Creswick Bulger Senior Inspector of Mines, Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy This paper discusses critical controls – those which can prevent fatal and catastrophic events from occurring in Queensland surface coal mines. To understand what the critical controls are we have to identify all fatal hazards in surface coal mines. Analysis of all fatalities that have occurred in Queensland coal mines since 1969, show hazards causing the majority of fatalities in surface mines are distinctly different to those causing the majority of fatalities in underground mines. During this 50 year period there have been 132 fatalities in Queensland coal mines, 94 in underground and 38 in surface mines. A breakdown shows 86% of fatalities in underground mines were caused by principal hazards. In surface mines only 24% of fatalities were caused by principal hazards. This means for surface mines the majority of critical controls relate to a number of fatal hazards which are not principal hazards. Based on that analysis the Queensland coal mine inspectorate has sought information from surface coal mine companies relating to the fatal hazards and critical controls identified within their risk identification systems. This information will be developed into audit and inspection guidelines which the inspectorate will apply when carrying out inspections and audits at surface coal mines.

Dr. Tilman Rasche Principal Mining Engineer, Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy The Minerals Council of Australia has identified that tyre fitters at mining operations are ten times more likely to be killed at work than mine diesel mechanics (Hassal 2016). Rim disassembly is particularly hazardous and resulted in seven fatalities in the Australasian region, over the last 15 years. To better control this fatal hazard a mechanical interference feature, often called the Surelock bead seat band, was patented in 1986. It aims to prevent the inflation and consequential dangerous disassembly of earthmover tyre and rim assemblies, should a lockring be incorrectly fitted. This presentation, based on the authors recent Australian Coal Association Research Project C26036, aims to raise awareness of this safety feature, explain some of the advantages, disadvantages and misconceptions about this design. It will also reinforce the urgent need for better industry-wide training approaches around tyre and rim maintenance and highlight a much needed review and update of the Australian Standard ‘AS 4457.1—2007 – Earth-moving machinery—Off-the-road wheels, rims and tyres’, particularly around an improved universal marking and labelling standard of rim componentry. This seemingly modest change will allow tyre fitters to better identify matching rim and wheel componentry thereby significantly reducing the reoccurrence of rim related fatalities.

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.