Weekly incident summary
16 August 2019 | ISR19-31 | Go to website
To report an incident call 1300 814 609 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Week ending Friday 9 August 2019
High level summary of emerging trends and our recommendations to operators.
Reportable incidents: 3
Summarised incidents: 38
This incident summary provides information on reportable incidents and safety advice for the NSW mining industry.
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High potential incident | IncNot 0035259
Summary: A haul truck reversed onto a waste dump. As it tipped its load, a large rock rolled down over the edge, breaching the catch windrow at the foot of the dump. Another worker notified the dozer operator and other road users of the hazard. After the shift, the area was inspected, preserved and the production superintendent was made aware. The catch windrow at the foot of the dump was not constructed as per the specified design.
Recommendations to industry: Mine operators should have specific procedures detailing correct handling of unevenly sized waste material. The proper design and construction of catch berms and windrows is critical where active roads are positioned at the foot of active dumps.
Dangerous incident | IncNot 0035260
Summary: A fire occurred on an underground loader. The fire was in the exhaust area of the loader. The operator of the loader extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. The operator was not injured.
Recommendations to industry: Fires in underground environments present numerous significant risks with potential complexity. Operators need to be highly vigilant regarding standards of maintenance applied to mobile plant, to keep the risk of fire as low as reasonably practicable.
Dangerous incident | IncNot 0035268
Summary: An electric-drive dump truck lost propulsion and began rolling backwards, due to the local gradient. The operator applied brakes to stop the rolling. This caused the truck to sit up on its tail, trapping the operator in the cabin. The operator was removed from the cabin by site emergency responders, with no injuries sustained.
Recommendations to industry: Investigations are continuing, involving mine engineers, the truck manufacturer and Resources Regulator inspectors to establish why the truck lost propulsion.
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NSW Resources Regulator publications
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Other publications of interest
The 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
Underground coal - Fatal machinery accident (Report)
On 5 January 2019, a 55-year old contract labourer died when he was pinned between a pneumatic airlock door and a concrete barrier.
Details
Publication: MSHA
Mine fatality alert
On 17 July 2019, a 32-year old general manager/owner was killed when he was struck by a hydraulic breaker. The victim and the excavator operator were in the process of positioning the excavator for a motor exchange, when the hydraulic breaker attachment fell off the excavator and hit the victim.
Details
International (other, non-fatal)
Publication: MinEx NZ
Yet another ADT rollover
A loaded ADT was travelling down a haul road and as it negotiated a bend in the road the bin rolled onto its side. Although road conditions and the gradient of the decline may have been factors, the findings from the investigation indicated that speed at this corner was the major contributing factor.
Details
Publication: MinEx NZ
Nut failure on truck drawbar
A loaded truck and trailer was entering a quarry when a loader operator spotted the ‘A’ frame drawbar pin had dropped out. The loader operator alerted the truck driver.
The drawbar pin was replaced and taken to the engineering workshop where it was discovered the lock-tight nut had failed. The pin was repaired, checked and put back into service.
Details
National (fatal)
Publication: DNRME
Retractable access ladders - MSA no. 366
An operator was fatally injured when he became entangled between the movable part of an excavator’s access ladder and the wall of the engine room.
Details
National (other, non-fatal)
Publication: DNRME
Serious injury to worker involving a mobile screening plant - MSA no. 365
On 18 July 2019, an apprentice diesel mechanic became trapped between the rear of the incline conveyor and the chassis rail of a mobile screening plant. The worker sustained serious injuries.
Two other quarry workers who were nearby saw the incline conveyor slide downwards and responded immediately to the trapped worker. They used an excavator and chains to pull the incline conveyor upwards to free the worker.
Details
Publication: DMIRS
Research study and review paper on diesel particulate matter, now available
Research study
Critical review paper
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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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