Quarterly safety report
January to March 2019

The NSW Resources Regulator is committed to sharing safety information about significant mining events and fatalities with a view to increasing industry awareness about mine safety and regulatory matters. This list is not exhaustive but represents information gathered as part of the NSW Resources Regulator’s ongoing publication monitoring process. Fatalities and significant
events from January to March 2019 have been included. 

The criteria for selecting articles is their relevance to equipment and processes commonly used across the NSW mining industry. 

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Flyrock damages utility

During a blast, flyrock went through the canopy window on a utility.

This is the most recent in a number of flyrock and blast related incidents.

Pressure release is one of the four fatal hazards that kill 80% of workers in the mining and quarrying sector, and in fact in workplaces generally throughout the world. Pressure release incidents occur while blasting, or working with hydraulic pressure, water pressure, electricity and any other power source.

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Worker fatally trapped in conveyor
In March 2019, a worker was fatally injured after becoming trapped in a conveyor belt system at a recycling facility. It is not clear at this stage what caused the incident. Investigations are continuing.

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Companies must consult, coordinate and cooperate when working together on site

When more than one company is working on site there is a legal requirement that they consult, cooperate and coordinate with each other to ensure the health and safety of everyone.

And WorkSafe says meeting this legal requirement could have prevented serious injuries to two workers in 2017.

In a reserved decision released by the Invercargill District Court this week, Phil Stirling Building Limited and Duncan Engineering Limited were both sentenced after two workers were seriously injured while building a milking shed in Southland.

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Precast concrete panel falls from truck
Recently at a precast concrete facility, a 7-tonne precast concrete wall panel fell from a truck-mounted A-frame after being loaded onto the truck by a bridge crane.

The panel had been connected to the crane with a 2-legged chain and only 1 chain had been disconnected from the panel. As the crane travelled away from the A-frame the panel was dragged off, causing it to fall to the ground. One side of the panel was then suspended from the chain that was still attached to the crane.

Workers were in the vicinity of the panel when it fell and could have been crushed and seriously injured or killed.

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Weekly Incident Summary
Week ending Friday 14 June 2019
Top Story:
A worker at an underground coal mine has suffered severe foot injuries. The worker’s right foot entered the confines of a scavenger conveyor. The worker was transported to hospital and underwent emergency surgery. We are carrying out an investigation into this incident.

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