Adrian Clarke
SHE Manager, Anglo American
A proactive safety culture is the desired end state for Anglo American’s Dawson Mine. The journey relies upon the initiation of a strong system to promote embedding the desired safety behaviours within the organisation.
At Dawson Mine, this system is “Recognition and Reward Scheme”. The scheme relies on hazard reporting and innovation drives, aligning with the core values of Safety and Innovation. Hazard reporting and associated rectification is critical to improve safety ownership. Prior to implementation, 60% of hazards were reported by the general workforce. This has now increased to 90%, with a total increase in hazard reporting of 20%. The success of the scheme can be attributed to two main factors; firstly, an easy to use system, responsive to feedback, and secondly an immediate reward implication, with those crews achieving high rates of genuine hazard notification receiving recognition.
The second success of the scheme is the increase in innovation from the workforce. Innovations are submitted to the site’s Safety, Health and Environment Committee with nominees and award recipients celebrated quarterly across the site.
The “Recognition and Reward Scheme” develops a culture of intervention and ‘speaking up’, encouraging employees not to be a bystander but be fully involved in behavioural safety.
Tom Cobcroft
GM/SSE Capcoal Surface Operations
Dev Gil-Sanchez
Business Improvement Specialist, Anglo American – Capcoal Open Cut
Anthony Manousso
Control Systems Coordinator, Anglo American – Capcoal Open Cut
Bunds are a safety critical control in open pit mining to prevent and mitigate risks associated with heavy vehicle operations. Between 2014-2019 at Capcoal Surface we have had 14 incidents and in Queensland 2012 – 2018, 47 incidents where bunds have stopped uncontrolled vehicles and prevented potentially fatal injuries. At Capcoal we have 100km+ of bunds in the pit, with more than 50 heavy vehicles interacting regularly. Currently the process to monitor & audit the compliance to standard is made via visual inspection with no quantitative process or records.
In a collaboration with SICK sensors we developed a system using laser sensors to scan the bunds and provide a comprehensive measurement including not only height but:
- Roadside facing batter angle.
- Width at the top, if applicable, trapezoidal bunds.
- Distance to high-wall.
Data is transmitted via ethernet to a central data collection system called TDC which then generates a heatmap and a report identifying sections of bund requiring intervention and their criticality.
Some of the benefits of this development, besides measuring all characteristics mentioned before are:
- Is an objective and quantitative process to monitor / audit bunds compliance to standard in real time.
- Cost and time efficient solution as to comply with inspectorate recommendations then survey would be required, incurring in extra cost to audit.
- Visibility across all active bunds and ranking of deficient sections to prioritise as per criticality.
Next is presented an schematic of the sensors installed on a truck and scanning the bunds at both sides.
The provision of information, instruction, training and supervision is an essential component of any risk management strategy. A robust training and assessment program is fundamental to the safety of not
only those conducting tasks, but also other workers and people who may be affected by their work.
Can our training and assessment programs be more robust? Have we let complacency slip in? Have we stopped training and assessing in some areas because “it hasn’t happened for a while”?
During this Workshop, coordinated by the Resources Training Council, we will explore these questions and more.
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
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.
Assoc. Prof. Geoff Dell
Head of Transport and Safety Science Courses, Central Queensland University
Accidents and injuries in Australia are at epidemic proportions, the annual direct costs to the economy are now over $80 billion and the associated long term social impacts and suffering of individuals and their families are immeasurable. Clearly, existing strategies and interventions are at best holding back the flood gates and there is a need to re-think the problem and devise new and more effective programs and solutions. The high consequence low probability (HCLP) industries, like the airlines and rail, have contributed only 0.4% to these costs.
So, what are the lessons from the HCLP industries which could inform effective intervention in the others? One of the key differences between HCLP industries and others is in the way safety management is regulated, especially in relation to safety management systems, their content, implementation and effectiveness. This paper will present a clear picture of the accident and injury epidemic and contrast the key differences in the way LCHP industries typically manage safety and respond to issues, hazards and incidents. It will also offer some reasons why this epidemic may have evolved and yet largely remained under the radar of government and industry leaders and provide some guidance for the future of accident prevention and regulation in order to deliver a step change reduction in accident and injury occurrence.
Mark Desira
Inspector of Mines – Occupational Hygiene
The underground mine environment may contain a number of airborne contaminants that affect worker health. This includes diesel plant exhaust (gases and particulate matter) that is emitted into the underground work environment.
The classification of diesel exhaust as a Class 1 ‘confirmed human carcinogen’ by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) necessitates the management of the workers’ exposure to diesel exhaust.
The Mines Inspectorate has undertaken a study of underground mines to evaluate the level of risk to mine workers and the effectiveness of differing management strategies for diesel exhaust.
In the initial phase of this study, the monitoring results for mine worker exposure to diesel exhaust were collated for underground Similar Exposure Groups (SEGs). The characterisation of the exposure monitoring found that some SEGs (service crews and drilling operations) have higher exposure risk.
In the second part of the study, the effectiveness of the control measures applicable to different SEGs were analysed to identify the optimal control strategies.
This paper presents the finding that no single control measure is sufficient, and that a multifactorial approach incorporating complementary control measures is required to ensure the effective management of diesel exhaust in underground mines.
Fritz Djukic
Inspector, (Occupational Hygiene), Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy
Inhalable dust refers to all dust that may enter the mouth and nose during normal breathing. Inhalable dust may be divided into ‘respirable’ and ‘non- respirable’ fractions. The dust particle size will ultimately determine the site of deposition within the respiratory system. Respirable dust particles (<10 micron) may penetrate deep into the gas exchange regions of the lung. The ‘non respirable’ faction includes both ‘extra thoracic dust particles (<100 micron)’ and ‘thoracic dust particles (<25 micron)’.
The re-identification of CWP among Queensland coal mine workers and, more recently, the increase in cases of silicosis among engineered stone workers is a stark reminder of the hazards associated with exposure to respirable dust. Recent reforms to the respiratory component of the existing coal mine workers health scheme have resulted in major improvements with respect to the early detection and diagnosis of mine dust lung disease (MDLD). These improvements have led to a number of other forms of MDLD being detected among Queensland mine workers that are not associated with pneumoconiosis. A growing number of these cases fall into the broad category of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There is an increasing body of evidence implicating exposure to larger dust particles (outside the respirable fraction) and an inflammatory response in the lung, resulting in COPD.
Unlike the Queensland metalliferous mining and quarrying legislation, there is currently no prescribed regulatory limit for inhalable dust in Queensland coal mining legislation. Despite this, the majority of coal mines have recognised this as a potential health hazard as part of their site health risk assessments (HRA).
This paper reviews available inhalable dust exposure data that has been provided to the Mines Inspectorate for Queensland coal mines since the introduction of risk based legislation in 1999. The paper considers the evidence basis for regulatory amendment to ensure risk is at an acceptable level and as low as reasonably achievable.
Dr. Rolf Gomes
Founder and Cardiologist, Heart of Australia Corporate Health Initiative
Despite the enormous resources committed by the Mining Industry in developing workplace health and safety initiatives, the average health of the mining workforce still lags white collar employees.
Drivers of poor physical and psychological health amongst mining workers are often ‘external’ and lifestylerelated, commonly developing during the ‘crunch years’ (i.e. 25-50 when juggling increasing workplace and family responsibilities). These preventable health issues not only impact the growing burden of chronic illness in Australia but increase health and safety risks and contribute to diminished workplace performance.
Traditional attempts to address this issue have not commonly delivered long-term tangible outcomes for the individual or organisation. A more effective early intervention approach is required, incorporating contemporary biomedical, lifestyle, social and organisational research data. As well as having a rigorous clinical underpinning, new health screening programs need to be packaged into cost-effective and operationally efficient delivery models that enable democratised access across large workforces.
Successful early-intervention health programs across the Mining Industry offer significant mutual benefit to employees, workplaces and local communities alike (particularly via ‘network effects’ that exist within close-knit mining communities). Although currently lagging, the Mining Industry has the potential to become a recognised leader in this critical workplace and societal issue.
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.
