All the latest news in mine health and safety in NSW

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17 October 2019

Our position is that all fires on mobile plant are avoidable and preventable and we will be taking a zero-tolerance approach where mine operators have not taken appropriate steps to manage this risk.

Fires on mobile plant are inherently dangerous. They impact on the safety of workers and have potentially catastrophic consequences.The number of incidents remains unacceptably high and without further action, the number of fires occurring on mobile plant will continue to be elevated.

We are committed to working with industry to ensure health and safety obligations are being met to reduce the number of fires on mobile plant and to prevent potentially catastrophic events. To achieve these goals we have laid out our expectations in a position paper recently published on our website.

Preventing fires on mobile plant position paper

October is National Safe Work Month and a time to refocus on improving work health and safety in your workplace.

Our Chief Inspector has written to all mine operators in NSW seeking their continued support and commitment to deliver on our vision of a ‘Safe and responsible mining, extractive and petroleum industry’.

This month we are asking the NSW mining industry to keep safety front of mind and help combat complacency through our Be safe at work video.

Safety events this month include our small mines and quarries health and safety roadshow at Cobar and Dubbo, with further events in November and December. The roadshow features presentations and practical exercises on:

Learning from disasters
Quarry Manager obligations update
Structural welding requirements
Airborne contaminants (dust)
Repeated control failures
Compliance with notices
What is reportable to the regulator
Lessons learned from recent incidents

Visit our website for further information and to register for one of our safety roadshow events.

Small mines and quarries health and safety roadshows

SafeWork NSW - Safe Work Month

National Safe Work Month website

On 15 November, Heritage Stoneworks is holding a free one-day forum on the risks and management of respirable crystalline silica in the workplace. Leading industry and workplace safety specialists will provide the latest information at the forum about how to manage and control airborne contaminants and create safe workplaces.

Workers who inhale respirable crystalline silica (tiny bits of minerals found in sand, rock and quartz) are at risk of developing the lung disease silicosis.

Register to attend by 7 November.

Early bird registrations have now closed and places are filling fast for our 29th Electrical Engineering Safety Seminar.

The agenda for the seminar is available on our website, with speakers including Associate Professor Chris Andrews presenting on the major consequences of minor shocks and Professor Robin Burgess-Limerick speaking on automation and human factors.

Don't miss out, register today!

Join us at our inaugural Mining Engineering Manager Safety Seminar as we focus on stepping safely into the future and the challenges and solutions facing mine managers in implementing change management and adopting new technology.

This unmissable seminar will bring together case studies from Mining Engineering Managers who are implementing new technology and the lessons learnt on their journey to date.

Register before 26 October to take advantage of the early bird discount.

New requirements to obtain a BEUL

From 1 January 2020, SafeWork NSW will not require a reference from the Regulator from individuals applying for a mining blasting explosives user licence (BEUL). As such, from that date, we will no longer accept requests for BEUL reference letters.

Individuals can apply for a reference to be issued by the Regulator under the current requirements until 31 December 2019. In this instance, SafeWork NSW will process applications with a reference, under the existing requirements, up to 31 March 2020.

For information on proposed new requirements to obtain a BEUL from 1 January 2020 (without a reference), please visit the SafeWork website.

Latest news

Click on the link below to read our latest news.

Resources Regulator investigating incident at Cedar Point Quarry

August Business Activity Report

News from Safe Work Australia

Click on the links below for the latest news from Safe Work Australia.

Workplace exposure standards open for public comment – Release 5 – Coal tar pitch volatiles to dichloroacetylene

Launch of Safe Work Australia's National Return to Work Strategy

Further contact info:
Resources Regulator | Phone: 1300 814 609
cau@planning.nsw.gov.au

Regional NSW, Resources Regulator

516 High St

Maitland, New South Wales 2320

Australia

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