Update on Appin mine worker injured in June

NSW Resources responds to worker injured at a Wollongong mine on June 13. Footage by NSW Resources

Transcript

00:00I'm Daniel Bray, Inspector of Mines Electrical at the Resources Regulator in New South Wales.

00:10On the 13th of June, at a mine in the Wollongong region, a serious incident occurred during

00:16a planned major ventilation change involving a set of double machine doors.

00:20One worker suffered significant injuries after becoming trapped between the doors, highlighting

00:24the risks associated with uncontrolled movement of ventilation infrastructure under pressure.

00:29During a planned ventilation change at an underground coal mine, workers were tasked

00:34with opening a set of double machine doors to redirect airflow.

00:38Due to significant pressure on the doors, mechanical assistance using an LHD and manned basket

00:44was required to open the in-by doors on the Belt Road side.

00:48The left-hand door was opened and appeared to be chained to the ribs.

00:52While the team was in the process of unchaining the right-hand door from the LHD, the left-hand

00:56door unexpectedly closed, tracking a worker between the two doors.

01:01The trapped worker remained pinned for up to two minutes before being freed by a colleague,

01:05using improvised methods including prying and repositioning the LHD to reapply force.

01:09The injured worker suffered serious injuries as a result of the uncontrolled door movement.

01:15No formal procedure existed for safely opening and securing double doors in instances where

01:19both doors were required to be open at once.

01:22No clearly defined exclusion zones or controls were in place to prevent workers from entering

01:27hazardous line of fire positions during the task.

01:30The method used to secure the left-hand door was improvised and not confirmed to be effective or stable.

01:35The pressure acting on the doors was not fully accounted for in the task planning or risk assessment.

01:40It should be noted the risk also exists when closing the doors.

01:45All mine operators should.

01:49Develop formal documented procedures for securing double doors in instances where both doors are required to be open at once.

01:56Identify and control line of fire hazards associated with high pressure ventilation infrastructure

02:01through defined exclusion zones and task sequencing.

02:06Ensure door restraints and securing methods are engineered, fit for purpose and verified before work begins.

02:12Train relevant personnel in the use of mechanical aids, securing devices and safe work practices for handling high pressure ventilation systems.

02:21Include hold points in procedures to verify critical controls are in place before progressing through each stage of the task.

02:29Please help to eliminate the risk of injuries from ventilation doors in workplaces.

02:33Remember, the risks associated with ventilation pressure acting upon ventilation devices

02:38needs to be accounted for and controlled when planning ventilation changes.

02:42Let's continue to work together to make the NSW mining industry a safer place for all mine workers.