Weekly incident summary
25 January 2019 | ISR19-03 | Go to website
To report an incident call 1300 814 609 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
|
|
Week ending 18 January 2019
High level summary of emerging trends and our recommendations to operators.
Reportable incidents total: 34
Summarised incidents: 5
This incident summary provides information on reportable incidents and safety advice for the NSW mining industry.
|
|
Dangerous incident | IncNot0033646
Summary: A load haul dump vehicle was descending a decline in an underground metalliferous mine when its bucket hit a wall. The door opened, activating the door interlock, which applied the park brake. The operator was ejected from the cab.
Recommendations to industry: Seat belts and door interlocks must be treated as safety- critical items on mobile plant. Where defects are identified, the plant must not be operated. The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Section 28 details workers’ requirements while at work. This includes complying and co-operating with directions and procedures given, as well as the wearing of seat belts and personal protection equipment.
Dangerous incident | IncNot0033643
Summary: A fire occurred on a haul truck at an open cut coal mine. A brake hose failed and sprayed oil into the engine bay, which ignited. The operator saw flames through the passenger side window. The operator stopped the truck, activated the fire suppression system and left the vehicle safely.
Recommendations to industry: When conducting audits and assessing fuel sources, ensure hydraulic hoses outside the engine bay, as well as other ignition sources, are assessed and maintained to the same standards as those within the engine bay.
Dangerous incident | IncNot0033627
Summary: A worker suffered an electric shock while cleaning behind computer monitors with a damp cloth. The incident was only reported to a supervisor five days later.
Recommendations to industry: All personnel on site must be trained to immediately report incidents. WHS Act 2011 Section 28 (b) requires workers to take reasonable care not to affect the safety of other workers. This requires all workers to report hazards and incidents.
Dangerous incident | IncNot0033599
Summary: A fire occurred on a charge-up machine in an underground metalliferous mine. The machine was parked at the bottom of the decline when a solenoid caught fire. The fire was extinguished with a hand-held fire extinguisher. This is the second fire on this machine within two weeks.
Recommendations to industry: When conducting investigations into incidents, all potential root causes should be identified and addressed, not only those deemed most likely.
Dangerous incident | IncNot0033598
Summary: A collision occurred between a dump truck and dozer at a dump in an open cut coal mine. The truck driver stated the dozer driver gave him permission to reverse to the tip behind the dozer. The dozer driver stated he thought the truck was dumping further away and that he should have waited for the truck to pass behind the dozer. The dozer driver continued to reverse and made contact with the truck. No injuries were sustained.
Recommendations to industry: Supervisors need to regularly monitor compliance with mine site rules for vehicle interactions. The safety management system should detail the minimum requirements for supervisor inspection and monitoring of work areas and practices.
|
|
|
|
Recent NSW Resources Regulator publications
|
|
|
Other publications of note
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.
| Publication |
Issue / Topic
|
| International (fatal) |
| MSHA |
Coal mine fatality
On 20 December 2018, a mobile bridge carrier operator, with five years and 21 weeksof mining experience, was killed while operating his detached, remote-controlled machine during the mining process. As the continuous haulage system pulled forward in preparation of mining, he was crushed between the coal rib and the No. 2 mobile bridge conveyor that was between both mobile bridge carriers.
Details
|
| MSHA |
Coal mine fatality
On 29 November 2018, a mechanic with 29 years of mining experience was severely injured when hydraulic pressure propelled a piece of metal out of a hydraulic fitting that he was examining. The metal penetrated his head. The miner died on 30 December 2018 from his injuries.
Details |
| MSHA |
Coal mine fatality
On 7 September 2018, a 60-year-old haul truck operator with one year of total mining experience suffered burn injuries while attempting to escape from the cab of the burning haul truck he was operating. Due to complications associated with his injuries, the operator died five days later.
Details |
| MSHA |
Coal mine fatality
On 29 December 2018, a 25-year-old dredge operator, with 21 weeks of experience, was fatally injured at a coal mine.The victim drowned when the dredge he was operating sank.
Details |
| National (fatal) |
Media release
NSW government
(Finance) |
Workers warned of confined space killers
In May, a 28-year-old man and a 35-year-old man died in an incident at a paper mill at Ettamogah. Initial inquiries indicate the men were working in the basement area of the mill when they were overcome by hydrogen sulphide gas and collapsed.
In August, a 58-year-old man died on a rural property near Dyraaba with initial inquiries indicating the man was repairing a damaged water tank on the property when he was overcome by fumes and was unable to be revived.
Details |
| National (other, non-fatal) |
| WA Dept of Mines |
Sinkhole in open pit floor engulfs mine vehicles after collapse of backfilled stope
In October 2018, a working pit floor subsided into a backfilled stope, forming a 13 metre deep sinkhole. The stope had previously self-mined to near surface and had been backfilled in stages since 2016. At the time of the incident, surface drill and blast activities were occurring in the vicinity. The subsidence event resulted in the loss of an integrated tool carrier and an explosives truck that were parked on the blast pattern. Several charged blast holes were also engulfed in the sinkhole.
The vehicles were unoccupied at the time of collapse, however four people were working nearby.
Details |
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
