Weekly incident summary - week ending 21 October 2022
44 reportable incidents, 4 summarised below
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Dangerous incident | IncNot0043240
Underground coal mine
Fire or explosion
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Summary: A small fire occurred at the outbye end of a longwall bootend. Workers on the face smelled smoke and found a flame about 100 mm in height. The fire was on a fist-size lump of coal. The longwall had been stationary for 24 hours due to strata issues. Five metres of structure had been removed and the boot end raised to full height to maintain clearance. Material has then spalled from the off-walk side rib under the belt. Over time, the boot end has lowered due to creeping hydraulic cylinders. This gradually lowered the belt to the point where it was making contract with spalled material.
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Comments to industry: When defects exist on equipment, additional controls should be put in place to manage any increase in risk until repairs can be completed. Mines should review the adequacy of conveyor and strata inspections conducted of the off-walk side of conveyors.
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Dangerous incident | IncNot0043253
Underground coal mine
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Summary: A mechanical tradesman was directed to separate the tailgate drive from 4 roof supports. A lever hoist chain was wrapped around the relay bar clevis pin to remove it. Load was applied to the lever hoist and then the tailgate drive moved with a heavy lift machine. The worker then applied additional load to the lever hoist. The chain released from the pin and hit the worker in the face.
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Dangerous incident | IncNot0043262
Open cut coal mine
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Summary: Several workers were preparing to remove a conveyor drive assembly (motor, gearbox and torque arm). An electrician was disconnecting the motor and another worker was removing the coupling covers. The worker proceeded to unbolt the coupling before the assembly was slung or supported. The unit rotated forward narrowly missing the workers.
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Comments to industry: Before removing components, procedures must include hold points when lifting or chocking must be in place to secure loads. Supervisors must confirm workers understand the tasks and steps required to safely complete tasks.
Where multiple work groups are working in the same area, risk assessments must include the interaction between the work groups.
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Dangerous incident | IncNot0043272
Underground coal mine
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Summary: A continuous miner was being prepared to be trammed out of the panel for repairs to the shovel lift cylinder and clevis. Due to the damage, the shovel had to be supported from the cutter boom. The cutter boom was lowered and a 10 mm chain connected to RUD lugs on either side of the shovel. The miner driver powered up the miner and started the hydraulic pumps and moved to what he thought was a safe place, clear of the chain on that side of the miner. As the cutter boom was raised, the chain failed on the opposite side of the cutter boom and flung in an arc. The chain hit the worker on the face and shoulder. The worker required stitches to their cheek and neck.
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Other publications of interest
These incidents are included for your review. The NSW Resources Regulator does not endorse the findings or recommendations of these incidents. It is your legal duty to exercise due diligence to ensure the business complies with its work health and safety obligations.
National (other, non-fatal)
Resources Safety & Health Queensland
The Queensland Coal Mines Inspectorate at Resources Safety & Health Queensland has released the Incident Periodical for August 2022, which covers recent high potential incidents that have occurred. Incidents include a collision at an open cut coal mine, a CMW crush injury, fly rock incident, burns to hand, hydraulic tooling failure and dust exceedances. This report also contains information on how to report sexual assaults or harassment.
Details
Resources Safety & Health Queensland
Two recent high potential incidents have involved tracked heavy mobile equipment (HME) reversing into stationery light vehicles. Both incidents are still under investigation however key learnings from preliminary investigations show that the LVs had been parked within the HME operating zone and the HME operator was aware of their presence and the HME operators did not ensure that the path of travel was clear before reversing.
Details
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Resources Regulator recent publications
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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
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*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 Safety Performance Measures Reports and our Business Activity Reports.
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