The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) has advised that two mining companies have been separately fined this month as a result of a lack of training, risk assessment or appropriate control measures.
According to the DMIRS, Australia’s second-largest gold producer, Northern Star Resources Ltd, was fined a total of $150,000 in the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court on 8 March 2021, after two workers were injured in a vehicle collision underground.
The incident occurred at Northern Star’s Millennium mine in Kalgoorlie in December 2017.
One of the workers lost control of a light truck while travelling downhill and steered into the mine wall to slow the vehicle. The worker and passenger suffered injuries from the collision.
At the time of the incident, the truck displayed incorrect load capacity signage and was carrying a load that exceeded the safe operating maximum by more than 1.9 tonnes.
The worker driving the truck had not completed the required training and assessment to operate the vehicle.
Director of Mines Safety at the DMIRS, Andrew Chaplyn, said the incident demonstrates why it is vital for employers to provide their employees with the instruction, training and supervision they need to work in a safe manner.
“It’s up to mining operators to ensure workers have completed the required training and assessment for specific vehicles and sites,” he said.
“The incident also highlights the need for mining operators to conduct comprehensive risk assessments and ensure they have implemented the appropriate controls.”
Mr Chaplyn said all equipment and vehicles must display signage that shows the correct safe carrying weight.
“Site procedures should include up-skilling operators in calculating the safe working load limit if necessary.”
Company fined after worker seriously injured while repairing conveyor
L’Haridon Bight Mining Pty Ltd was fined $20,000 in the Perth Magistrates Court on 9 March 2021, after a worker was injured at the company’s Shell Beach Mine located 45 kilometres out of Denham in May 2017.
The worker suffered fractures, lacerations and burns after his arm was pulled into the tail-end pulley of a conveyor system of a shell-bagging machine.
The worker was assisting with repairs to the machine, which had its guarding removed to complete the repair work. The machine was not de-energised and the worker switched it on, then slipped and caught his arm.
The machine was not fitted with a lockout switch or an emergency stop device, and the worker was not provided with training on safe isolation of machinery.
Mr Chaplyn said the department is concerned at the increasing number of serious incidents involving conveyors where workers are not trained and equipped to isolate machinery, or guarding is inadequate or absent.
Isolation should be practised so that it becomes second nature while any maintenance occurs.
“It is well known by industry that unguarded moving parts of machinery pose a hazard to workers,” he said.
“This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of conducting regular audits of conveyor systems to identify hazards and implement appropriate control measures.”
Mr Chaplyn said workers operating and repairing conveyors are not always sufficiently aware of the hazards and ‘nip’ points are not always sufficiently guarded.
“Employers have a duty of care not to expose employees to hazards – this is an ongoing obligation.”
