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All the latest in mine health and safety in NSW
Weekly incident summary
To report an incident or injury call 1300814609
53 reportable incidents, 3 summarised incidents in this edition
Weekly incident summary - week ending 13 March 2020
53 reportable incidents, 3 summarised below
Roads or other vehicle operating areas

Dangerous incident | IncNot 0036900

Open cut coal mine
Principal hazard: Roads or other vehicle operating areas
Summary: Two haul trucks collided nose to tail at an open cut coal mine. There is no evidence that the rear truck attempted to brake before the collision. The operator of the rear truck was found to have a mobile phone in the truck. Neither operator was injured.
Recommendations to industry: Whilst the cause of this incident is not yet known, mines are reminded of the need to monitor and enforce their policies regarding mobile phone usage.
Strong consideration should be given to implementing technologies that continuously monitor and identify operator distraction, warning the operator via a tiered alarm system.

Dangerous incident | IncNot 0036906

Underground metals mine
Principal hazard: n/a
Summary: A fitter was in the process of re-gassing an accumulator on a drilling jumbo with nitrogen, when the nut connecting the regulator and gauge on the nitrogen bottle failed. This caused the regulator and gauge to be ejected into the air. There were no injuries.
Recommendations to industry: When developing control measures for the unintended release of mechanical energy, mines must consider:
  • the identification, assessment, management and rectification of defects that affect the safety of plant
  • the risks associated with pressurised fluids
  • the inspection and testing of plant, including the testing of safety critical components.
Roads or other vehicle operating areas

Dangerous incident | IncNot 0036951

Underground coal mine
Principal hazard: Roads or other vehicle operating areas
 
Summary: A flatbed service vehicle was parked on a slight gradient behind a continuous miner. Two workers at the rear of the parked vehicle were unloading roof bolt materials, when the vehicle rolled forward about three metres and came to a stop without intervention.

The vehicle was in the off position and the operator stated that the park brake had been applied.
Recommendations to industry: Vehicle operators need to comply with correct park-up arrangements, particularly when parking on a grade.

Workers should receive communication regarding:

  • compliance with correct parking procedures
  • being situationally aware of hazards.

Mine operators should consider:

  • audible warning systems and/or visual alarms to warn of the lack of park brake application
  • interlocking that automatically applies the park brake when the operator leaves the operator’s position (i.e. door interlock)
  • functional testing of park brake application warning systems.
Refer to Safety Bulletin:
ISR20-11 | Go to website

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 (fatal)
Publication: MSHA
Metal/non-metal mine fatality 
On 29 February 2020, a plant foreman was priming the main suction pump on a dredge when a two-inch coupling on the waterjet pipe failed, knocking the worker into the water. Divers retrieved his body several hours later. The worker was not wearing a life preserver and lost his life.
Details

Publication: MSHA
Mine fatality
On 27 February 2020, a trucking company employee suffered fatal injuries while helping to position a low-boy trailer. The worker was standing in front of the trailer wheels to assist the driver. The truck driver moved the truck forward causing the wheels of the trailer to strike the worker.
Details
International (other, non-fatal)
Publication: Worksafe NZ
Worker suffers serious crush injuries
A trainee worker was seriously injured at a mechanical workshop when he was crushed while working under a six-tonne truck. He was working without supervision at the time of the incident.
Details
National (fatal)
Publication: DNRME Qld
Serious accidents involving retractable hydraulic access ladders on mobile mining equipment – Mine safety bulletin no.185
A serious incident, causing the death of a coal mine worker in 2019, has been investigated and the findings will be made available to industry. The findings from the incident investigation and related incidents in Queensland and other states suggest that significant similarities exist across the industry, requiring mine operators to audit their equipment and operating practices to ensure the lessons learnt are not forgotten. 
Details
National (other, non-fatal)
Publication: DNRME
Coal mine worker struck by load haul dump (LHD) – Mine safety alert no.370
A coal mine worker was seriously injured when he was struck by an Eimco Load Haul Dump (LHD) bucket. As the Eimco articulated, it momentarily pinned him between the side of the bucket and the rib. This resulted in crush injuries due to the impact of the Eimco bucket.
Details

Publication: DNRME
Boosters eroded by stemming material – Explosives safety alert no.100
Multiple incidents have occurred where primers (detonators and boosters) have been impacted by the aggregate material during stemming processes, causing significant erosion to the explosive’s composition.
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
*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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