to receive royal assent and commence operation 1st July 2019. Professor A J Brown, Professor of Public Policy and Law at Griffith University, has highlighted a few key aspects of changes. Professor Brown said that legal protections do not only kick in after a whistleblower starts to experience reprisals.  Only taking action on reprisals after the event is like giving a band-aid to an amputee – by the time compensation rights are triggered, it is usually too late. All public and large proprietary companies are required to have whistleblowing policies which spell out how they will “support and protect” those who speak up...

A safety and health research project completed in the Western Australian mining industry has discovered that the most important factor that enabled or hindered Safety and Health Representatives work effectiveness was management support and communication. Shibani Chakraborti, a 2018 PhD candidate at Curtin’s School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering , thesis ‘The Influence of Safety & Health Representatives in the Western Australian Mining Industries’ has uncovered a range of issues associated with the effectiveness of health and safety representatives. The aim of Shibani’s research was to identify what influence and support Safety and Health Representatives (SH &R) had in the Western Australian mining industries to facilitate the achievement of a high standard of workplace safety. The study explored the Western Australian mining industries SHR experiences in their role using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Shibani conducted an ...

A rescued survivor has told authorities that there are 17 people trapped inside a flooded mine in the Indian region of Meghalaya .   According to available reports the mine was flooded last Friday. The survivor told Indian press that “There were 22 people in all. Five of us were on the ground while 17 others were busy cutting coal,” said Sayeb Ali, 21, from Panbari village in the Chirang district of Assam. ‘Ground’ refers to the landing area inside the mine. “There are three others from my village alone, who are still trapped,” he said. “I was about five feet away from the ground that morning and on my way up, when I suddenly felt a lot of air and then saw water,” Ali said. “I caught on to the wire and managed to climb upwards till the people outside sent in a carriage,” he recalled. “I was all drenched,” he said. “The water helped to push me out,” he claimed, adding that “four others on the ground” were also rescued. “They are in Meghalaya,” he said. Ali had...

Austmine’s Brisbane End of Year Networking event provides an opportunity to celebrate with industry colleagues and the Austmine team at the end of a fantastic year for our industry. The event will be held on Monday 26th November 2018 at the Queensland Cricketer’s Club. Together mining and METS companies have reached new heights in 2018 and are ushering in an exciting digital age driven by new technologies, innovative thinking and collaborative problem-solving. This collective strength and support has enabled Austmine to explore new frontiers for our members throughout the year, such as the creation of international initiatives and projects, facilitation of key industry workshops, increased networking opportunities and greater influence to advocate for our world-leading METS sector. The event will facilitate new connections between METS and miners in attendance and will include short presentations and networking drinks and canapes. More details on the ...

In July this year a new standard for gas detection and monitoring equipment in coal mines was launched. The new standard incorporates world-leading practices feature for management of life saving gas detection equipment in coal mines across Australia and New Zealand. AS/NZS 2290.3:2018 , Electrical equipment for coal mines – Introduction, inspection and maintenance, Part 3: Gas detecting and monitoring equipment was published by the joint Australian and New Zealand technical committee of Standards Australia. “The primary emphasis of this standard is the safety of coal miners, by providing guidance on the use of gas detection equipment in mines,” said Dr Bronwyn Evans, CEO of Standards Australia. “ The Pike River Mine disaster of 2010 is one of the many devastating examples why continued standards development is so important. “Among the changes in this edition of the standard, is a new requirement for routinely measuring the response time of installed gas detection systems....

In preparation for cyclone season many mines across Australia have already formalised emergency response plans for cyclone related events but mining safety regulators are warning that there is no place for complacency. The cyclone season officially started on 1 November 2018 and will run through to 30 April 2019. The Bureau of Meteorology has indicated that the probability of cyclones will be reduced due to the effects El Niño On average, there are 10 to 13 tropical cyclones each season in the Australian region, four of which typically cross the coast. El Niño typically reduces the number of coastal crossings, but at least one tropical cyclone has crossed the Australian coast each season since reliable records began in the 1970s. The BOM advised that “during El Niño years, the first tropical cyclone to cross the coast is typically during the second week of January. This is generally later than seasons which are ENSO-neutral when the first cyclone landfall...

The Queensland Parliament this week backed maximum penalties close to $4 million for mining companies that fail to keep their workers safe. As well, mines inspectors will be able to hit mine operators with tough new fines of up to $130,550 without taking them to court. Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham told Parliament today that the changes reflected the Palaszczuk Government’s strong position that non-compliance with safety and health obligations would not be tolerated. “This helps to protect those who work, day after day managing the unique hazards and risks of mining, and the social fabric of families and communities around our mining workers,” Dr Lynham said. “It also helps to bolster the reputation of the mining industry which forms a substantial part of Queensland’s economic prosperity.” Under changes to the  Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999  and the  Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999 the state’s mines inspectors wil...

Working in the mining sector obviously comes with risks, however not all the risks are directly linked to the physical side of the job and its dangers.  There are obvious workplace risks of course, but living near the mines can also pose a range of health concerns and hazards in itself. Whether it is deep or surface mining there are risks, and in recent times it has been a widely publicised subject, and every year we have more and more information available to us through research and testing. So what are the main risks associated with coal mining, and how does it affect you (or your family). The Occupational Hazards of Mining Miners face a range of dangers working in coal mines. It’s never truly been a safe or healthy environment, and the threat of injury from falling objects, faulty equipment, or roof collapses are as prevalent as they have always been. Even though workplace health and safety has improved immensely in the last 20-30 years, risk is still hig...

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...