25th annual Mechanical Engineering Safety Seminar 2015

1. A HISTORY OF MINING
in
NEW SOUTH WALES
Rob Regan former Director Mine Safety Operations & Chief Inspector September 2015

2. Mechanisation 1890 - 1925
Mechanisation commenced in a limited manner
 First coal cutting machine installed at Greta in 1890
 Electricity introduced 1893 for a motor driven pump
 Royal Commission 1907-08 ensured new mines would be
powered by electricity
 Slow progress;
‒ hand worked mines unsuitable
‒ old customs die hard
‒ mining unions employment fears
 By 1925 coal cut by machines 20% in NSW vs 71% in the
USA.
A History of Mining in NSW

3. A History of Mining in NSW

4. Mechanisation 1925 - 1946
Full concept of mechanisation from 1935
Continuing slow progress
‒ Machine cut coal from 20% to 22.6%
First mobile coal loading machine installed 1935
1945 only 26% coal underground machine cut & loaded
Opposition to use of machines in pillars
Ban caused loss of considerable tonnages of coal
Significant progress when ban lifted in 1954
A History of Mining in NSW

5. Mechanisation 1946 - 1950
Coal Industry Act 1946
Critical shortage of coal during war years 1939 to 1945 & after
Commonwealth Board of Inquiry into the Coal Mining Industry
Commonwealth & NSW Governments each passed a
Coal Industry Act in 1946.
Established the Joint Coal Board with wide powers over the coal industry
Also established the Coal Industry Tribunal
Introduction of first Joy Continuous Miner in the country in 1950
Joint Coal Board encouraged open-cut mining and exploration
A History of Mining in NSW

6. Mechanisation 1950 - 1963
Complete Mechanisation
 Mechanised cutting, loading & transport increased steadily to 2 mtpa
‒ mechanisation, efficiency, open cut expansion, more manpower,
far fewer strikes.
 1951-52: nearly 1 mtpa increased national consumption
 1952-53: coal available for export
 1954: ban on the mechanical extraction of pillars lifted
 1959: coal mechanically loaded rose to
‒ 39% of underground production and
‒ open cut production increased 91% to 1.6 mtpa
 1961: 30% of daily output from mechanised extraction of pillars
 1963: mines had commenced two-shift operations
A History of Mining in NSW

7. Mechanisation to 2015
Significant Changes in Mechanisation
Coal cutters & separate loaders with rail mounted mine cars
Hauled by battery or trolley-wire electric locos or diesel locos
Development of trackless mining rubber tyre shuttle cars ceased
Recommenced in 1950 with introduction of continuous miners
Reinforced use of conveyor belt haulage
1960: mechanised longwall extraction systems attempted
1980: successful establishment of longwall operations
1984: CM coal declined from 83% to less than 24%, and
LW coal increased from 17% to about 76%
1990: CM production nearly 56% & longwall 44%
2000: Development of bolter-miners
2014: CM production 12% & LW 88% of 74.4mtpa ug coal
A History of Mining in NSW

8. A History of Mining in NSW

9. Legislation: 1854 - 1912
The critical activities regulated
 Mine ventilation
 Inspections for detection of methane
 Gas & dust explosion suppression
 Use of explosives
 Use of electricity in coal mines.
 Appointment certified managers and others to mines
 The issue of a summary of the Act to all employees.
 Appointment of Coal Mine Inspectors
 Appointment of a Chief Inspector of Coal Mines
A History of Mining in NSW

10. Legislation: 1912 - 2015
Ongoing upgrading to deal with critical risks of roof &
sides, gas, dust, new technology
 Systematic timbering rules
 Use of cutting and welding apparatus
 Water reticulation to the mining place
 Installation and use of belt conveyors
 Fire precautions and fire fighting organisation
 Gas monitoring
 Rules and schemes for prescribed activities at a coal mine
 Concepts of duty of care and risk management
 Nationally consistent WHS(Mines)Act 2013 & Regulation 2014
A History of Mining in NSW

11.  Communications
 Changes based on data analysis
 Use of targeted notices
 Specific equipment examples
 Guideline development
 Standards development
 Investigation of serious incidents
25 years of mechanical engineering action
A History of Mining in NSW

12.  Mechanical Engineering Safety Seminars initiated by Leo Roberts
 Managers of Mechanical Engineering meetings
 Targeted workshops for winders, drill rigs, high pressure fluids
 Presentations
– Mining Mechanical & Mining Electrical Engineering Society
– Check Inspectors, Mine Managers Association of Australia
– Commercial conferences, e.g. IIR for conveyors
– AS1755 for belt conveyors for Regulations
 Safety alerts & significant incident reports
 Small mines, quarries & Opal mining mechanical engineering
 Mine Safety Officers basics of mechanical safety
Mechanical Engineering Communications
A History of Mining in NSW

13.  Search of National & International fatality databases
 Complaints from CIs, MMEs & OEMs
 Coal Services Pty Ltd Workers Compensation Insurance data
 Reportable incidents involving mechanical plant & equipment
 Audits of underground coal mines conveyors, winders, LHD doors,
shuttle car brakes, canopies on continuous miners
 Targeted inspections of higher frequency reported surface and
underground plant & equipment
 Outcomes of diesel explosion protection workshops, and
 Risk assessments
Changes Based on Data Analysis
A History of Mining in NSW

14. Mechanical Compendium MDG30
 Shuttle car oil immersed brakes
 USA canopy test requirements adopted for continuous miners
 Load haul dump vehicles required to have doors
 Large tyres deflated before wheel assembly removed
 Highway type truck & trailer cover fitting & removal
 Approval of diesel engine systems assessed by AAA’s
 AS4240 “Remote controls for mining equipment”
 Safety guideline for machine mounted drilling rigs
 Fires on open cut mobile equipment
 New two-handed rib bolter controls standard
Use of targeted notices
A History of Mining in NSW

15. Automatic parking brakes
 Apr 1993 MESS presentation on need for automatic park brakes
 Oct 1995 Chief Inspector of Coal Mines required automatic brakes to
apply when operator leaves compartment
 Jan 1996 Inspectors investigate misuse of automatic park brakes
 Mar 1996 Review of underground free steered vehicle incidents
presented at the Mechanical Engineering Safety Seminar.
 JCB data review showed injuries reduced from +300 per year for
88/89 & 89/90 to average of 206 per annum for 92/93, 93/94 & 94/95
 2015 update from Coal Services database shows a much reduced
total of 264 injuries for the last 10 years
Specific equipment example
A History of Mining in NSW

16.  Initiated for internal Inspectorate use for consistency
 Industry engineers wanted access
 Industry input needed to improve guidelines
 OEMs wanted involvement for an edge in development & sales
 Industry engineers, union representatives and OEMs involved
 Coal Mines Insurance data & notifiable incidents were used to
progress improvements
 Many guidelines have become Australian Standards, i.e.
winder ropes, UG air compressors & remote control equipment
Guideline Development
A History of Mining in NSW

17. A/NZ and International Standards are a key part of mechanical engineering
safety.
Examples of standards developed and/or improved over the last 25 years
include:-
 Tyre and Rim
 Underground Air Compressors
 Conveyors
 Remote isolation
 Pre-start warning & continuous lanyards
 Winder rope retirement
 Improvement in the small scale FRAS belt test standard
 Improvements in all testing standards for belts
 Improved assessment of FRAS for conveyor belting & other FRAS materials
 Diesel engines for use in underground coal mines - explosion protection, fire
protected, maintenance and emissions control
 Elevated work platforms, Cranes and lifting equipment
Standards Development
A History of Mining in NSW

18.  Wyee drift haulage rope failure
 Metropolitan shearer pulling face conveyor chain sling breakage
 Angus Place high pressure hydraulic oil sampling
 Appin underground scaffold collapse
 Gretley Longwall chock leg high pressure fluid escape
 Oakdale LHD protective device too low and not a canopy
 Ellalong LHD park brake not applied and LHD moved uncontrolled
 Karuah truck runaway
 Wambo major conveyor fire
Serious incident investigation
A History of Mining in NSW

19. Safety Management System
 Contractor Management Plans
 Principal Hazard Management Plans
 Principal Control Plans
 Specific Control Measures
 Emergency Management Plans
WHS (Mines) Act 2013 & Regulation 2014
A History of Mining in NSW

20. Principal Control Plans
 Health
 Mechanical engineering
 Electrical engineering
 Explosives
A History of Mining in NSW
WHS (Mines) Act 2013 & Regulation 2014

21. Electrical, Mechanical & Mining Engineering Safety
 Prevention of unplanned falls of strata,
 Prevention of inrushes of mud, water, gas,
 Prevention of gas and dust explosions,
 Prevention of electric shock and burns,
 Prevention of fires,
 Prevention of uncontrolled explosives blasts,
 Prevention of injury and death from unintended operation of equipment,
 Prevention of high pressure hydraulic fluid injection
 Provision of electrical safeguards with a correct safety integrity level
(reliability vs. failure on demand or failure per hour), and
 Prevention of health risks from airborne pollutants such as diesel
particulate matter, diesel exhaust gases, coal and silica dust
A History of Mining in NSW
WHS (Mines) Act 2013 & Regulation 2014

22. Management System Approach
Systematic, Rigorous & Auditable Approach
 System functional safety
 Hierarchy of risk control
 Critical controls with details
 Control owners
 The above is used to provide:
 Fit for purpose equipment
 High focus on hazardous area equipment
 Competent people
 Proper procedures
A History of Mining in NSW

23. Action Sample Question Legislative Support
1. Consultation What do workers think about
safety?
WHS Act 2011, s 46-49; WHS Reg
2011 ch 10 (applies to mines)
2. Hazard Identification What are the possible dangers? WHS Reg 2011 c 34
3. Risk assessment How serious are the risks to workers
which arise from these dangers?
WHS Reg 2011 c33
4. Risk Management What can be done to eliminate or
reduce those risks?
WHS Reg c 35, 35, 37, 38
5. Information What do workers need to know to
be safe?
WHS Act 2011 s 19(3)(f), 22 (4) &
(5).WHS Reg 2011 c 39
6. Instruction &
Training
How can I train workers to identify
and deal with risks? Who will own
the control?
WHS Act 2011 s 19 (3) (f)
WHS Reg 2011 c 39
7. Supervision What management structure is in
place to see that safe procedures
are being followed?
WHS Act 2011 s 19 (3) (f)
8. Monitoring Have I checked to see that my risk
management is working?
AS/NZS 4360:2004
9. Review Is my risk management plan still
valid in light of changing conditions?
WHS Reg 2011 c 38
10. Revising Do I need to change anything? Have
I changed what I need to change?
WHS Reg 2011 c 38

24. A HISTORY OF MINING
in
NEW SOUTH WALES
Rob Regan former Director Mine Safety Operations & Chief Inspector September 2015