Dr Trent Watson,
Ethos Health
Dr Ian Webster – Group Engineering Manager, Ampcontrol Pty Ltd
ABSTRACT
The operation of a diffusion type gas detectors used in fixed, machine mounted and handheld applications is reliant on the natural equalisation of dissimilar gas concentrations driven by partial pressures inside and outside the detector.
Typically, this equalisation is inhibited (to a greater or lesser degree) by protective filters and barriers surrounding the fragile sensing elements from the typically harsh ambient environments. The accumulation of dust and other foreign matter on the protective filters can further inhibit the diffusion of gas into a detector.
The usual calibration process for a gas detector – typically by a ‘bump’ or ‘challenge’ test – will often fail to detect when a detector is blocked, or partially blocked. This can lead to the ‘calibrated’ detector reading high or low, but with no way to determine if that is the case.
Retrospective examination of records and equipment from Pike River Mine lead to the conclusion that critical detectors were affected by filter blockages, resulting in methane detectors reading approximately one-half of the true concentration.
This presentation explores how a blocked detector can give an erroneous reading, and what steps can be taken to avoid replicating previous mistakes.
Lawrence Webster & Wes Sweet
Anglo American
Caleb Wegener
Uvex Safety
Dr Caleb Wegener,
Uvex Safety
Ramsay Wells
Business Manager, Queensland Mines Rescue Service
Matthew Farrelly
Manager VRT, Queensland Mines Rescue Service
We live in a world that is constantly changing, and that change continues to accelerate.
Technology has improved the way we train, everything from video animations to learn from disasters, through to e-learning to enhance assessment capabilities.
A new era of training is here, a growing number of organisations are recognising the power of simulation based training. Simulation based training is hardly new, it’s been used in military and aviation for over 50 years – however it has always been expensive and out of reach for most organisations.
Enter the wave of VR and AR headsets available to the consumer, meaning that this technology is now affordable for any business. eg. Walmart uses VR to train over 1 million associates, seeing an improvement in their test scores by 10-15%. This has been achieved by providing almost 20,000 VR headsets across their stores.
QMRS started delivering simulation based training 24 months ago, using desktop-based VR. Then 12 months ago presented headset based training to the industry. Now, the service is preparing to roll out free-roam based VR training for the industry at their Rescue Stations.
24 months is all it has taken to see such a massive change to the way people can be trained.
This presentation will show the journey that Mines Rescue have taken to equip the industry with access to the next generation of cost effective training, that is available right now for the industry’s workforce.
We will highlight the benefits of improved safety outcomes, better prepared employees, safer work environments and value dollar propositions in your continued push to stay meaningful in this technology revolution.
Robert Wentzel,
Jonah Group
Brandon Wentzel & Brett Young,
BHP Mitsubishi Alliance/BMA
Russell White,
Driver Safety Australia
Melton White
Mideco
Mideco provide dust control products and solutions for mines, quarries and any commercial environment. We are an Australian owned company and have been operating since 1950. With over sixty years of successful dust collection experience behind us, Mideco has designed Bat Booth, the system for cleaning workers’ clothes after the shifts, helping prevent dust related conditions like silicosis and black lung.
Approved and recommended by NIOSH, UL certified and installed on sites all over the world, Bat Booth provides the highest value for OHS in mining and quarrying.