All the latest news in mine health and safety in NSW

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31 January 2020

WHS (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation amendments commence 1 February 2020

The Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Amendment Regulation 2019 was made on 18 December 2019 under the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act 2013.

The Amendment Regulation commences on 1 February 2020 and will amend the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2014 to address work health and safety issues, reduce regulatory burden and ensure the policy intent of the legislation is achieved.

Key issues addressed by the amendment Regulation include, but are not limited to, the following:

introducing a high risk activity notification for the establishment, operation, alteration or decommissioning of a tailings storage facility at a metalliferous mine (excluding opal mines), with appropriate transition provisions
imposing a workplace exposure standard of 0.1 milligram per cubic metre of air for diesel particulate matter with a 12-month transition period provided
including fires on mobile plants and spontaneous combustion occurring at the surface of a coal mine as high potential incidents required to be notified to the Regulator
expanding the offences for which penalty notices can be issued.

Click here for further information and resources

Review of Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Laws

Save the date!

The public consultation period for the Review of the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Laws will run from March until April 2020. During that period, the Lead Reviewer is holding eight face-to-face public consultation forums over a three-week period.

More information on the public consultation period, how you can have your say and forum registration details will be provided in the near future. In the meantime, save the date to attend the forum in your area.

Week 1:
•   March 10 - Penrith
•   March 11 - Wagga Wagga
•   March 12 - Wollongong

Week 2:
•   March 18 - Dubbo
•   March 19 - Broken Hill

Week 3:
•   March 23 - Muswellbrook
•   March 24 - Newcastle
•   March 26 - Coffs Harbour

Changes affecting practising certificates

From 1 October 2020 people can only practise in a statutory function if they hold the relevant practising certificate.

A gazette notice has been published on our website to give effect to these dates.

Please note, if you have a former certificate of competence or qualification recognised in the new order, it will continue to be taken as equivalent to a practising certificate until 30 September 2020.

We have updated our website and the relevant resources to provide detailed information regarding the changes.

Click here for further information and resources

2020 Compliance priorities updated

Our January - June 2020 Compliance priorities document that was published in early January 2020 has been updated to include an assessment focus for progressive rehabilitation.

Between January and June this year, we aim to complete seven compliance priorities targeting tailings management, key statutory functions at quarries and nomination of statutory positions, change management, autonomous mining systems, self-escape systems in underground mines, progressive rehabilitation and subsidence management.

Compliance priorities and related material

Small mines and quarries health and safety roadshow

Throughout October, November and December 2019 we held a number of health and safety roadshows for small mines and quarries across NSW.

The roadshows provided information on health, safety, and topics, such as learning from disasters, quarry manager practising certificates, mine site welding practices, emergency management and learnings from recent incidents.

The 2019 roadshow presentations are now available on our website.

2019 Small Mines and Quarries Roadshow presentations

Standing Dust Committee Regional Forums

Book now to attend the upcoming Standing Dust Committee Regional Forums.

The Standing Dust Committee Regional Forums will provide information and updates on:

respirable coal dust, respirable crystalline silica and diesel particulate workplace exposure standards
dust diseases
learnings from dust exceedances
dust data key trends and observations.

Forum dates and locations:

Argenton: Monday, 17 February
Woonona: Tuesday, 18 February
Mudgee: Wednesday, 19 February
Singleton Heights: Monday, 2 March
Gunnedah: Tuesday, 3 March

The Standing Dust Committee Regional Forums are complimentary, but bookings are essential.

Click here to make a booking

Further information and session details

The risks of working in heat and air pollution

Heat and air pollution from bushfires can be hazardous and can cause harm to people working in both indoor and outdoor work environments.

Employers have duties under work health and safety laws to manage these risks and protect worker health and safety.

Resources and guidelines about the potential hazards and risks associated with working in heat and air pollution are available from the Safe Work Australia website.

Workers who are exposed to heat are at risk of developing heat stress, which can lead to more life-threatening conditions. For additional information specific to heat stress and other health and safety issues associated with hot working conditions, visit our website.

Resources on working in heat and air pollution

Resources on heat stress

Release 10 and 11 open for public comment

Safe Work Australia is evaluating the Workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants to ensure they are based on the highest quality evidence and supported by a rigorous scientific approach. Release 10 and 11 are now open for public comment.

Release 10

Chemicals in Release 10 that do not currently have an Australian workplace exposure standard are:

Diesel engine emissions
Flour Dust (cereal)
Gallium arsenide
Hard metals (containing cobalt and tungsten carbide)
Hexahydrophthalic anhydride
Hydroxyacetic acid butyl ester
Hydroxypropyl acrylate

For a complete list of chemicals in Release 10 please visit our consultation platform Engage.

Public comment will close on 14 February 2020.

Release 11

Chemicals in Release 11 that do not currently have an Australian workplace exposure standard are:

Hexamethyl phosphoramide

For a complete list of chemicals in Release 11 please visit our consultation platform Engage.

Public comment will close on 28 February 2020.

Note: As part of the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Amendment Regulation 2019 the Resources Regulator is imposing a workplace exposure standard of 0.1 milligram per cubic metre of air for diesel particulate matter with a 12-month transition period provided. For more information click here.

Click here for further information and to provide your comments

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

Regional NSW, Resources Regulator

516 High St

Maitland, New South Wales 2320

Australia

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