Proximity detection workshop, NSW Mine Safety, 2011, mining, health, safety

1. Proximity Detection & Anti Collision
Workshop
Statistical Data
Case Study of Hunter Valley Mine Incident
Steve Bath, Inspector
8th - 9th February 2011

2. NSW Mine Health & Safety Legislation
Coal - CMHSR 2006
Clause 55(h)
a collision on the surface part of
the coal operation involving a
vehicle or mobile plant with a gross
weight of more than 2 tonnes
Clause 55(i)
the loss of control of a heavy
vehicle or other machinery
Clause 55(j)
the overturning of a heavy vehicle
or other large plant on the surface
part of the coal operation
Non-Coal - MHSR 2007
Clause 145(i)
a collision involving a vehicle or
other machinery that results in
substantial damage or impedes safe
operations at the mine
Clause 145(j)
the loss of control of a vehicle or
other machinery at the mine
Clause 145(k)
the overturning of a vehicle or
other machinery at the mine
** These notifications all have 24 hour non disturbance period

3. Results of Collisions

4. All collisions have the same potential
and could be fatal

5. All Coal Incidents
Dec 2006 to Dec 2010
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Financial Year
NumberofCoalIncidents
CMHSR 2006 55(h) - collision 34 77 76 86 58
CMHSR 2006 55(i) - loss of control 19 14 24 26 14
CMHSR 2006 55(j) - overturning 4 15 20 15 7
2006-07 (Qtr 3, 4) 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 YTD (Qtr 1, 2)

6. Underground Coal Incidents
Dec 2006 to Dec 2010
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Financial Year
NumberofCoalUndergroundIncidents
CMHSR 2006 55(h) - collision 4 6 16 19 13
CMHSR 2006 55(i) - loss of control 4 3 2 1 1
CMHSR 2006 55(j) - overturning 0 5 6 5 0
2006-07 (Qtr 3, 4) 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 YTD (Qtr 1, 2)

7. Surface Coal Incidents
Dec 2006 to Dec 2010
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Financial Year
NumberofCoalSurfaceIncidents
CMHSR 2006 55(h) - collision 30 71 60 67 45
CMHSR 2006 55(i) - loss of control 15 11 22 25 13
CMHSR 2006 55(j) - overturning 4 10 14 10 7
2006-07 (Qtr 3, 4) 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 YTD (Qtr 1, 2)

8. Non-Coal Incidents
Sept 2008 to Dec 2010
0
5
10
15
20
25
Financial Year
NumberofNon-CoalIncidents
MHSR 2007 145(i) - collision 4 5 6
MHSR 2007 145(j) - loss of control 16 21 6
MHSR 2007 145(k) - overturning 14 17 6
2008-09 (Qtr 2, 3, 4) 2009-10 2010-11 YTD (Qtr 1, 2)

9. Conclusion
 Incidents are real
 Coal “collision” and “loss of control” incidents are
trending upward
 Underground coal “collision” incidents have tripled
over the 3 years from 6 in 2007-08 to 19 in
2009-10
 Surface coal “loss of control” incidents have more
than doubled over the 3 years from 11 in 2007-08
to 25 in 2009-10
 Insufficient data for comparison in the non-coal
sectors as only one complete financial year since
introduction of MHSR2007

10. Conclusion continued
 No surface coal operation in NSW has a full
collision avoidance system
 4 surface mines in NSW are trialling some part
systems out of 34 operations
 Queensland are further advanced than ourselves
in terms of implementing trials but the majority of
operations remain without the technology

11. Case Study Collisions
Hunter Valley Mines
 The role of Inspector provides a unique opportunity to
review the incidents and subsequent remedial actions taken
across a range of operations
 The coal operations that I am responsible for vary
significantly in terms of scale and mining methodologies,
from small continuous miner U/G operations to large
opencut operations.
 In the previous two years, the majority of operations have
had an incident where some form of proximity detection
may have prevented the incident. They occur across the
spectrum of operations and are said to involve what is
generally termed “human error”

12. General Trends
 Heavy reliance on “positive communication” and
compliance to administrative controls such as stand off and
no go zones
 An incident results in workforce being retrained in the
policies and procedures, and in some cases involves
disciplinary action for individuals
 There is overwhelming practical evidence that our control
measures employed to date, are ineffective and unable to
deal with the complexities of vehicle/vehicle interaction and
vehicle/person interaction that are part of every mining
operation

13. Why not embrace the technology?
 Systems are proven and in use elsewhere throughout the
world
 We are an industry that likes to see ourselves as leaders
when it comes to technical innovation and implementation,
however we are lagging well behind with respect to
proximity detection and collision avoidance
 I encourage all of you that are able to experience a ride in a
large opencut dump truck whilst it is working to do so, and
gain a first hand account of the challenges of operating
such a vehicle.
 Systems are relatively low cost and can be installed with
relative ease onsite in many cases