Safety Alerts and Newsletters
Keep up with the latest safety alerts, news and information
Safety Alerts
22 August 2019
Fatality Alert
MSHA – Mine fatality alert from the US Dept. of Labour MSHA – Mine fatality alert – struck by falling hydraulic breaker
MSHA Mine Fatality
On Wednesday, July 17, 2019, a 32-year old general manager/owner was killed when he was struck by a hydraulic breaker. The victim and the excavator operator were in the process of positioning the excavator for a motor exchange when the hydraulic breaker attachment fell off the excavator and hit the victim.
21 August 2019
Lack of bunding on accessible edges
This safety bulletin provides safety advice for the NSW mining industry.
Open edges on stockpiles, tip heads, ramps and dams.
Circumstances
During recent inspections, the NSW Resources Regulator has identified that effective controls are not always in place to protect workers to the exposure of driving off open edges, falling from heights or falling into open bodies of water. Open edges on stockpiles, waste dumps, ramps and dams were frequently identified with absent or inconsistent windrows or bunding in place.
Edge, ramp and tipping bunds/windrows are required to ensure the safety of heavy machinery operators.
20 August 2019
Retractable access ladders
Queensland Government – Mines safety alert no.366
What happened?
An operator was fatally injured when he became entangled between the movable part of an excavator’s access ladder and the wall of the engine room.
26 July 2019
Serious injury to worker involving a mobile screening plant
What happened?
On Thursday the 18th July an apprentice diesel mechanic became trapped between the rear of the incline conveyor and the chassis rail of a mobile screening plant. The worker sustained serious injuries requiring medivac and hospitalisation.
Two other quarry workers who were nearby saw the incline conveyor slide downwards and responded immediately to the trapped worker. They used an excavator and chains to pull the incline conveyor upwards to free the worker.
15 January 2019
Working in Heat: Not just an outdoor problem
Working in heat can be hazardous and can cause harm to workers in both indoor and outdoor work environments.
Factory workers who use hot plant and workers who work in roof cavities with minimal air flow, are just some examples of workers at risk of heat-related illness indoors.
Businesses have duties under work health and safety laws to manage health risks in the workplace, including those associated with working in heat.
To help you identify hazards in your workplace you should talk to workers, including any health and safety representatives, and other duty holders.
To make sure you and your workers stay safe in summer, visit the Safe Work Australia website for more information and download a copy of the guide to managing the risks of working in heat.
17 July 2018
Near miss between light vehicle and haul truck
The hazards of complex intersection design in open cut mines were highlighted when a light vehicle operator had to take evasive action to prevent a collision with a haul truck at a site on 28 June 2018.
09 April 2018
Reclassification of welding fume as carcinogenic from an Australian perspective
05 April 2018
Warning devices on powered mobile plant
Guidance for employers, self-employed persons and people who have management and control of a workplace (legal duty holders) about the unsafe work practice of deactivating warning devices on powered mobile plant.
09 January 2018
As the weather heats up, it’s time to review your workplace to make sure you and your workers stay safe.
Safe Work Australia has published a new Guide for managing the risks of working heat. You can access the new guide and more information on our website.
Heat is a hazard in many Australian workplaces, whether work is performed indoors or outdoors, so we have published a new guide on working in heat.
People in control of the workplace, such as managers and supervisors, and workers all have duties under work health and safety laws to manage risks to worker health and safety, such as those associated with working in heat.
First aid fact sheet now available
Need help in a hurry? See our First aid fact sheet for information on recognising and treating the most common forms of heat-related illness.
20 July 2017
Lack of pillar support – underground opal mines
New South Wales Resources Regulator identified an underground mining site in Lighting Ridge which had insufficient primary support and no secondary support in large sections of the site.
27 June 2017
Injured worker not discovered and treated for extended period
The driver of a service vehicle was travelling along a haul road to a satellite pit to deliver fuel. The area had experienced overnight rain, and the driver lost control of the loaded vehicle. The light vehicle mounted a verge and rolled onto its roof. The driver was unable to call for assistance due to the damaged radio aerial and absence of a back-up communication system. There was a delay in the arrival of the emergency responders before the driver was taken to a regional hospital for treatment.
17 May 2017
Hydraulic power pack and ram failure causing death
WorkSafe New Zealand has issued a safety alert after a mine worker was fatally struck by high-pressure hydraulic fluid, which erupted from a ram while the worker performed maintenance on the rear struts of a dump truck.
12 May 2017
Fitter struck in chest by packing plate released under pressure
A significant incident report has been released after a packing plate beneath the hydraulic ram on a broken down cone crusher dislodged under pressure and struck a fitter, inflicting serious chest injuries.
12 May 2017
Use of an excavator bucket as a lifting point
The Western Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum released another safety bulletin after finding that a number of mines are unsafely allowing excavator operators to use their excavator’s bucket teeth as lifting points when relocating equipment.
12 May 2017
Ratchet vehicle support stands
This safety bulletin has been issued after identifying a number of defective ratchet support stands at mining operations. Incorrect handling or use of a ratchet vehicle support stand in a manner not intended by the manufacturer may lead to a damaged lock pin or defective components. This damage may result in the sudden failure of the stand to support a load and could lead to serious or fatal injuries for workers or those in the vicinity.
21 APRIL 2017
Pneumatic air tool fitting fails
A worker was struck on the left forearm with compressed and foreign particles when a swivel fitting on an air hose detached from the pneumatic ratchet he was using. The incident occurred at a New South Wales mine on 10 March 2017.
25 JANUARY 2017
Driver thrown from cab in articulated truck roll over
A trainee operator was reversing a 27 tonne articulated dump truck to tip a load of wet sand in a stockpile area. The right hand rear wheels rode up onto the edge of an existing stockpile and the load in the tub shifted, tipping the trailer onto its side and rocking the cab violently. The operator was thrown about in the cab, first striking and breaking the driver’s window and then striking, breaking and falling through the passenger side window to the ground. The operator suffered lacerations to his arm and head which required hospital treatment.
25 November 2016
Sudden failure of feed hopper
A plant operator heard an unusual noise coming from the run of mine (ROM) feed hopper. On inspection, the plant operator found the feed hopper had collapsed onto the plant feed conveyor.
09 JUNE 2016
Another worker injured in IT work basket crush incident
A worker has been seriously injured after being crushed in an integrated tool carrier work basket incident underground. The incident occurred in March, when two servicemen were working in an IT carrier, removing pipe services from the sidewall and backs of an extra-high excavation.
30 May 2016
Working near slopes in quarries
This safety alert highlights the risk of working near the crest and toes of slopes in quarries and provides advice on how to reduce the risk of slope failure. In a recent incident, a fatality occurred at a quarry when a dump truck was tipping waste material over the crest of a dump head and the slope failed.
09 March 2016
Guards and discs on angle grinders
This safety alert highlights the risks associated with removing guards and using incorrect discs on angle grinders. In early February 2016, a Queensland worker received fatal injuries while operating a 230 mm (9 inch) angle grinder. The worker was killed when part of a broken disc struck the worker’s chest. It appears that due to the high impact of the projectile it caused fatal internal injuries.
22 FEBRUARY 2016
Driver loses control of light vehicle and crashes in underground mine
The driver of a personnel transport and service vehicle (single cabin, four-wheel drive traytop utility) lost control of the vehicle while travelling down a decline into an underground mine and crashed into a wall.
Newsletters
MAQOHSC Newsletter SPRING, 2018
In this issue:
- Health Surveillance 2018 – 2019
- Accredited Mental Health First Aid Officer Training
- Guarding of Plant – Hoppers
- Regional Safety Seminar Topics
- Sleep Vital to Safety
- Committee Workplace Visits
- New MAQOHSC Website Calendar
MAQOHSC Newsletter Issue 3, 2017
In this issue:
- Health Surveillance Dust Monitoring 2017 – 2018
- MAQOHSC Funded Mental Health Training Program
- Access, Egress and Crushing Plant Guarding
MAQOHSC Newsletter Issue 2, 2016
In this issue:
- Fully funded health surveillance – dust monitoring program for South Australian Mines and Quarries
- Time to plan and prepare for working in the heat
- Fully funded Certificate IV Work Health and Safety training.
MAQOHSC Newsletter Issue 1, 2016
In this issue:
- Funded dust monitoring commencing
- Training targets keeping young workers safe
- Complacency to compliance looks at safety with explosives
- Depressed or totally Stressed? How to tell the difference!
- Fully funded health and wellbeing 60 day online health program.
MAQOHSC Newsletter Issue 44, Winter 2015
In this issue:
- New program to help prevent suicide and promote wellbeing for workers
- MAQOHSC Committee undertakes site visit to Hillgrove Resources
- Guide to principal mining hazards.
Previous Issues
Previous issues are available upon request to MAQOHSC. Please email us to request previous issues.
