Weekly incident summary - week ending 09 April 2021
23 reportable incidents, 3 summarised below
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Medical treatment injury | IncNot0039605
Metals processing
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Summary: A worker sustained a laceration to his foot when a grinder he was using fell and cut through his boot. The worker was deburring a pipe when the die grinder caught the internal edge of the pipe, causing it to chatter in a circular motion. The worker lost his grip on the grinder, causing it to fall on his foot. The grinder was still operating at the time of the incident.
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Comments to industry: The risks associated with grinders are easily foreseeable. As a minimum control measure, grinders should be fitted with a dead-man’s switch. In the occasion that a grinder comes free from the operator’s grip, it ceases to operate.
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Dangerous incident | IncNot0039601
Underground metals mine
Principal mining hazard: Fire or explosion
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Summary: A jumbo operator’s off-sider sustained lacerations to his leg and arm when he was struck by flyrock. The operator was mechanically scaling the face with a 45 millimetre bit, when the bit entered an unidentified blast hole. The blast hole contained explosive residue which initiated the explosion. The offsider was standing towards the rear of the jumbo at the time of the incident.
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Comments to industry: A risk assessment should be undertaken to identify blast hole remnants prior to commencing scaling work. Mine operator should consider using a scaling bit that is larger in diameter than a blast hole bit to eliminate the risk of the bit entering an unidentified blast hole remnant.
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Dangerous incident | IncNot0039590
Open cut coal mine
Principal mining hazard: Roads or other vehicle operating areas
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Summary: A service truck overturned when the operator lost control of the vehicle while descending a ramp. The road surface was wet following recent dust suppression watering. The operator was able to exit the vehicle and was uninjured. The truck had approximately 20 kilolitres of fluid on board and a capacity of 32 to 34 kilolitres.
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Comments to industry: When developing control measures to deal with the risks associated with articulated service trucks, plant characteristics, including stopping distances, manoeuvrability and operating speeds, for both the loaded and unloaded vehicle must be considered.
Movement of fluid in tanks mounted on mobile plant can significantly influence the centre of gravity and overall stability of the vehicle. Consideration should be given to tank shape, baffling and compartmentalisation to control fluid surge.
Mine operators should provide operator training specific to wet roads and ensure drivers are made aware of dust suppression activities on roads.
Operators of articulated trucks need to remain situationally aware and drive to the conditions.
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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.
International (other, non-fatal)
Publication: MinEx NZ
Worker walks behind operating loader
A loader completed loading a truck with gravel, after which, the truck driver walked over to the loader and collected his docket. As the driver walked back to his truck, he got a phone call and went “walkabout” while on his mobile phone. While distracted on the call, he walked directly behind the operating loader. The loader operator saw the driver on foot and took evasive action to prevent a high potential collision.
Details
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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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