The document summarizes a presentation on safety issues related to mechanical equipment at mines. It discusses trends showing equipment will become larger, more complex, and automated. It also reviews past accidents and failures involving winders, gas explosions, electrical arcs, and longwall automation to identify risks that could lead to future fatalities if not addressed. The presentation calls for proactively managing risks from new technologies, learning from incidents, and regularly reviewing and improving safety practices.

1. 25th Mechanical Engineering
Safety Seminar
What does the future hold for mechanical
equipment?
25th Mechanical Engineering Safety Seminar
Presented by: WJ Koppe – Inspector of Mechanical Engineering
Resources and Energy – Mine Safety
9 & 10 September 2015

2. What does the future hold for mechanical
equipment?
We expect equipment used at mines to:
 Become larger
 More complex
 Have lower factors of safety
 Have more sensors and warning devices
 Have automatic functioning
 Involve more electronics / computer control
 Require more specialised electrical and mechanical maintenance personnel
 Require more involvement of suppliers
 Be involved in future fatalities

4. What can be used to predict the probability of
future fatalities?
A review of:
 Incidents including near miss events
 Accidents
 Equipment limitations
 Competence assessment
 Compliance to standards / guidelines
 Risk analysis / management
 Fatality database

5. What equipment has been involved in
fatalities?
Surface mines and quarries
 Trucks
 Excavators
 Tyres
 Elevated Work Platforms
 Walkways
 Overhead Power lines

6. Underground Metal Mines
 Winders
 Trucks
 Remote controlled LHD’s
 Raise Borer

7. Underground Coal Mines
 Gas ignitions from Brakes, friction, sparking
 High Pressure hydraulics
 Canopies of Continuous Miners
 Canopies on LHD’s
 Drift Haulage
 Rail Haulage
 Conveyors
 Drill Rigs
 Vehicle Park Brakes

9. What suggests more winder fatalities may
occur?
 Recent incidents where winder ropes were substantially
below the minimum factor of safety
 A design issue where the brakes were inadequate because
of reliance on braking effect of the worn reducer
 The age of some of the equipment
 The lack of knowledge of some of the responsible
personnel
 The safety equipment / standards of some of the
equipment used for shaft sinking
 The need to have power on for some maintenance tasks
 The complexity of the systems

10. Winder Incidents
Year 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Coal Mine 22 13 20 12 67
Metal Mines 2 7 1 3 13
Total 24 20 21 15 80

11. Coal U/G 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Southern mine A 4 2 4 4 14
Northern mine B 1 0 0 0 1
Western mine C 1 1 0 1 3
Northern mine D 0 0 1 0 1
Western mine E 1 0 0 1 2
Western mine F 3 0 6 0 9
Northern mine G 1 0 0 0 1
Western mine H 9 7 6 4 26
Western mine I 2 2 3 1 8
Northern mine J 0 1 0 1 2
Total 22 13 20 12 67
Winder Incidents

12. Metals U/G 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Metal mine A 2 2 0 0 4
Metal mine B 0 0 0 1 1
Metal mine C 0 2 0 0 2
Metal mine D 0 3 1 2 6
Total 2 7 1 3 13
Winder Incidents

13. Significant Winder Incidents
 Material falling down shafts during operation
– Head frame steelwork
– Concrete from head frame
– Skip wheel
 Wet brakes
 Moisture in controls
 Travel in wrong direction
 Dump brake failures
 Failed to decelerate near end of wind
 Collision between skips
 Failure to enter guides
 Control failures
 Pre torque out of adjustment

14. What Suggests More Gas / Coal Dust
Explosion Fatalities May Occur?
 Gas trips
 Gas exceeding 2.5%
 Cable arcs
 Failure of explosion protection (Electrical)
 Failure of explosion protection (Diesel engines)
 Fires underground
 More conveyors and equipment in return airways
 Deeper mines / higher production
 Frictional ignition
 Spontaneous combustion
 Higher voltage equipment on longwalls
 Gas outbursts on the increase

16. Cable Arcs
Area North East South East Total
Incidents 168 89 257

17. Cable Arcs
Year 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Incidents 70 64 70 52 257

18. 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Mine A 4 7 9 4 24
Mine B 2 4 0 3 9
Mine C 1 3 2 1 7
Mine D 2 2 3 4 11
Mine E 4 5 2 5 13
Mine F 2 0 1 1 4
Mine G 1 0 0 0 1
Mine H 1 1 3 2 7
Mine I 1 2 1 1 5
Mine J 3 2 2 0 7
Mine K 2 2 7 9 20
Mine L 2 0 2 1 5
Mine M 5 1 1 0 7
Mine N 3 3 2 1 9
Mine O 5 2 0 0 7
Cable Arcs

19. 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Mine P 1 1 0 1 3
Mine Q 11 9 10 13 43
Mine R 1 1 0 1 3
Mine S 5 4 13 2 24
Mine T 5 2 0 0 7
Mine U 0 5 0 0 5
Mine V 1 2 3 4 10
Mine W 0 0 2 0 2
Mine X 1 0 1 1 3
Mine Y 2 2 3 1 8
Mine Z 1 0 0 0 1
Mine AA 0 1 0 0 1
Mine AB 1 1 0 0 2
Mine AC 3 2 3 1 9
Total 70 64 70 53 257
Cable Arcs

20. Explosion Protection Failures -
Mechanical
Area North East South East Total
Incidents 283 407 690

21. Explosion Protection Failures -
Mechanical
2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Mobile
Equipment
201 201 141 120 663
Fire
Equipment
15 1 7 4 27
Total 216 202 148 124 690

22. 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Mine A 9 2 3 7 12
Mine B 2 0 0 3 5
Mine C 5 12 4 2 23
Mine D 25 16 6 6 53
Mine E 11 8 2 6 27
Mine F 6 1 8 4 19
Mine G 1 0 0 0 1
Mine H 1 0 0 0 1
Mine I 1 2 0 0 3
Mine J 2 2 2 1 7
Mine K 6 2 3 0 11
Mine L 1 4 4 4 13
Mine M 19 21 8 16 64
Mine N 14 23 5 0 42
Mine O 5 5 2 1 13
Mine P 6 3 4 0 10
Explosion Protection Failures - Mechanical

23. 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14
2014 –
15
Total
Mine Q 7 4 4 5 20
Mine R 1 0 1 1 3
Mine S 2 1 4 6 13
Mine T 3 12 6 0 21
Mine U 5 0 3 3 11
Mine V 10 11 3 0 24
Mine W 1 7 2 3 13
Mine X 5 2 10 5 22
Mine Y 1 1 0 0 2
Mine Z 15 6 2 5 28
Mine AA 0 1 13 7 21
Mine AB 13 3 3 6 25
Mine AC 13 23 7 3 48
Mine AD 21 15 8 13 57
Mine AE 3 7 22 11 43
Total 216 202 148 124 690
Explosion Protection Failures - Mechanical

24. Explosion Protection Failures -
Electrical
Area North East South East Total
Incidents 232 363 595

25. Explosion Protection Failures -
Electrical
2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Incidents 92 147 173 183 595

26. 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Mine A 4 2 9 3 18
Mine B 2 0 0 1 3
Mine C 5 2 3 3 13
Mine D 7 9 16 40 72
Mine E 2 0 4 3 9
Mine F 3 3 3 3 12
Mine G 1 0 0 0 1
Mine H 0 2 0 0 2
Mine I 0 9 8 14 31
Mine J 3 1 7 3 14
Mine K 0 2 0 0 2
Mine L 5 1 2 0 8
Mine M 3 11 11 18 43
Mine N 4 15 10 0 29
Mine O 12 8 8 5 33
Mine P 1 2 0 0 3
Explosion Protection Failures - Electrical

27. 2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
Mine Q 2 15 9 12 38
Mine R 4 4 2 3 13
Mine S 0 3 5 7 15
Mine T 0 1 4 1 6
Mine U 1 9 4 2 16
Mine V 3 2 4 1 10
Mine W 1 5 5 11 22
Mine X 7 8 11 4 30
Mine Y 1 0 0 0 1
Mine Z 3 4 8 6 21
Mine AA 1 0 3 16 20
Mine AB 1 7 5 2 15
Mine AC 5 6 11 1 23
Mine AD 4 13 17 16 50
Mine AE 7 3 4 8 22
Total 92 147 173 183 595
Explosion Protection Failures - Electrical

28. Area North East South East Total
Cable Arcs 168 89 257
Explosion
Protection
Failures –
Mechanical
283 407 690
Explosion
Protection
Failures-
Electrical
232 363 595
Continued next slide

29. Area North East South East Total
Conveyor Fires 1 4 5
Drill Rig Gas
fire
1 0 1
Coal Self
Heating
2 1 3
Total Reported
Potential
Issues
686 864 1551

30. Potential Ignition Sources – NOT
reported
 Strata support bolt failures
 Conveyor idler bearing failures
 Conveyor belt rubbing
 Drill flushing failures
 Failures detected when equipment is not in
operation

31. Gas Outbursts – in 4 years
 Incidents
– Shot firing 23 at mine A
– Remote Mining 2 at mine A
Note: a number of shot firing related outbursts involved
the ventilation tripping from high methane.
The gas outbursts also involved release of significant
coal dust.

32. Gas Trips - Longwall
Area North East South East Total
298 359 657

33. Gas Trips Total
2011 – 12 2012 – 13 2013 – 14 2014 – 15 Total
285 224 222 179 910
Note:
Gas trips not reportable from 1 February 2015 unless >
2.5% CH4.
Rarely identified if gas concentration is in explosive range.

34. What has improved over 4 years?
 Compliance with stone dust requirements has
improved generally now + 95%.
NOT at a large gassy South Coast mine
 Stone dust requirements increase on 1 November
2015

36. What suggests longwall automation will result
in fatalities?
 Experience with remote control of LHD’s at metal mines
and continuous miners at coal mines
 Increase on speed of chock advance
 Limited walkway
 Reliance on personnel to constantly move in order to
remain in the ‘safe zone’
 Failure to provide proximity detection to ensure personnel
are not in ‘no go zone’
 Failure to use proximity detection where provided

37.  Failure to adequately control software by mines
and OEM’s
 Failure to adequately test and commission the
controls after changes made or components
changed
 Failure to act on OEM safety alerts relating to
identified issues
 Having too many unknown ‘cooks’ making
changes
 Lack of competence of supervisors
 Production pressure

38.  Necessary interaction between personnel
and the automated equipment
 Failure to adhere to basic principles covering
access of personnel into automated
operational equipment areas
 Failure of electrical controls due to ingress of
water
 Wear of hydraulic components

39. The following accidents / incidents have occurred
on operational longwalls
 When sprays were activated shield lowered
because solenoids were swapped

40. Unplanned Chock Movements
Mine No
Mine A 2
Mine B 1
Mine C 3
Mine D 1
Mine E 5
Mine F 2
Mine G 1
Mine H 1
Mine I 1
Mine J 4
Mine K 4
Total 25

41. Management recommendations
 Don’t bog down in everyday issues
 Identify high risk issues
 Learn from others
 Ask questions
 Identify trends
 Don’t leave everything to OEM’s
 Communicate
 Initiate improvements
 Monitor change
 Regularly review your areas