This document discusses implementing an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) for geotechnical risks associated with mine fill operations. It recommends conducting audits of the mine fill system design, technical specifications, underground monitoring and documentation to ensure all components are addressed holistically. Specifically, it suggests auditing areas like risk registers, resources, documented systems of work, incident investigations, emergency preparedness, and trigger action plans based on OHSMS standards. The goal is to achieve OHSMS compliance certification for technical risks to demonstrate due diligence and duty of care through a process of audits, risk assessments by multi-disciplinary teams, identifying gaps, and continuous improvement.

1. OHSMS for Geotechnical Risk
Mine Fill
Presentation by:
Alex Atkins FAusIMM(CP)
Principal Mining Consultant, Optiro

2. Safety Culture Spectrum Continuous improvement
Vulnerable Rule followers Robust Enlightened Resilient
In denial Deal ‘by the book’ Develop risk Active leadership Strive for resilience
Messengers ‘shot’ Conform to rules management capacity Safety management of systems
Whistleblowers Target = ‘zero’ Enhance systems plan widely known Reform rather than
dismissed or Improve suite of Competent people with repair
Reactive
discredited performance measures experience Responsibility
Repair not reform shared
Protection of the Develop action plans Accountabilities
powerful Information neglected understood Actively seek new
Monitor and review
Information hoarded Responsibility progress Advanced performance ideas
compartmentalised measures Messengers
Responsibility shirked Clarify/refine objectives
New ideas = ‘problems’ Regular reviews rewarded
Failure punished or
covered up Range of emergency Proactive as well as
responses catered for reactive
New ideas crushed
Failures prompt far-
reaching inquiries
Flexibility of
operation
Consistent mindset =
‘wariness’
‘in disarray’ ‘organised’ ‘credible’ ‘trusting’ ‘disciplined’
pathological reactive calculative proactive generative
Sanction Direct Encourage Partner Champion

3. Model WHS Act
Nationally harmonised OHS Laws - status by state:
• WA & Vic – not introduced yet
• Qld, NT, NSW, ACT, Cmwlth – from 1 Jan 2012
• Tas, SA – from 1 Jan 2013
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/model-
whs-laws/pages/jurisdictional-progress-whs-laws
SSEs – Mandatory risk management training (G-
MIRM)

4. Work Health & Safety Management Systems
(WHSMS)
DUE
DILIGENCE • OHSMS
PCP:
Principal
control plan
(barriers &
controls)
PHMP:
Principal hazard
management plan
• RISK
MANAGEMENT (intrinsic site hazards)
FRAMEWORK

5. Geotechs
Transfer control measures into
procedures, designs, processes, etc

6. OHSMS – consider the following:
OHSMS Standards
Codes of Practice MSIA/MSIR  Model
(SWA) WHS Act OHSAS18001:2007
AS/NZS 4801:2001
AS/NZS 4804:2001
DMP HIF Audits
(e.g. OC & UG Risk Management
Geotech; UG Mine Standards
Fill) AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009
DMP
Guidelines, Safety Incident Investigation –
Subject specific AS &
Bulletins & SIRs Capture Learnings
Industry Best Practice

7. Goal: OHSMS Compliance Certification
for technical risk
http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/document
s/Audit_guidelines_and_templates/MS
DMP Technical Specific H_AuditG_UGMineFillHighImpactFunct
ionAudit2011.pdf
HIF Audits
E.g. Mine Fill HIF Audit
(hydraulic/paste fill)
Technical/
Project
Specific
Third Party
Compliance
Certification
OHSMS Audit
AS/NZS4801:2000 or
OHSAS18001:2007

8. Hydraulic/ Paste Fill – reasons for failures
Refer to page 371 of Strategy2011 paper:
• Highly technical project in a KISS operating environment
• Uncontrollable variables or unknowns
• Multi-disciplinary team with limited time &
resources, conflicting interests, contradictory technical
terms, etc
Need to perform OHSMS audits & risk assessments:
systems, procedures, documentation, organisation, training

9. Hydraulic/Paste Fill Audit
Refer to page 372 of Strategy2011 paper:
• Fill system design should be holistic
• Technical specification & QA
(competent person, clearly defined):
– Barricades
– Hydraulic/ paste fill specification
– Reticulation system
• UG monitoring & documentation

10. Mine Management Systems - Fill
(based on ISOAS 18001:2007 OHSMS audit)
Refer to page 372 of Strategy2011 paper:
Ensure these are in place:
• Risk Register
• Sufficient resources
• Documented systems of work
• Incident investigations and documentation
• Emergency preparedness
• Documented Trigger Action Plans (TAPs)

11. WHSMS
• Due Diligence & evidence of Duty of Care
• Audits & risk assessments (multi-disciplinary team)
 gap analysis  continuous improvement 
Learning Organisation