Ravindu Goonawardene
Geology Geotechnical Superintendent
Chris Crosby
Surrey Superintendent, Anglo American Grosvenor Mine
The risk of fatalities due to roof and rib failures is still prevalent in underground coal mines which highlights the fundamental importance of monitoring roof and ribs in underground roadways.
Monitoring strata deformation and convergence in underground roadways is a key metric for measuring instability of excavations. Visual inspections, tell tales, extensometers and instrumented bolts are some of the methods used to quantify strata deformation.
The significant limitations of the current methods only provide a point-measurement along the roadway. Using laser technology allows the mine to scan and measure large regions of roof and ribs across continuous regions with millimetre accuracy.
The Maptek SR3 laser scanner has been used as a control during the rib optimisation trial at Grosvenor. This technology provides a baseline scan and subsequent scans to ascertain the extent of deformation throughout the active development mining areas. Thus, allowing geotechnical engineers to assess the adequacy of the trialled support system. Moreover, this technology allows geotechnical engineers to better analyse geological anomalies (fault orientations, dips, throw), bolting tolerances and excavation dimensions in an effective manner.
Tony Peirce
Exploration Superintendent; NBB Geosciences, Anglo American
Exploration activities within Anglo American’s Metallurgical Coal Business Unit occur across all its mine sites and exploration tenure. Drilling is manually intensive and highly repetitive. The use of automated drill rigs reduces manual handling and removes personnel from potentially hazardous zones.
Analyses of drilling-related incidents since 2016, highlighted the need to move towards an automated drilling solution. Several manufacturers are involved in drill rig automation and in 2018, in conjunction with drilling contractor, Gas Field Services, Anglo American introduced a completely hands-free drill rig constructed by Boart Longyear.
The Boart Longyear drill rig and associated rod loader, called a Freedom Loader is engineered to eliminate manual handling of drill rods during the drilling process and locates the driller away from the rotating drill rods at the drillhole. The rig has a tilting top drive head which simplifies rod handling through in-built tools and added functionality. Additionally, clamping devices maintain constant pressure on the rods, reducing the likelihood of dropped rods, a further hazard in working around drill rigs.
The introduction of the rig is a major step towards the removing personnel from high risk environments and the reduction of repetitive, fatigue inducing manual handling tasks.
Dr. Jenny Legge
Managing Director, JobFit Systems International
Exoskeletons, or wearable robotics, are appearing in scientific journals, industry publications, the media, and even in some workplaces as a potential ‘solution’ for workplace musculoskeletal injury prevention.
This presentation will outline the different types of exoskeletons currently available and their intended uses, including how they can potentially reduce the load on specific muscle groups to minimise fatigue and subsequent injury. However, there are also several documented risks associated with their use in industry. A review of the current evidence base will be presented.
Acceptance of exoskeletons across industries and different work types has been variable and is still in relatively early stages of development and implementation. Mining is often seen at the forefront of safety innovation and can be early adopters of new technologies and processes. Could ‘Exos’ be the next big thing for our industry?
To assist potential users and purchasers to make informed decisions before trial or purchase of such devices, a checklist for independent evaluation will be presented. This takeaway resource will also outline a number of ‘toolspecific’ risk factors to be considered in any onsite formal pre-use / pre-purchase risk assessment for the mining environment.
Dr. Nick Mabbott
The Science of Sleep Director, Beyond Midnight Consulting
A raft of work has been done regarding the reduction of fatigue risk. However, a portion of fatigue risk is brought into the workplace by employees who don’t fully understand sleep and its nuances. Good sleep is the cornerstone of fatigue management as it allows employees to reduce fatigue risk prior to arriving for work. Fundamental to this is to have the workforce educated on all aspects of sleep. This includes: What healthy sleep is, how to target the correct amount, how to pay back sleep debts, addressing sleep disorders, developing a healthy attitude toward sleep, understanding health and wellness implications of sleep, and implementing controls when fatigued.
This presentation provides the understanding of the processes that occur within the brain when we sleep. It follows with discussion around different stages and cycles of sleep and how each of these stages add to, or take away from, our safety, health, wellness and productivity. Using the above information, the author has seen first-hand, the differences in people after applying better sleep management practices. There have been improvements in physical and mental health, productivity and safety. Healthy sleep provides a great opportunity to be the “best version of yourself”.
Prof. Naomi Rogers
Sleep and Fatigue Specialist, Naomi Rogers Fatigue
John Tate
Barrister, Crown Law
Prof Naomi Rogers
Naomi has an international reputation in the areas of circadian disruption, sleep loss and consequences on neurocognitive function and health. She has received numerous awards, including an NHMRC Howard Florey Centenary Research Fellowship and a Tall Poppy Award. She is a past President of the Australian Society for Medical Research, and past Director of the Australasian Sleep Association and the Sleep Health Foundation and served on the Executive Committee of the World Federation of Sleep Societies.
She works as a Specialist Fatigue Consultant in various industries including coal mining in Queensland and NSW, maritime, transport, defence, NASA and health care; and has served as an expert witness in coronial inquests and other legal cases. Naomi works extensively within the Queensland Mining Industry, with various companies and mine sites, the SSHRs and IHSRs and the Inspectorate.
John Tate
John was admitted to practice law as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1981. He has practiced both privately and in government in a number of Australian jurisdictions – in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Norfolk Island and Queensland.
Since 1996, John has acted as Counsel Assisting in Mining Warden’s and Coronial inquiries in virtually all mining, explosives, petroleum and gas fatalities in Queensland. Additionally, he has been retained in a range of other fatality inquiries where the primary issue has concerned hospital misadventure, aircraft failure, fatigue, or the suspicion of murder. To this point, John has acted as Counsel Assisting in over 90 public fatality inquiries.
For many years, John’s interests and experience have focused on the critical review of safety and health management and training systems, on accident investigation methodologies, and on compliance issues.
Chris Hall
Superintendent Geotechnical, Cannington Mine, South32
Cannington mine is a silver lead zinc operation located in north west Queensland. The operation has been in production since 1997. Ore is primarily moved through an underground material handling system comprising of a crusher, conveyor and hoist. The underground crusher and conveyor system were sited in lower grade ore when the mine was first commissioned and a mine design exclusion zone was established around them. As the mine matured, stopping fronts advanced towards the crusher, resulting in an increase in damage of rock mass and ground support within infrastructure areas in the lower parts of the mine.
In response to preliminary observations of crusher chamber deformation, additional ground support was designed and installed. As the rate of damage began to exceed the rate of rehabilitation, monitoring of rock mass became the predominant control to ensure that exposure to personnel working in the crusher chamber was appropriately safe. The intensity of the monitoring regime continued to increase as the rockmass deformed to the point that new laser scanning technology was implemented to provide short interval monitoring. Ultimately, the monitoring system enabled a safe and controlled closure of the chamber.
Joel Gray
Senior Mining Engineer – Operations, Cannington Mine, South32
Several paste backfill bulkhead failures over the space of 12 months demanded that paste inrush risk at Cannington be re-evaluated. The resulting risk assessment led to the introduction of a set of new operating rules for high risk filling conditions to ensure safer use of the popular backfill method at the mine.
This paper will talk operators through the high potential incidents which occurred, the primary causes and the risk assessment which followed. Implementable actions utilised at Cannington are shared, while challenging other operations to consider their own current level of risk with regards to the use of paste backfill.
Terry Crick
Director, Customer Engagement and Strategy, Kognent
During the 12 months to the end of September 2018, 169 people died from 152 fatal crashes involving heavy vehicles across Australia. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has developed and administers, in consultation with industry, the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) to improve safety, efficiency, and productivity.
Under the changes HVNL that came into effect on October 1 2018, all parties have a primary duty to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the safety for their transport related activities.
Unfortunately, far too many organisations across the mining industry believe they don’t have Chain of Responsibility (CoR) requirements as they don’t operate on public roads – they are wrong.
So, how do the HVNL and CoR relate to our industry?
Have you taken the time to consider how equipment, supplies, or even your workforce get to your site?
It’s likely they are being transported to site on a vehicle over 4.5 tonnes (gross vehicle mass) which would equal legal liability to the organisation and the individuals playing role/s under the CoR involved in that transport-related activity.
CoR compliance is imperative to greater safety across your transport-related activities.
James Hall
Partner, Ashurst
Brett Elgar
Counsel, Ashurst
In November 2018, the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 was amended to introduce a number of significant reforms.
A number of the changes were aimed at improving the focus on contractor management and safety. We discuss these important changes and their practical implications for the industry.
The aim of the Workshop is to provide an interactive forum where approaches to fatigue management may be discussed with experts and peers, with participants having the opportunity to take part in a fatigue risk assessment exercise.
The Workshop will be led by:
Prof. Naomi Rogers
Specialist Fatigue Consultant, Naomi Rogers Fatigue Consulting
John Tate
Barrister, Crown Law
Katie Harrold
Health, Safety and Emergency Management Advisor, Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal Pty Ltd
Industry Representatives from the Mine Inspectorate, Management and Workforce
INNOVATION AWARDS 2019
The aim of this Award is to recognise creative and practical solutions to safety and occupational health problems and to promote their application across the Australian Resources Industry.
The Ten Finalists selected prior to the Conference, will present their Innovations during Monday afternoon’s Session. The Winners will be announced at the Conference Dinner on Wednesday evening. There are three Award Categories:
- Winner – as judged by the Industry Judging Panel
- People’s Choice – as judged by the Conference Delegates
- Highly Commended – combined vote count of the Judging Panel and the Conference Delegates
Award Prize
The Winner will have the opportunity to nominate one person associated with the development of the Innovation to attend the A + A Trade Exhibition in Dusseldorf in November as a guest of our sponsor uvex safety Australia.
The Winner will also receive the Queensland Mining Industry Innovation Award Trophy and a Framed Certificate. The Winners of The People’s Choice and Highly Commended Awards will receive a Queensland Mining Industry Innovation Award Trophy and a Framed Certificate. In recognition of the work that goes into preparing each submission, the Conference Committee offers a concession on the registration fee to the principal presenter of an accepted Innovation.
This Award Prize is Proudly Sponsored by uvex safety Australia
HEALTH PROGRAM AWARDS 2019
The aim of this Award is to recognise creative and practical solutions to personal and occupational health problems and to promote their application across the Resources Industry.
Award Prize
The Winning organisation will be announced at the Conference Dinner and will receive $3,000.00 towards the cost of attending a ‘Health’ related Conference of their choice and as approved by the Conference Committee. They will also receive a Perpetual Trophy, a Queensland Mining Industry Health Program Award Trophy and a Framed Certificate.
This Award Prize is Proudly Sponsored by 4cRisk Occupational Health Services
Simon Worland
Caltex
Dr Dave Collins and James Forsyth
Synergetics Consulting Engineers
Use of compressed air to clean electrical equipment is a routine maintenance task in heavy mining equipment (HME) across the Queensland Mining Industry. During cleaning elevated levels of harmful dust can engulf the compressed air cleaning operator for extended periods and increase the risk of developing lung diseases including pneumoconiosis and silicosis.
In 2017 the Queensland Mines Inspectorate (Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, 2018) reported that approximately 50% of all respirable dust and Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) exceedances in surface coal mines were directly related to the use of compressed air for compressed air cleaning of equipment prior to maintenance.
Respiratory protection has historically been viewed as the primary control to protect the health of compressed air cleaning operators, as higher order controls such as engineering controls have not been considered feasible.
The principal of applying engineering controls for compressed air cleaning of haul truck electrical cabinets was reported and demonstrated at the Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference in 2018 (Worland, Stream, Brett and Collins). Here the electrical cabinets were converted into full enclosures under negative pressure resulting in a physical barrier between the worker and the dust generating compressed air cleaning task.
This paper describes the further development and field testing of engineering controls over the intervening 12 months. Safe compressed air cleaning has now been demonstrated for a broad range of HME including trucks, excavators, dragline MG sets and stationary equipment. The controls incorporate continuous monitoring of airborne particulate with feedback systems to shutdown compressed air and demonstrate that safe compressed air cleaning is achievable.