Weekly incident summary
16 November 2018 | ISR18-43 | Go to website
To report an incident call 1300 814 609 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
|
|
Week ending 14 November 2018
High level summary of emerging trends and our recommendations to operators.
Reportable incidents total: 39
Summarised incidents: 5
This incident summary provides information on reportable incidents and safety advice for the NSW mining industry.
|
|
Dangerous incident | SinNot 2018/01898
Summary: A dump truck and a dozer collided at a dump tip head in an open cut coal mine. The dozer was on the off driver’s side of the truck. The dozer’s rollover protection canopy and access ladder were damaged and a tyre was deflated.
Recommendations to industry: A S195 notice was issued to the mine arising from this incident. Tip heads must be designed and maintained to enable safe dumping and interaction between plant. Workers must be trained in dump procedures that must include positive communication requirements. The monitoring and verification of compliance with dump procedures must be routinely conducted by statutory officials. Please review the safety bulletin on positive communications SB18-06
Dangerous incident | SinNot 2018/01894
Summary: A falling monorail beam hit a worker on the shoulder. On a maintenance day, a conveyor drive gearbox was being changed out. The gearbox was being moved along a monorail. When the trolley crossed a join between segments, the monorail uncoupled. The beam fell about one metre and hit a worker on the shoulder, grazing his back.
Recommendations to industry: Before using any device for lifting or carrying a load, it must be inspected to confirm it is fit-for-purpose and usable. This applies not only to the lifting device but any other component that carries the weight such as monorail trolleys, beams, beam clamps, eye bolts and lifting plates.
Dangerous incident | SinNot 2018/01876
Summary: A worker was sprayed with grout at an underground coal mine. The workers were in the process of grouting cable bolts when a worker removed his glasses. A pressure hose burst and sprayed the worker with grout. A similar failure was reported at another mine where a worker was not placed at risk.
Recommendations to industry: Hoses, fittings and attachments used for grouting must be rated to the pump stall pressure. All equipment must be inspected as fit-for-purpose and ready for use before commencing work.
Medical treatment injury | SinNot 2018/01874
Summary: A worker suffered heat stress while working on a drill rig in an open cut metalliferous mine. The worker was on his second day of the roster working a 12-hour shift. The worker started to suffer muscle cramps so went to the airconditioned cab of the drill rig, where cool water, ice packs and electrolytes were supplied. As the cramps continued to worsen he was then taken to hospital. The worker was admitted for continued treatment with intraveous fluids.
Recommendations to industry: The mine’s health control plan should include relevant controls for managing exposure to heat and weather conditions. Controls should include task rotation, scheduling of tasks, personal protection equipment and training. The Resources Regulator is currently undertaking a planned inspection program on heat stress management in the underground metalliferous sector.
Dangerous incident | SinNot 2018/01872
Summary: An operator suffered an electric shock at an underground coal mine. The worker was hanging a feeder breaker supply cable (1000 volt) to the roof. When touching the cable, he felt a tingling sensation that he suspected was an electric shock. He notified his supervisor and the power was turned off. The operator was brought to the surface, had an ECG and was cleared of injury by an ambulance officer.
Recommendations to industry: Risk assessments and cable management procedures must consider the risks arising from handling and working alongside energised trailing cables.
|
|
|
Resources Regulator recent publications
|
|
Other publications of note
| Publication |
Issue / Topic |
| International (fatal) |
| MinEx NZ |
There was a recent fatality in Seattle, WA. When a foreman lost his footing while working from a light-rail concrete girder, falling approximately 33 feet to the ground. The worker was wearing a DBI SALA Nano-Lok fall protection system with a web lanyard. The web lanyard was severed by the edge of the concrete pier cap.
Details |
| National (other, non-fatal) |
| Qld Mines Department in MinEx |
- Manual fire suppression activation units
An incident occurred at an open cut coal mine where a CMW was unable to activate and remove a fire suppression safety pin during a fire event on a rear dump truck. This was due to an anti-tamper tag being fitted around the activation pin. At another mine, maintenance personnel discovered during an inspection the security / safety pin legs crossed over and not allowing the pin to be removed in an event of being activated.
Details |
| Komatsu |
- GSN0170 Underground – Uncommanded movement of continuous miner in Australia
A Joy continuous miner in Australia was reported to have experienced unexpected movement where the miner continued to tram an estimated 1 to 1.5 meters in reverse after the dead man button on the remote transmitter was released. Following the incident, the affected miner’s fault log was reviewed for faults related to unplanned movements and a complete data download was taken from the miner for review. No obvious issues related to an unplanned movement were identified. |
|
|
Number of incident notifications, by commencement month and incident type
|
|
You can find all our guidance and incident related publications (that is, safety alerts, safety bulletins, incident information releases, weekly incident summaries and investigation reports) on our website: resourcesregulator.nsw.gov.au
|
|
*While the majority of incidents are reported and recorded within a week of the event, some are notified outside this time period. The incidents in this report therefore have not necessarily occurred in a one week period. All newly recorded incidents, whatever the incident date, are reviewed by the Chief Inspector and senior staff each week and summarised in this report. For more comprehensive statistical data refer to our Annual Performance Measures Reports.
|
|
|
|
