Resources Safety and Health Queensland has issued a safety alert to the mining industry following a crush incident at a mine in central Queensland.
The state’s resources safety and health regulator is investigating an incident where a worker suffered injuries after being trapped between two vehicles.
Initial information suggests that the worker was operating a bobcat but exited the vehicle when it overheated.
At the same time, a load haul dump (LHD) was travelling up the ramp and made contact with the worker, who became trapped between the two vehicles.
The LHD operator did not see the coal mine worker and the skid steer loader; the LHD QDS implement struck the coal mine worker, crushing them between the skid steer loader momentarily, causing injury.
RSHQ’s Chief Inspector of Coal Mines, Jacques le Roux, said such incidents could be fatal and mine operators should review their traffic management systems.
“Vehicle crush incidents have the potential to be fatal, and this is a serious incident we are investigating thoroughly,” Le Roux said.
“The system should consider the direction of travel of LHDs when loads inhibit vision.
“Site senior executives should also review their ‘no go zones’ for all equipment on site and consider blind spots of the equipment with and without loads.”
The regulator suggested that executives review and audit the effectiveness of their site traffic management systems, including for transporting loads in or around the mine.
The system should consider other ways to manage situations where loads or vehicle features inhibit or obscure driver visibility.
Executives should also remind all workers to be vigilant in ensuring they assess risk before performing a task where they are in the line of fire from other work groups or machinery travel paths, and take appropriate measures to isolate themselves from the risk.
