minesafeWESTERN AUSTRALIA Volume 20 no. 3 DECEMBER 2011 Conveyors – guarding against inadequacy TOOLS TO HANDLE WORKPLACE OSH ISSUES FEEDBACK SOUGHT ON DRILLING CODE OF PRACTICE MINES SAFETY PRIORITIES FOR THE REGULATOR 07 04 22 17 19 CONTENTS DEPARTMENTAL NEWS OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 2011 SOUTH WEST CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS 02 Harmonisation of 13 More to CONTAM than EMERGENCY RESPONSE 51 Distribution of safety and occupational health and meeting quotas SKILLS CHALLENGE health representatives as safety laws 26 Taking up the challenge at 30 September 2011 DANGEROUS GOODS 03 Comment sought for MIAC 28 Motley crew gets the job 52 Monthly exploration SAFETY review done workforce to September 14 Report missing explosives 2011 DIVISIONAL NEWS 30 First aid scenario in tempo 15 Is your explosives or SRS with drum warnings 53 Monthly mining workforce to September 2011 04 Regulators meet in Darwin licence still valid? 32 Beau puts his body and 06 Resources Safety hosts 16 Shotfiring training – new mind on the line SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT PM’s 2011 Pacific Award competencies Recipient 2011 UNDERGROUND REPORTS AND SAFETY BULLETINS 07 Roadshows increase INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES MINE EMERGENCY opportunities for 17 Mines safety priorities for RESPONSE COMPETITION 54 Mines Safety SIR 173 consultation Employee burnt while the regulator 40 Sunrise Dam continues setting up scenario for winning trend SIMON SAYS 18 MARK YOUR DIARY emergency response 42 Universal language of training 09 2011 was a momentous mine rescue year of change SAFETY ALERTS AND 55 Mines Safety Bulletin 95 GUIDANCE SAFETY AND HEALTH Conveyor guarding LEGISLATIVE NEWS 19 Will your shower work in REPRESENTATIVES 56 RESOURCES SAFETY 10 DMP legislative program an emergency? 48 Tools to handle workplace CONTACTS as at 31 December 2011 20 We can help OSH issues 22 Conveyors – guarding SAFETY AND HEALTH INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE CULTURE against inadequacy 24 Stopping scenarios from 50 FAQ on LTI versus DI 11 Global blueprint for safety becoming real and health at work 25 Industry feedback sought 12 MiningFM produces on drilling code of practice another gem for families MineSafe vol. 20 no. 3 December 2011 09 12 22 elcome to the third and final issue of MineSafe for 2011. Consultation and communication feature strongly in this issue. We want to hear what you think about the recommendations from the MIAC review, and also the content and structure of Wthe draft code of practice for mineral exploration drilling. You are also invited to participate in various activities to identify regulatory priorities for mines safety in Western Australia. ........................................................................................................................................................... Several articles summarise the year that was for the State, and there is information about international organisations responsible for safety and health at the global level. Those involved with explosives on mine sites should check out the dangerous goods section for the latest news. This issue contains wide-ranging reports on safety alerts, guidance materials and emergency response competitions. It is particularly pleasing to see the rising number of safety and health representatives in the mining industry, with the rate of increase exceeding workforce growth. As always, enjoy your reading. Malcolm Russell Executive Director, Resources Safety MineSafe vol. 20 no. 3 December 2011 1 DEPARTMENTAL NEWS HARMONISATION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS n 2006, the Council of Australian Governments identified The three primary mining states of Western Australia, New South occupational health and safety laws across Australia Wales and Queensland have also agreed that the model regulations as a priority area for business regulation reform. It as drafted (known as the “core” regulations) were not sufficient to was subsequently agreed that the best way to achieve cover all the particular work situations that are experienced in the I mining industry. Underground ventilation, access and egress from the desired reform was to develop a model Act and model Regulations, supported by national Codes of Practice. underground workings and naturally occurring radiation are obvious examples where general workplace regulations would not suffice. ..................................................................................................... For this reason, these three jurisdictions are developing a set of stand-alone “non-core” regulations, which will be subjected to public Each jurisdiction undertook to pass its own laws to mirror the model consultation before finalisation. laws, but they retained the right to keep specific provisions which were in the best interests of industry and workers. An example of this The current state-of-play in Western Australia is that mirror legislation would be where a particular jurisdiction wished to retain prescribed is being drafted that will repeal and replace the existing Mines Safety consultative arrangements, such as the Western Australian Mining and Inspection Act and Occupational Safety and Health Act at the Industry Advisory Committee. same time, on a date to be determined by Government. Until then, the existing Acts and regulations continue to apply to Western Australian Progressively, the model Act, model Regulations and Codes have workplaces. been subject to public consultation. The model Act itself evolved from the findings of an independent review of Australian workplace safety We will keep you informed of developments throughout 2012. laws carried out in 2008, and that review also included extensive public consultation. WANT TO KNOW MORE? Visit Safe Work Australia’s website at www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au or check out recent back issues of MineSafe magazine for more information on the harmonisation process. 2 MineSafe vol. 20 no. 3 December 2011 COMMENT SOUGHT FOR MIAC REVIEW n independent review of the Mining Industry Advisory • Prepare or recommend the adoption of codes of practice, Committee (MIAC) was commissioned in 2011 by the guidance material, standards and specifications or other forms of Department of Mines and Petroleum to evaluate the guidance for the purpose of assisting employers, self-employed performance and effectiveness of the committee. The persons, employees, manufacturers or other persons to maintain A appropriate standards of occupational safety and health in the report was provided to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum, who has requested industry feedback on the review and its mining industry. recommendations. • Provide advice on education and publications, and training and training courses, with respect to occupational safety and health ..................................................................................................... in the mining industry. WHAT IS MIAC? The MIAC report and further information about MIAC, including current membership and meeting minutes, can be accessed at Established in April 2005, MIAC is a statutory advisory body on www.dmp.wa.gov.au/ResourcesSafety via the “What’s new in matters relating to occupational safety and health in the mining mining safety and health” link. industry. Its key objectives are listed below. Please submit any feedback on the review and recommendations • Advise and make recommendations to the Ministers responsible to the MIAC Executive Officer [email protected] by for occupational health and safety (OSH) in Western Australia Friday, 24 February 2012. and the Commission for Occupational Safety and Health (the Commission) on OSH matters concerning the mining industry. • Liaise with the Commission to coordinate activities on related functions and to maintain parallel standards. • Inquire into and report to the Ministers regarding any matter referred to it by the Ministers relating to occupational safety and health in the mining industry. • Make recommendations to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum regarding the formulation, amendment or repeal of laws relating to occupational safety and health for which that Minister is responsible. MineSafe vol. 20 no. 3 December 2011 3 DIVISIONAL NEWS REGULATORS MEET IN DARWIN The 2011 Conference of Chief Inspectors of Mines (CCIM) Development of the National Mine Safety Database, which was held in Darwin from 4 to 9 September, and hosted will provide mine sites and regulators with a data reporting by NT WorkSafe and the Northern Territory Department of and statistical analysis tool, is expected to be completed in Resources. Some of the outcomes are summarised below. early 2012. Visit www.ga.gov.au/ccim for more information. GOVERNANCE ISSUES FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INCIDENTS The CCIM promotes the implementation and maintenance A significant activity for the CCIM is to review the of the NMSF and harmonisation as applied to mining circumstances involved in fatalities and serious incidents occupational health and safety legislation. As the peak over the previous twelve months, and share the findings. forum for mining regulators, it has proved to be effective in For 2011, the three common contributory factors identified sharing knowledge and developing consistency, in the spirit were: of harmonisation. • inappropriate use of risk analysis tools INSPECTOR TRAINING INITIATIVES • ineffective supervision • poor change management practices. The CCIM reviewed each jurisdiction’s inspector training initiatives and agreed on a process to share training In Western Australia, Resources Safety will continue to raise information. awareness of these causal factors