MineSafe Western Australia No compromise on safety despite mining industry boom ...page 3 Take care – summer is coming ...page 7 Guidelines launched for prevention of underground fires ...page 9 2004 Volume 13 No.2 MINESAFE 2004 Volume 13 No.2 1 Editorial Welcome to MineSafe – the Department of Industry and MineSafe Resources’ flagship publication for communicating mine safety and health issues to mine workers, the minerals This edition... industry and the wider community. 2. Editorial MineSafe’s aims are to promote safe practices and health What the Department does for and safety awareness at all levels and in all types of WA’s mining industry locations in the WA mining industry, and provide up-to- the-minute information on safety in mining, and notify of 3. Ministerial inquiry into OH&S at emerging hazards, risks and critical incidents. BHP Billiton’s Pilbara iron ore operations In addition, MineSafe will advise you of relevant seminars, conferences and training WA mining industry snapshot opportunities, keep you informed about our inspectorate activities, and provide a – no compromise on safety forum for contributions and viewpoints from the mining industry. despite the boom In this issue, we look at the need to ensure hearing protection is worn consistently, 4. Dangerous goods survey the latest dangerous goods community confidence survey, amendments to the Mines shows increased community Safety and Inspection Act, and we provide an economic snapshot of the mining confidence industry to help show its importance to all Western Australians. 5. Most of the time, it’s nothing at The Department of Industry and Resources is also helping develop the National Mine all Safety Framework, an initiative of the national Ministerial Council on Mineral and Petroleum Resources, which will provide common standards across the whole of the Safety to be improved by Mines Australian mining industry. Safety and Inspection Act amendments The Department’s contribution to having an effective and safe mining industry is to provide best-practice regulatory services, using statutory inspections and safety 6. Inaugural Occupational Safety management audits. and Health Innovation Awards We also provide education, training support and information to industry, with safety 7. Take care – summer is coming meetings, presentations to mine site employees, and briefings to industry safety and Is mining safety improving? health representatives complementing our inspection activities. 8. Earth leakage protection on Your comments on MineSafe are always welcome, and may be emailed, telephoned mine sites or posted to the Safety, Health and Environment Division at the Department. 9. Guidelines launched for prevention of underground fires 10. Booster compressor explosions – reverse circulation drilling Malcolm Russell Director, Safety Health and Environment Division 11. Employee Noise Exposure Department of Industry and Resources 12. Mining industry seminars and conferences ISBN 0 7309 7810 9 What the Department does for Published by Safety Health and Environment Division (SHED) WA’s mining industry Department of Industry and Resources Mineral House The Department’s Safety, Health and Environment Division oversights safety, 100 Plain Street occupational health and environmental matters within the mining industry in EAST PERTH 6004 Western Australia. Advice is given to government and industry on engineering and WESTERN AUSTRALIA occupational health and safety matters relating to mining operations, including mineral processing, transportation and storage. Editor: Richard Langford The Safety, Health and Environment Division also regulates and audits the safe Enquiries: (08) 9222 3276 storage, handling and transport of explosives and dangerous goods across all Website: www.doir.wa.gov.au industries in Western Australia. While the bulk of these goods relate to the resources MINESAFE is published four times a year by the sector, they also include fireworks and other hazardous materials used by industry Safety Health and Environment Division of the and the public. Department of Industry and Resources. Articles Internet database services relating to mining activity can be accessed via the and news items may be used freely, although we Department’s website www.doir.wa.gov.au. These include MINEDEX (information would appreciate acknowledgement and a copy of about mine sites, mineral deposits, notices of intent, and site operators) and AXTAT any publication in which they are used. (incident and injury statistics), as well as informational and statistical publications relating to the WA mining industry. 2 MINESAFE 2004 Volume 13 No.2 Ministerial inquiry into OH&S at BHP Billiton’s Pilbara iron ore operations The State Government is conducting State Development Minister Clive Submissions are being treated an inquiry into occupational health and Brown said the Ministerial Inquiry would confidentially and Mr Brown has safety systems and practices at BHP investigate whether there were any received strong assurances from BHP Billiton’s Western Australian iron ore cultural, behavioural or other factors that Billiton management that there will be no operations. might adversely impact on occupational discrimination against anyone making The Ministerial Inquiry is proceeding health and safety at BHP iron ore sites. comment. concurrently with the four statutory “In conjunction with the findings The government has encouraged all investigations already under way under of the four statutory inquiries already who have worked on BHP Billiton sites the Mines Safety and Inspection Act into under way, the outcome of this and who feel that the inquiry would recent fatalities on BHP Billiton sites. inquiry will provide a complete picture benefit from their experience to make Three fatalities occurred at three into occupational health and safety submissions as a contribution towards different BHPB sites within a three-week practices on BHP Billiton iron ore sites, building a safer workplace for them and period in the Pilbara. to ensure there is the best possible their workmates. Each fatality is being separately chance of identifying any deficiencies, “While the resources sector is investigated by the Mines Inspectorate remedying them and improving safety important to the State’s economy, of the Department of Industry and arrangements.” nothing is more important than ensuring Resources. BHP Billiton and all local union workers return home safely at the end of In addition, the State Mining Engineer leaders have agreed to the inquiry’s their working day,” said Mr Brown. has instituted, under Section 45 of terms of reference, which is being “Our resources sector has a strong the Mines Safety Inspection Act, a conducted by barrister Mark Ritter. record of protecting the health and formal investigation into the technical Mr Ritter is expected to deliver safety of workers, and the number processes involved in the fatality that his report to the Minister for State one priority of the industry must be to occurred at the Boodarie iron ore pellet Development this year. maintain and improve upon this record.” plant near Port Hedland. WA mining industry snapshot – no compromise on safety despite the boom Western Australia is the nation’s Investment in mining in Western recent announcement of go-ahead number-one State in terms of resources Australia has doubled over the past four for Ravensthorpe nickel (a $1.4 billion production. years. investment with 300 permanent jobs) Covering 2.5 million square As a result, the WA resources sector and Alcoa considering a $1.5 billion kilometres, Western Australia occupies is enjoying a remarkable resurgence expansion of its Wagerup refinery. more than one-third of Australia’s total and our economy is flourishing, with Historically, Western Australia has led land mass – more than three times economic growth of 4.5 per cent the nation in terms of resources industry bigger than Texas and about the size of predicted for 2004-5, following the investment, with more than half of all Western Europe. growth of 6.7 per cent last year, which new investment capital for Australia At the beginning of 2004, there were was the State’s highest growth rate in being attracted to WA. 15,877 mining tenements in force, nearly a decade. This trend is set to continue as world covering 26.3 million hectares. At June 2004, $18 billion worth energy prices reach a 13-year high, These tenements host 225 of resources sector projects were and the demand for key commodities commercial mineral projects, embracing committed or under construction in continues. 672 operating sites (open pit and Western Australia. Another $60 billion From this will come once-in-a- underground mines and quarries) plus of investment is being considered, generation opportunities. 143 processing plants, all together representing up to 50,000 new jobs, Growth will not be limited to any one producing about 50 different mineral mostly in construction. area or a single commodity, but will most commodities worth more than $17 billion This investment comes on the back likely include oil and gas, iron ore, nickel, per year. of record breaking new trade deals with alumina, heavy mineral sands, salt, WA is one of the world’s great mineral China for natural gas (North West Shelf gold, natural gas and other petroleum provinces, currently producing large $25 billion) and iron ore (BHP Billiton $12 products – of which Western Australia percentages of total global minerals billion and Hamersley Iron $15 billion). has plenty. including: tantalum –