Weekly incident summary

Recommendations to industry: Known factors that affect ventilation such as barometric changes, inter-connection with adjacent goafs and seal leakage must be managed to maintain methane levels below 2%. All workers with responsibilities within the mine’s withdrawal trigger action response plans (TARPs) need to be trained and fully aware of their responsibilities.

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Dangerous incident | SinNot 2018/01537

Summary: Two workers were required to evacuate a floating plant when it started to list. It only took 30 seconds for the plant to go from the starting position to the final resting position. The plant only became stable when the suspected failed pontoon came to rest on the bottom of the dredge pond.


Recommendations to industry: All vessels must be addressed in an emergency plan and workers should routinely practice evacuation drills for a rapidly listing or sinking event. All vessels should have a stability and buoyancy assessment considering if there are any critical scenarios where a vessel could rapidly list or sink.

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Dangerous incident | SinNot 2018/01526

Summary: A bulldozer rolled in an open cut coal mine. An excavator and bulldozer were clearing old pillar workings when the bulldozer slid into the excavated workings (about 2 m) with the machine rolling onto its side. The operator was able to exit the machine and did not suffer any injuries.


Recommendations to industry: When operating near open or concealed voids, particularly at night, appropriate controls must be in place to allow operators to identify edges and to prevent equipment rolling over. Controls can include change of mining method and lighting.

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