Safe to Work Jul - Aug 2020

THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY

ISSUE 8 - JULY-AUGUST 2020

Remote revolution

Safety from a distance

Technology

Dust suppression

Virtual reality

Respiratory protection

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Comment Safety innovation emerges during a year of upheaval AS MINING RESPONDED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE INDUSTRY HAS FOUND EVEN MORE REASON TO MAKE ITS OPERATIONS SAFER.

BEN CREAGH

S

afety has been the No. 1 priority for everyone over the past six months.

COVID-19 has impacted the safety processes of all industry sectors in one consistent way, with social distancing becoming the norm across office spaces and industrial sites alike.

For mining specifically, the pandemic has put pressure on the routines of the industry’s workers in two standout ways.

Firstly, as state borders closed, many fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers were unable to travel for work or were even trapped interstate unable to return to their families. The stress caused by this situation put the microscope on the health and wellbeing of employees who were managing the disruption.

Awareness of mental health among mine workers has grown over the past decade and must continue to do so in response to this year’s challenges.

Not only has COVID-19 separated employees from their place of employment or families, but in some cases forced them

NICKOLAS ZAKHARIA Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: nickolas.zakharia@primecreative.com.au

PUBLISHER CHRISTINE CLANCY MANAGING EDITOR BEN CREAGH Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: ben.creagh@primecreative.com.au JOURNALISTS SALOMAE HASELGROVE Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: salomae.haselgrove@primecreative.com.au

VANESSA ZHOU Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: vanessa.zhou@primecreative.com.au CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER JANINE CLEMENTS Tel: (02) 9439 7227 Email: janine.clements@primecreative.com.au SALES MANAGER JONATHAN DUCKETT Mob: 0498 091 027 Email: jonathan.duckett@primecreative.com.au

out of work altogether due to redundancy. Fortunately, mining hasn’t been affected to the extent of other industries.

Nevertheless, the mining industry should be commended for how it responded.

Companies like BHP and Rio Tinto have used their position to create work opportunities to help those affected.

BHP adapted to the environment by supporting the METS (mining equipment, technology and services) companies it works with by reducing payment terms.

Mining communities have even received additional support while regions have been cut off from metropolitan areas.

The need for social distancing has also put an emphasis on how companies operate on-site. In this respect, COVID-19 has increased the industry’s attention on how technology can make it safer.

Technologies that create a more autonomous environment have come under the spotlight, particularly those that enable remote monitoring of activities

DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston ART DIRECTOR Blake Storey GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty, Jo De Bono SUBSCRIPTION RATES Australia (surface mail) $140.00 (incl GST) New Zealand A$148.00 Overseas A$156.00 For subscriptions enquiries please call 03 9690 8766

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 3 JUL-AUG 2020

from afar. Use of autonomous technology has rapidly increased over the past decade and now mining companies have another reason to invest in it.

While COVID-19 has created financial concerns for the mining industry, it hasn’t affected the industry’s commitment to a digital transformation. If anything, it has accelerated this change, a positive for safety.

Ben Creagh Managing Editor

FRONT COVER Remote monitoring technologies are under the spotlight in mining.

Image: Epigroup

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In this issue Features

46

14 Q LD’s manslaughter laws fleshed out

Journey towards zero harm taken seriously

17 H eightened awareness around HEPA filters

Breathe-safe talks about what’s next

20 Precious jobs in gold

Jobs a top industry and government priority

future planning in one

JESI, Fleet Complete develop

power

track Asset range provides the C whereabouts

for the taking

44 Lung health tests

34 Guarded from hazards

accelerated with VR iion complements human interaction V with technology

brought to you

around conveyor systems

Diacon Australia shows what plastic

36 The correct type of isolation

46 Hammer makes the

can do for materials handling

28 Realistic simulation of life in a mine

travels distances

Minimum water usage, road stability

monitoring software

26 Employee training

42 Dust suppression that

32 Real-time tracking and

24 Real-time tracking a real

jack of all trades

Hummingbird safely isolates equipment

Filmmaking and motion graphics skills in the mix

38 Fitters’ safety prioritised

30 COVID-19’s impact Rafaella Resources boss sees the silver lining

Slide Sledge: The impact-safe hammer

48 Improving road standards

Nivek Industries’ TED does the hard yards

What autonomous and heavier

40 Equal access a

on the industry

Regional QLD miners up for a health check

equipment calls for

key to diversity

AusIMM survey reveals an

52 Safety overhaul in a major jurisdiction

inconvenient truth

A dedicated body for QLD safety

54 Mental health takes centre stage

AMMA’s online training fills the gap

57 A toolbox fit for

mining projects

SP toolboxes prepare professional tradesmen

28

REGULARS

6 NEWS

10 PRODUCTS

58 EVENTS

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 4 JUL-AUG 2020

EXPECT MORE PRODUCTIVITY Equipment availability is critical to your mining operation and your fleet needs are unique.

That’s why Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group delivers productivity expertise and innovative solutions to help achieve your targets for tyre performance and fleet availability. With highly trained people to safely and consistently execute to standard, our tyre management approach leaves nothing to chance. z Proactive tyre maintenance & management z TOMS, Kal Tire’s proprietary & productivity-driven Tire Operations Management System z Application-specific tyre products z Repairs & Ultra Repair™ for large-scale injuries z Proprietary tooling that improves safety & efficiency

News Negligent senior mining officers in NSW to face five years’ imprisonment

New South Wales is the next Australian state to take workers’ protection to another level.

Amendments to the New South Wales work health and safety laws now include gross negligence under a category one offence.

This offence is the most serious breach of responsibility by a person who has a health and safety duty, where a duty holder recklessly exposes a person to the risk of death or serious injury.

As per the legislation, category one offences are subject to up to

a $3 million fine for corporations, $600,000 and/or five years’ imprisonment for an officer or individual conducting either a business or undertaking, and $300,000 and/or five years’ imprisonment for individual workers.

The 2020 amendments to the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011 were passed by the NSW Parliament and came to effect in June.

SafeWork New South Wales stated

that the inclusion of gross negligence under the category one offence made it easier to prosecute and created a stronger incentive for duty holders to manage WHS risks.

Other amendments to the Act also prohibit any insurance and indemnity arrangements to prevent duty holders from avoiding the responsibility of paying WHS fines.

The penalty for all WHS offences has increased in the 2020 amendments, in line with the consumer price index.

The time in which a person can ask WHS regulators to start a prosecution in response to a category one or category two offence has been extended from 12 to 18 months.

Category two offences refer to the failure to comply with a health and safety duty that exposes a person to risk of death, serious injury or illness.

It is punishable by a fine of $1.5 million for corporations, $300,000 for individual conducting a business or undertaking, and $150,000 for individual workers.

BHP ramps up safety at Jimblebar mine BHP temporarily paused operations at its Jimblebar iron ore mine in Western Australia in May to reinforce safety requirements after a number of “lowlevel injuries” at the site.

A BHP spokesperson said the company’s general manager made the decision to temporarily pause operations to re-establish and reinforce safety requirements with all teams.

“The safety of our people is our first priority. Operations recommenced

after several hours and there was no impact to production,” the spokesperson said.

The Jimblebar iron ore mine is one of seven iron ore mines BHP operates in the Pilbara. BHP has 85 per cent interest in the mine, with the remaining 15 per cent interest shared equally with its joint venture partners, Mitsui and ITOCHU. Ore is crushed, beneficiated and blended at Jimblebar to create

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high-grade hematite lump and fines products. Iron ore products are then transported to the Finucane Island and Port Hedland in Western Australia.

BHP employs more than 800 people at Jimblebar, while running a fully autonomous fleet of trucks and drills on site.

BHP achieved a record production of 58.5 million tonnes at Jimblebar in the 2019 financial year, up from 55.8 million tonnes in the previous year.

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News Fortescue Metals Group has reversed changes to its operational rosters introduced by COVID-19, while adding screening measures and testing for workers.

Starting June 22, all site-based teams transitioned back to their normal operational roster of two weeks on, one week off.

The changeover was expected to take until the end of June to come into full effect.

Fortescue had previously introduced an extended operational roster of four weeks on, two weeks off in March, aiming to keep this within a three-month period.

The company stated the return to normal rosters was in line with its original time frame and reflected the increased confidence from low cases of COVID-19 in Western Australia.

“Fortescue has been in a privileged position to continue to operate during this time of unprecedented disruption,” Fortescue chief executive Elizabeth Gaines said.

“We were the first iron ore company

Credit: Fortescue Metals Group

Fortescue makes move back to normal rosters

Fortescue Metals Group upped screening during COVID-19.

to extend our operational rosters, which reduced travel to our sites by 40 per cent, and I would like to thank the Fortescue team and their families for their understanding, cooperation and support during this period.”

Fortescue introduced mandatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for all fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) team members on May 27.

The PCR testing will be undertaken at least once for each employee and is an additional measure to protect the workforce and further reduce the likelihood of a

COVID-19 outbreak on site.

It is also part of the West Australian Chamber of Minerals and Energy Detect FIFO program and the state government’s broader Detect program.

Detect is a state-based population study that is focussed on testing targeted groups of people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms. It aims to examine the prevalence of COVID-19 in key sectors of the state.

Fortescue employees can also choose to opt into the research element of the Detect program.

App allows workers to anonymously report issues SafeWork New South Wales has launched an app, Speak Up, Save Lives, that allows workers to anonymously report workplace health and safety issues directly to the organisation.

Employees can discretely alert SafeWork to health and safety issues they witness in their workplace by sending photos of unsafe practices directly to SafeWork on the app.

New South Wales Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson, said the new app would make it easier than ever for workers to

report workplace risks.

“SafeWork inspectors do a fantastic job – but they can’t be everywhere at once,” Anderson said.

“The app is a quick, easy and confidential way for anyone to report unsafe worksite or work practices using only their mobile phone.

“If you spot anything risky, play your part in protecting your own safety as well as that of your work mates by immediately reporting it to SafeWork.”

Anderson said Speak Up, Save Lives was developed in consultation with the industry and the family of a young

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worker who was involved in a tragic workplace accident last year.

“Since launching Speak Up, Save Lives as a web platform in October last year, SafeWork has received 1647 reports from workers, handed out 472 improvement notices and $56,880 in penalties,” Anderson said.

“Any number of terrible incidents could have happened as a result of these safety issues and Speak Up means that workers can report issues before these incidents occur and prevent anyone from having to go through what (this) family has been through.”

Products THYSSENKRUPP PROVES BIGGER NOT EQUAL TO REDUCED SAFETY thyssenkrupp’s Twin KB 63-130 type gyratory crushers are not only two of the largest crushers in Australia, but they also offer top serviceability.

Most of the crushers’ components can be removed from the top of the machine, hence reducing the need to go underneath.

Mining operators would also typically have the lifting capacity for servicing through the top, according to thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions Australia national sales manager – strategic accounts, Luke Bennett.

The KB 63-130 has a maximum throughput capacity of 14,400 tonnes an hour.

It weighs nearly 500 kilograms and features a 1600-millimetre feed opening.

The crushers are part of Fortescue Metals Group’s contract awards to thyssenkrupp for its Iron Bridge project in Western Australia. thyssenkrupp.com

SANDVIK’S LONGHOLE DRILL DELIVERS ALL-AROUND SAFETY Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology has launched its first automation-ready, underground in-the-hole (ITH) longhole drill, which delivers safety benefits on multiple fronts.

The DU412i drill is fitted with an onboard booster and a drilling module for fan or parallel 90–216-millimetre diameter longhole drilling, using 3–8-inch ITH hammers. It improves safety by giving operators the ability to supervise multiple units, thanks to automation packages for repeating drilling cycles.

Teleremote drilling operation is also equipped with radioremote tramming, which gives the operator excellent visibility of the work area to safely tram the unit between fans and set it up very precisely without being in the operation area.

Sandvik also describes the falling-object protective structures (FOPS)/roll-over protective structures (ROPS) cabin as the safest and most comfortable working environment in underground drilling. rocktechnology.sandvik

KEESHARP GROUND ENGAGING TECHNOLOGY INCREASES SAFETY MARGINS Keech Australia has developed the KEESHARP 6-series ground engaging technology (GET) that covers various lip configurations and all applications.

Available in four sizes, they suit all popular makes and models of excavators and wheel loaders. KEESHARP, which is made from Keech’s superior KS steel, is lightweight and self-sharpening. It is tougher, longer lasting and more reliable.

Further, the 6-series teeth can be quickly and easily replaced using Keech’s patented KEELOCK system. The faster changeouts help increase mine productivity and safety. It also helps to reduce maintenance costs and delivers better bucket penetration with easy on/easy off operation. keech.com.au

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DIACON SAFETY PANEL HELPS PROTECT EQUIPMENT The Diacon Safety Panel is a plastic mesh panel guard that protects equipment without the need for on-site hot work and permits.

Thanks to unsupported panelling at bottom edge, the safety panel also allows for custom on-site fitment to equipment.

The safety panel is custom shaped and made of high-density polyethylene with holes for visibility and ventilation. It is corrosion-free, lightweight and requires no painting.

Diacon has designed the safety panel to be speedily installed and removed, using the “hook, hang and lock” protocol. Hooks vertically stiffen the panel and SS angle iron gives strength in horizontal plane.

The Diacon Safety Panel meets Australian Standard AS4024.1-2006 and AS1755-2000. diaconaust.com.au

HUMMINGBIRD ELECTRONICS REDUCES NOISE WITH SILENT HORNS Hummingbird Electronics’ silent horns are a replacement for noisy machine horns on mine sites when noise reduction is paramount.

With silent horns, operators are able to contact truck drivers with a simple press of a button. The latter will then receive a visual and audio alert and be able to identify which loader is communicating to them, all without an external noise.

Vehicles can also pair with each other, resulting in less distraction for the operator.

With the help of GPS, vehicles within a set perimeter will be the only ones to receive horn signals, reducing distraction and making mine sites ultimately safer. hmbe.com.au

CRC INDUSTRIES GETS RID OF CONTAMINANTS SAFELY CRC Industries’ SmartWasher parts cleaner detoxifies contaminants by using microorganisms or plant enzymes, eliminating risks of skin irritation or environmental pollution.

The SmartWasher uses CRC’s specialty formula, known as Ozzy Juice to clean oil and other contaminants, in line with the company’s focus for environmentallyfriendly solutions.

The machine has changed parts cleaning with its flexible faucet, flow through brush, heated cleaning solution and advanced controls for ease and efficiency, with options that are price conscious without compromising on the SmartWasher’s best features and benefits.

This allows mine employees to keep workspaces clean without using chemicals that are harmful both to themselves and the environment in which they work. crcindustries.com.au

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Products EPIROC INTRODUCES BLASTHOLE DRILL FOR SMALL OPERATIONS The DM30 II SP (single pass) rotary blasthole drill for small mining operations is a crawler-mounted, hydraulic tophead-drive rig that offers faster hole-to-hole drilling.

Built off the same platform as the Epiroc DM45 and DML blasthole drill rigs, the DM30 II reduces cost per tonne through single pass capability.

It can achieve a clean hole depth of 11 metres for single-pass applications. The small footprint of the DM30 II makes it easy to manoeuvre on tight benches and simple to transport within the pit and over the road between pits. The DM30 II features a falling object protective structure (FOPS) cab, ground-level isolation and an airend safety shutdown system for high temperature situations. Operators can choose to equip the rig with Epiroc Rig Control System Lite for added safety and productivity. epiroc.com

KAL TIRE ENHANCES SAFETY WITH PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM Kal Tire’s tyre pressure monitoring system is a technology that is designed to keep an entire fleet of trucks operating at peak performance.

The system, called True Tire Technology, is completely wireless, providing a range of real-time data that’s proven to prolong tyre life, increase fuel efficiency, enhance safety and reduce operational costs.

It helps to eliminate guesswork, risks and problems associated with tyre pressure. An under-inflated tyre working under heavy conditions can quickly reach an overheated state, severely reducing the life of tyres and increasing the risk of incidents.

The system works by putting pressure and temperature sensors inside a tyre to monitor the contained air temperature and pressure.

Real-time data is then transmitted to a dispatcher, cab operator, handheld unit or station receiver anywhere in the world. It can alert drivers to potential disasters with cab-based alarms. kaltiremining.com

BREATHE-SAFE HEPA FILTRATION CAPTURES RESPIRABLE DUST High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter from Breathe-safe captures dangerous airborne dust particles, preventing them from entering the deep tissue parts of the lungs.

With the human body having no mechanisms to capture or expel these invisible particles, inhaling them can cause lung disease over time.

Breathe-safe distributes long life cabin pressuriser systems with HEPA filters that can remove 99.97 per cent of particles in the 0.3 micron range, including asbestos, diesel particulate matter, silica and even coronavirus.

It meets the benchmark for high efficiency filters as tested per EN1822 – the European standard for air filters used in cleanrooms of pharma and electronics manufacturing. breathe-safe.com.au

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MINPROVISE PROVIDES FAST AND SAFE CONVEYOR BELT REPAIR The Luwirep 70 has the ability to quickly repair rubber conveyor belts and provides wear protection.

With simple handling even for inexperienced users, the adhesion and abrasion were optimised to the rubber‘s characteristics.

Luwirep 70 can repair cover rubber damages in fabric and steel cord conveyor belts, restore extremely stressed areas and is compatible with all common scraper and belt screening systems.

The two-component repair material can mend damages in as little as 40 minutes, with the conveyor immediately operational once completed.

It is applicable in locations that are hard to reach, minimising conveyor downtime at mining operations.

Minprovise has introduced larger-sized Luwirep repair cartridge to allow for bigger repairs. minprovise.com.au

DYNA ENGINEERING HELPS CREATE SAFE CONVEYOR SURROUNDINGS Conveyor skirting from DYNA Engineering is a product that creates and maintains a dust seal between the chute structure and the conveyor belt.

Usually made out of rubber strips and mechanical grips, the conveyor skirting keeps the rubber in place.

The product helps keep dust particles from becoming airborne and escaping the system, which could create a health and safety hazard and lead to material loss.

By suppressing dust, health and safety incidents will be minimised, and by preventing material loss, a higher product yield can be achieved.

The skirting also prevents stray material from becoming lodged between the belt and conveyor structure. dynaeng.com.au

FLSMIDTH STOPS NEED FOR WET TAILINGS FLSmidth is helping accelerate the roll out of dry stack solutions to drastically reduce the issue of tailing dam failures, a major safety risk of local communities.

This is a step in creating a waterless mine in an industry that poses intensive water use. The dry-stack tailings enables mining operators to recover up to 95 per cent of their process water, while multiple digital solutions provide greater processing efficiency. Stackable dry-cake material eliminates need for wet tailings, while dry cakes can be easily conveyed to a desired location or even compacted.

FLSmidth’s cost competitive solutions, EcoTails, which was developed in partnership with Goldcorp, and AFP-IV Colossal filtration together eliminate the need for a wet tailings dam and allow reuse of almost all process water, even on large mining operations. flsmidth.com

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Risk management

Queensland’s industrial manslaughter laws explained QUEENSLAND HAS PASSED AN INDUSTRIAL MANSLAUGHTER BILL, MEANING IF AN EMPLOYEE IS KILLED ON THE JOB DUE TO NEGLIGENCE, DIRECTORS MAY FACE UP TO 20 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT AND ORGANISATIONS FINES EXCEEDING $10 MILLION. SALOMAE HASELGROVE INVESTIGATES WHAT THE NEW LAWS MEAN FOR MINING.

T

he Mineral and Energy Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2020 was passed in Queensland Parliament during May, introducing industrial manslaughter as an offence into all resources laws, including mining, quarrying, oil and gas and explosives acts.

This means the offence of industrial manslaughter will apply when the court finds an employer or senior officer’s criminal negligence is the cause of death of a worker while working in any of these environments.

These changes are in line with the existing industrial manslaughter offences under Queensland’s Work Health and Safety Act 2011, providing consistent treatment of criminal negligence across all industries.

McCullough Robertson Lawyers is working with mining organisations to ensure they are across the new laws and that they have all appropriate safety procedures in place to ensure workers are coming home from their job safely every day.

As McCullough Robertson partner Cameron Dean explains, while operators in the resources sector all endeavour to make safety at work a priority, Queensland has unfortunately had a bout of accidents during the

Queensland passed the Mineral and Energy Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2020 in May, introducing industrial manslaughter as a new offence.

past five or so years.

With the new industrial manslaughter penalties now passed in parliament, it is only a matter of time before the laws are proclaimed and officially enforced in Queensland.

The laws will add new incentive to review safety measures to ensure no Queensland mines are at risk of breaching them.

“What this piece of legislation does is introduce a new offence into Queensland’s resources work health and safety laws,” Dean tells Safe to Work.

“Previously, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 industrial manslaughter offence had covered every industry

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since October 2017 except for the resources sector.

“The rationale for bringing in the offence is that whilst individuals and corporations could be prosecuted for manslaughter under criminal code, there was limitation around larger organisations or officers being successfully prosecuted for the death of a worker.”

This now means that organisations and their most senior directors and supervisors will face severe consequences should one of their workers be fatally injured on the job.

“What this intends to do is bring into play a new offence that will have repercussions for people at the most

senior end of the corporation and the corporation itself,” Dean explains.

“This is to motivate those making decisions in organisations to be held accountable to a much higher level for their safety practices, or else the penalties by way of fines and imprisonment could be imposed.”

In addition to the organisation and key directors, others within the organisation could also be up for penalisation, depending on the situation of the accident and the size of the organisation, according to Dean.

“Others exposed to the new industrial manslaughter laws are senior officers of an entity, those who are directors, and it can go below a directorial level, to a senior officer, for example,” he says.

“At this level, there is no financial penalty for senior officers, it is imprisonment, so this is what is potentially on the table if these obligations are breached.”

These penalties include a maximum possible fine of just over $13 million for organisations, compared with $10 million for industrial manslaughter legislation in other industries and up to 20 years imprisonment for mining managers, directors and other senior staff.

Mining organisations and directors will also not be covered by insurance for the penalties, as industrial manslaughter is a criminal offence.

“There are limits on what insurance can cover for under criminal offences,” Dean says. “There may be some defence costs that can be covered but beyond that, if you do get penalised this is not something operators can get insurance on.”

For coal mine operators, there are also new amendments to the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 that must be considered.

This includes a new requirement that statutory office holders must be employees of the coal mine operator, including contract workers.

Dean warns that Queensland coal

McCullough Robertson Lawyers partner Cameron Dean.

miners have 18 months to ensure that all relevant workers contracted to work at the site are direct employees of the company in 18 months’ time or face penalties.

“The clock is ticking for coal mine operators to ensure workers in statutory positions are employees, not contractors,” he says.

“This includes underground mine managers, ventilation officers and currently contracted statutory roles.

Under this new legislation, they must be employees of the mine operator.”

This is to ensure that all safety breaches and concerns are being reported, as contract or casual workers often do not feel as comfortable in making complaints against a workforce as full-time employees do.

“It is believed that if you are employed you will feel safer to raise complaints about any safety risks in your workplace without fear of reprisal or being terminated,” Dean says.

“This could be a headache for some operators or companies who may have a company within the organisation’s group

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that provides labour, enabling you to shift workers from mine to mine.

“Going forward operators will be far more limited in their ability to do this and it may cause practical issues for some operators.”

With Queensland leading the way in being the first Australian jurisdiction to introduce industrial manslaughter laws into the resources industry, could other states potentially be looking to introduce these laws and penalties? New South Wales, for example, introduced amendments to its work health and safety laws that hold a duty holder responsible for recklessly exposing a person to the risk of death.

Dean says other states may not feel the same level of motivation that Queensland did, due to its record of accidents.

“It will come down to each particular industry and whether they feel that it is the best course of action to ensure workers’ safety,” he explains.

“Since Queensland has had a record of cases and an independent review by the Brady Review of all fatal mining incidents in Queensland, other states may be less motivated to introduce these laws, but when it comes to safety, you can never say never.”

With safety already being such a high priority for the mining industry, the industrial manslaughter laws are a part of the puzzle to creating a safer resources sector in Queensland and holding those at the highest level accountable for what happens to workers.

“In my dealings with those within the mining industry, people are doing their best to comply with the standards they need to comply with,” Dean concludes.

“However, incidents are still happening and the industry needs to have a good, hard look and work out a cultural shift to get people to work safely, as opposed to being in a position they shouldn’t be.”

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Dust suppression

Capturing harmful mine dust with next-level solutions A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN A FEW MONTHS. IN THE DUST CONTROL WORLD, MINING COMPANIES HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES TOWARDS CREATING A SAFER WORKPLACE FOR EMPLOYEES. SAFE TO WORK SPEAKS WITH BREATHE-SAFE DIRECTOR NICK JOHNSTONE ABOUT WHAT’S NEXT.

G

overnments, mining companies, and health authorities have started to ramp up their actions over the past 18 months to minimise workers’ exposure to respirable mine dust.

This action has culminated in a greater understanding, coupled with more accurate real-time dust level monitoring and testing of samples to identify what is contained in the dust and their respective fractions.

The various fractions must always be considered. Crystalline silica is just one of the well-known and harmful respirable mine dust. According to Nick Johnstone, director of air filtration provider Breathesafe, several other unsafe particles can also enter the lungs.

“We all know about asbestos and diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) as they are another group one carcinogenic substances floating in the air,” Johnstone tells Safe to Work.

“Inhalable dust and DPM haven’t vanished. It’s just not the hot topic.

“As we move forward, we will see companies testing samples from many different locations around their site, as we now believe that the same base material can behave differently at different stages of the process. Testing the actual material captured at a specific location is the best way to get an accurate breakdown of the material.”

Breathe-safe cabin pressure display.

These different locations will show different concentrations of the various hazardous substances, including DPM, Johnstone continues.

“HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters not only capture crystalline silica but DPM solids very well,” he says.

“They knock it out of the park by reducing DPM exposure by more than 99.97 per cent.”

Johnstone says within months of the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME) release of the Recognised Standard 20 (RS20) late last year, the sector’s biggest players were running air quality trials to test their ability to reach below the new limit of 0.05 milligrams per cubic metre.

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He praises Australian mining companies for jumping into the initiative to provide better workers’ protection against respirable dust.

“The goal must be zero exposure as this is the only way to ensure zero harm,” Johnstone says, enthused.

“Our Dual INPRESS HEPA system exceeds the requirements listed in RS20. Our latest filter has been upgraded to H14. We have been auditing our systems with Nanozen personal dust monitors.

“One of the many benefits of using the dust count unit is that it has an inbuilt sample filter that you can analyse.

Once analysed, you can choose to calibrate the personal dust monitor for

Dust suppression

HEPA recirculation filter installed on a Hitachi EH5000 dump truck.

your specific type of mine dust.

“A Queensland mining company has run a trial on its dozer fleet, and we are now installing our Breathe-safe INPRESS system to every one of its dozers. An efficient Dual HEPA filtration system is the way to meet the proposed 0.02 milligrams limit.”

According to Johnstone, mining companies are quickly reacting to this industry-wide change. But if it were not for COVID-19, they would’ve reacted even faster.

“I’m very, very confident that we can achieve more than what we’re already doing,” he says.

The type of masks primarily worn by frontline health workers to protect against COVID-19 is the N95 respirator.

The name indicates its 95 per cent efficiency in catching airborne microbes when fitted correctly.

But exceeding that are HEPA H13 filters. They have a 99.97 per cent

efficiency, theoretically providing a much higher level of protection and effectiveness in capturing coronavirus droplets. These filters are driving a lot of interest among Australian mining companies, Johnstone says.

“By installing HEPA filters to both the fresh air intake and recirculation air intake on a machine, you will provide a better protection factor than an N95 or P2 mask. Ideally, this is what you want to do,” he explains.

“I must note this will provide the best protection for airborne particles. I would recommend that you implement cleaning and sanitising of any surfaces in the equipment to prevent any possibility of virus transfer via contact.

“We have got machines that are achieving the proposed standard by Safe Work. Now that users understand the importance of a pressurised cabin using HEPA H13 filtered air, the two main drivers to fulfil the standard are a greater

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 18 JUL-AUG 2020

understanding of the importance of installing HEPA return air filters.

“When it comes to air quality, the HEPA return air filter gives you a great bang for your buck. Check out the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) studies.

The second one is real-time particle counters to accurately access where the dust exposure is coming from. It comes down to addressing the spikes in dust exposure.”

For Johnstone, mining operators will see what’s causing most of the spike in workers’ dust exposure as they analyse the real-time data. This could tie in closely with a particular task that’s carried out in a specific area, at a certain time.

With more accurate and real-time testing available, mining operators can eliminate these instances of spikes, so that workers’ dust exposure can drop below even the originally proposed standard of 0.02 milligrams per cubic metre.

“If available, engineered solutions have been proven to reduce workers’ dust exposure to below the current limit.

There would then be no reason for the industry not to drop to the originally proposed limit,” Johnstone says.

Further, the mining industry’s onset of autonomous operations will not eliminate the need for HEPA filtration systems in machines.

In the words of Johnstone, the technology installed in these machines is an absolute “state of the art.” But one thing about state-of-the-art machines is their vulnerability to breakdowns due to mine dust.

“We have been using the same grade filters to look after the electronics. As mining autonomy moves ahead, HEPA filters will still need to be installed to protect both the electronic heart of the machine and the heart and lungs of the operators and service personnel working on them,” he concludes.

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Workforce management

Lining up mining jobs of the future now SAFETY IS PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN MINING SECTOR’S BLUEPRINT IN SHAPING THE MINING JOBS OF THE FUTURE. SAFE TO WORK SPEAKS WITH THE MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, GOLD INDUSTRY GROUP AND NSW MINERALS COUNCIL TO FIND OUT MORE. by delivering new ways of learning which are responsive to a changing world, technology shifts and future global demand.”

Each apprentice will be paired with a mining employer upfront and receive accelerated education and training linked to the job. The pilot welcomes people

Credit: Gold Fields.

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inding a job in the Australian mining sector presents less of a challenge than in the past.

While landing a desired position can take considerable time, the Australian Government and mining industry have taken a united stance to streamline the job-hunting process as much as possible.

The federal government has chosen mining as an industry that will benefit from the skills organisation pilot.

Through the pilot, the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has taken the steps to accelerate 1000 new apprenticeships to fulfil skills and training needs across Australia.

“The Mining Skills Organisation Pilot is part of the Australian Government’s skills package, Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow, which will help train highly skilled and qualified workers, including in regional areas, to meet the needs of businesses,” MCA chief executive Tania Constable says.

“The pilot will help prepare industry and learners for large-scale skills shifts

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 20 JUL-AUG 2020

who are at various points in their career to join the mining industry.

They will be able to develop skill sets and qualifications linked to technology adoption in the modern mining sector, including automation and data analytics, which are also transferrable to the mining equipment, technology and services

Gold Fields team members at the St Ives operation in Western Australia.

Credit: Evolution Mining.

Gold produced at Evolution Mining’s Cracow mine in Queensland.

(METS) and allied sectors.

Not forgetting to emphasise safety as a core principle in the pilot, Constable says the program will embed a culture of respect that is core to the minerals industry and include mental health as part of the program.

“Investing in our people, skills and innovation means we can continue to be a global leader in mining competitiveness and deliver fulfilling careers for people in highly paid, highly skilled jobs,” Constable says.

Launched in May, the pilot will operate for two years as a joint collaboration between the Australian mining industry and the Australian Government.

Meanwhile, Gold Industry Group (GIG) has launched an online hub of employment opportunities and career pathways known as Gold Jobs. It acts

“In 2018–19, the Perth Mint was the third largest exporter in Australia behind Rio Tinto and BHP. Our exports exceeded those of Fortescue Metals Group and Woodside Energy by value.” as a platform that brings all jobs in the sector together into one place.

GIG chairman and the Perth Mint chief executive Richard Hayes says the gold industry plays a big role in Australia’s economy.

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“In 2018–19, the Perth Mint was the third largest exporter in Australia behind Rio Tinto and BHP. Our exports exceeded those of Fortescue Metals Group and Woodside Energy by value,” he says.

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Northern Star Resources’ Indigenous ranger program has expanded since its establishment in 2014.

“That illustrates just how important the gold industry is to the whole of Australia. And Gold Jobs fits in very well with what we do at GIG: to tell a story about Australian gold and help educate the broader Australian public about the value the gold sector brings to the economy.”

Hayes says the online job site is about more than advertising positions, which range from entry-level opportunities through to management roles. It also tells its audience about the gold sector and the skill sets required for those roles.

This comes from the sector’s own existing workforce, who talk about their daily work in pre-recorded videos.

Gold Jobs visitors can range from existing gold sector employees and teachers to students, whether they are of school age and want to familiarise themselves with the gold industry, or university students looking for the right career.

“I’m not aware of any other company who does this. Other recruitment portals advertise lots of job vacancies, but none profile the hiring company the way we do. We’re not only trying to find people to work in the industry, but also those

who will fit in with the company culture,” Hayes says.

“It’s a challenge when people have to leave their families behind during a four-week roster. It doesn’t appeal to everybody.

“But mining companies have tried to make fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) as seamless and painless as possible. That’s not a challenge that’s only unique to the gold mining industry, but also to nickel, iron ore, copper and oil and gas.”

According to Hayes, mining companies have done a good job in handling these situations carefully and provided mental health initiatives on site.

“They’ve spent a lot of time making

Employees of the Tropicana joint venture in Western Australia.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 22 JUL-AUG 2020

the effort and it shows,” he adds.

As for GIG, the team had been working on the concept behind Gold Jobs for over a year by the time it launched in May. Hayes believes there is no perfect time to launch an initiative, and during COVID-19 was as good as any other time. Within less than a month, 79 roles were advertised across the Australian gold sector.

“We’re certain we’ll see more coming on as the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and as Australia is opening up again, allowing the flow of people within different states,” Hayes says.

“The fact that the gold industry is employing and not laying people off is great news for Australia, at a time when so many others have lost their jobs.”

NSW Minerals Council chief executive Steve Galilee acknowledges that COVID-19 has clearly had a big economic impact, with the state’s sector also being affected.

“While gold prices are strong, lower prices for coal in particular are creating some challenges. So far there has only been a limited employment impact overall, and the industry is seeking to support as many jobs as possible,” he says.

But Galilee believes that the long-term future for the mining sector is positive.

Its strong fundamentals remain intact despite COVID-19, he concludes.

Credit: AngloGold Ashanti Australia and IGO.

Credit: Northern Star Resources.

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Technology

Real-time asset availability becomes an affordable goal CTRACK DEMONSTRATES THAT TRACKING ASSETS IS A MEANS TO MANY ENDS NOT LIMITED TO IMPROVING SAFETY, PROJECT CONTROL, PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY. ALL OF THIS COMES WITH THE RELEASE OF THE CTRACK ASSET RANGE.

Ctrack Asset helps users conduct quantity control, emergency response and theft prevention.

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ining operators can now track the flow of goods coming from a mine site carrying a payload of iron ore, coal or lithium thanks to a range of devices that not only follows a powered item, but also its non-powered counterpart.

These IOT devices can also be placed on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) equipment for a quick identification of its whereabouts when an emergency event occurs.

They can also be used as a theft prevention tool because the device can be set to alert if an item has been moved from a location to a place where it’s not supposed to be.

The device doesn’t leave companies in the mercy of the perpetrator, but instead enables them to warn the perpetrator of their knowledge of the latter’s whereabouts.

This is how Ctrack has given mining companies the ability to conduct quantity

Ctrack’s asset location and sensory data solution via GPS or Wi-Fi sniffing.

control, emergency response and theft prevention in an unprecedented way.

It owes to the newly launched product range, Ctrack Asset, which keeps tabs on where a company’s items are located, whether they are valuable or important for efficient operation in the field.

Mining operations that have an Internet of Things (IoT)-dedicated network, 4G-Cat M1, or a supported low power, wide area networking protocol like LoRaWAN (long-range wide-area network) set up on-site can enjoy this offering.

“One of the big issues facing mining companies in this area is they only have satellites connectivity as their best and failsafe option to track items or devices,” says Greg Howard, Ctrack New Zealand business development manager across IoT, telematics, GPS and asset tracking verticals.

“The problem with this is that satellite connectivity is normally significantly more expensive.

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“With LPWAN, you will maintain coverage while saving a considerable amount of cost, and you’ll still be able to track your items.”

The Ctrack Asset range also has devices that can sniff WiFi connections or low-power Bluetooth tags, which are useful for tracking lower cost noncritical assets like handheld equipment. These connectivity options can replace the use of more expensive GPS devices to trace smaller assets.

When hooked on a powered vehicle, users can track its location in real time.

In delivering even greater safety to mine sites, operators can use Ctrack Asset to keep tabs on maintenance, including when the vehicle was last serviced.

Using the maintenance recorders within the system, users can be alerted to perform maintenance as scheduled.

Ctrack Asset is also an aid for day to day operations at a mine site. With the size of many truck fleets, there will often

be a large number of vehicle keys a driver needs to scramble through to get on the right machine, and then there’s the items they must take along with them.

This is where the Bluetooth tags become particularly useful. Batteries on the tags can last beyond three years in typical use. Ctrack Asset also helps track a forgotten item when an operator moves from one part of the mine to another. “If someone leaves behind, say, a generator, Ctrack Asset can save a lot of energy, effort and time in identifying where the missing generator is,�

Howard, who has 20 years’ experience in telematics, GPS and asset tracking, says.

The industry veteran joined Ctrack this year, giving credit to the company’s fourth ranking in the world in terms of global asset tracking and connected devices. “Ctrack has a huge presence globally and from its roots in South Africa, which STW half page July ed.pdf 1 16/06/2020 1:19:06 PM has a large and vibrant mining industry

Ctrack New Zealand business development manager Greg Howard.

that has helped build up the company’s experience,� Howard says. “It has a very, very strong pedigree in asset tracking. Ctrack has been involved in the transportation of people, recovery of stolen vehicles and transporting of valuable commodities such as gold and

platinum, cases where Ctrack’s suite of technology has been used.�

Companies that choose to invest in Ctrack Asset will see greater benefits flowing from its technology suite later this year when the business integrates its lone worker solution to the platform, which is critical for health and safety of workers who are away from the safety of the mine site telecommunication network.

Ctrack has traditionally focussed on vehicle technology and driving style, such as harsh braking and speeding, or even identifying the cause of the significant event, such as a vehicle rollover.

At the higher end of the Ctrack product suite is technology that can video-monitor activity outside of the vehicle and also inside the driver cab.

The focus of the asset platform is to enable companies to widen their locational intelligence to assets that were previously too expensive to track.

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SAFETY EFFICIENCY EXPECTATIONS

Virtual reality

Viion targets rapid response skills through virtual world training ACCELERATED TRENDS OF AUTONOMY IN MINING AND INCREASED RELIANCE ON DATA HAVE PUSHED TRAINING TO THE FORE TO ENSURE WORKERS HAVE ADEQUATE SKILLS. VIION REVEALS THE MOST CRITICAL TRAINING AREAS AND WHY.

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here does the reliability of data end and human expertise start?

Technologies are being developed and improved every day to enable mining operators to harness the power of data, but there are still holes that only human workers can address.

As greater automation takes root across Australia’s mining sector, human employees remain irreplaceable.

While data is extremely valuable to improving training and mitigating risks, it is often incomplete, variable from site to site and misreported. It is susceptible to murky human factors that can lead to errors and incidents.

“Human expertise closes the gap, allowing an individual’s experience and intuitive knowledge of operating in complex situations to help adapt to uncertain conditions where the data isn’t applicable,” Whit Missildine, chief learning officer at Viion, a company that has worked with Rio Tinto and St Barbara, says.

“We need to understand the limits of data as well as the limits of human expertise.”

Just as mining companies are making investments in data software, an investment in human expertise remains critical.

Viion offers an accelerated way of learning through the use of VR.

Employees are essential to gathering, interpreting and applying data in an improved manner. Their expertise will always be necessary to knowing what data to collect, how to interpret it, how and when it applies and to close the gap when limits are reached.

With changes happening on a mine site by the day, or even the hour, highlevel experts capable of responding to the situation and adapting their actions are required.

Virtual reality (VR) technology allows training designers to develop new scenarios extremely quickly and help operators develop expertise much faster than real life is capable of, thanks to its immersive

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learning experience.

“It allows us to give people experiences and experience where it is most required,” Missildine says.

“It is targeted and adaptive to the individuals needs, rather than generic across an entire training population.”

New site requirements, changing circumstances and ambiguous conditions all challenge operators to rely on experience and intuition to adapt. Employee training can expose weaknesses or dangers in these scenarios before an incident occurs.

A simulated environment is a suitable place to explore these safely, without any risks to real life failure.

Missildine says scenarios can be rapidly adapted and progressed,

bringing scenario designs that would otherwise be too complicated, expensive or dangerous to simulate in the real world.

“The most valuable high stakes environments to train for are those in which human error in decision-making contributes most to critical outcomes,” Missildine says.

“For example, a mechanical failure due to a manufacturing or supply chain issue may lead to a disastrous event, but the solution involves looking into maintenance practices, procurement or supply chain management within the organisation.

“But many high stakes mining incidents are the result of human error, based on issues like situation awareness, attentional focus, deviation from protocol, etc. These mindset and behavioural factors are where better training has its biggest potential impact.”

This is how human expertise and technology interact with each other.

One picks up where the other left off.

By simulating infrequent, high consequence events, an immersive training method can also expose employees to events that only occur once or twice a decade, but are highly

VR-delivered training allows workers to develop solutions on their own, enhancing learning effectiveness.

critical, within a much shorter time period.

While the way in which humans learn new information hasn’t changed in the brain for thousands of years, VR-delivered training helps accelerate the rate and manner by which workers are exposed to challenging conditions, increasing skills retention and decreasing time to proficiency.

It highlights an opportunity for workers to discover solutions to problems on their own, rather than imitating a standard procedure – which increases engagement and enhances recall.

This may include training catered

to experienced site employees, who are known to be more susceptible to taking shortcuts, have declining risk awareness, and be overconfident and unprepared for changes in protocol.

Issues such as these are often unaddressed by mining operators.

“Workers need to be continually trained. Safety research shows that novice operators are not necessarily more likely to be involved in safety incidents than those with more experience,” Missildine concludes.

“More refresher training is something the mining industry knows it needs more of, but doesn’t do adequately.”

Virtual reality Epigroup’s VR training allows mine workers to prepare for potentially dangerous situations in a safe environment.

Epigroup puts eyes across mines with VR training ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL COMPONENTS THAT ALLOW MINES TO COMPLETE TRAINING IN DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS USING 3D ANIMATION ARE OFTEN THE FOCUS OF VIRTUAL REALITY (VR) TECHNOLOGY. HOWEVER, EPIGROUP COMBINES VR WITH TRUE-TO-LIFE CONTENT FROM THEIR CLIENTS’ MINE SITES FOR A MORE REALISTIC TRAINING EXPERIENCE.

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pigroup’s main use for VR technology is in the training space, helping mining companies to familiarise workers with mines and the risks involved while working on them in a safe environment with scenariobased learning.

As Epigroup co-director James Teakle explains, the company is using its background in film direction to give workers a realistic experience, even using leaders in the sector to combine the technology with human knowledge and instinct.

“Epigroup’s point of difference is combining our WHS (work health and safety) expertise with our background in filmmaking, motion graphics and special effects,” Teakle tells Safe to Work.

“We take our VR cameras out to film on a mine site, then bring them back to overlay motion graphics and special effects.

“This transforms the spaces to give a real experience of the site, as opposed to using a digitally animated environment which doesn’t look as realistic and takes away experiencing a mine site exactly as it is.”

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Many VR safety training programs are put together in this more animated style with 3D renders and digitally created characters.

To create an even more profound learning experience, Epigroup prefers to capture video VR footage of senior employees and mine managers and integrate them into the training programs.

Trainees are then able to gain insights from real experts when learning about risks of certain areas of a mine site.

“One of our products is Expert Eyes, which is built from us filming a scene

somewhere on a mine site or refinery processing area,” Teakle explains.

“We engage with one of the site’s experts in that particular processing area or piece of plant and they share their knowledge as they gaze around the site.

“They see things someone new wouldn’t see, just through their natural senses and experience.

“We film the scenes of what they’re looking out for, seeing and bringing in their past experience of events that may have happened on that site or to that piece of equipment.”

Teakle says that combining this expertise with VR to create Expert Eyes gives people an experience that goes beyond what a trainee would get even if they were actually at the mine site.

By combining real-life experience and the emotional, human response to events, workers are able to prepare for accidents or disasters as if they were happening, without risking their personal safety.

“If the person talking in the earpiece is a knowledgeable and respected senior person, this is far more engaging not just for new trainees, but other employees updating their training,” Teakle says.

“It helps accelerate risk perception by letting people witness safety failures in a safe and controlled environment, so they get a sense of the consequences in a very realistic setting.

“The consequences and catastrophic outcomes just can’t be represented in real life, but in VR you can do that. When people see something that could go wrong it’s the emotional response that best helps them to learn and to become more aware of the risks.”

Epigroup has experienced extremely positive feedback from workers following training, with mining employees saying they feel more confident on site and not as overwhelmed by new equipment, structures and locations.

Aside from the obvious advantages of preparing workers for the worst in a safe

environment, Teakle believes VR training will also help combat issues of the risk of important knowledge being lost in an ageing industry.

With Epigroup capturing information from experts in mining companies, this information can then be used when training the next generation of Australian miners.

“We see VR as a really good way to capture that knowledge and of using technology to pass on generations of experience to the next generation of workers,” Teakle says.

“This information from the experienced operators is captured forever. A lot of the next generation won’t get to learn from their experience unless they’ve worked with these people one on one and VR is a really good way of capturing this for those future workers.”

The technology can also be used to aid investigations after incidents occur, capturing the location and how the incident took place to get a better sense of the elements that caused it.

“Using VR gives a better sense of the location than looking at flat, stretched or pixelated images generally taken with a mobile phone. They don’t create a lot of value in terms of the human factor assessment,” Teakle explains.

“If we are able to capture that scene

Epigroup gathers footage of experts at mine sites to talk trainees through their area of expertise.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 29 JUL-AUG 2020

in a 360-degree space, the people investigating the incident can get a much better sense of the physical situation and how the elements came together to cause the event and how human factors came into play.”

To help companies put their VR training programs into place, Epigroup also runs classroom-based WHS training at its Perth office.

The training not only prepares workers before they go out to site, but also arranges for offices to obtain the headsets and run their own training to fit their schedules.

With VR adapting from when it was first released in the 1990s with clunky, computer-tethered equipment to the wireless headsets with high-quality imagery of today, Epigroup believes this advanced method of learning is here to stay.

“Generally, the first response people have of the technology is that they’re in awe of the technology, before even seeing the true value of it,” Teakle continues.

“It’s when they realise their response is syncing into actual learning when it starts to click that VR isn’t just a cool gimmick, it’s giving workers experience and knowledge they didn’t have before, all in a secure environment.”

Industry comment

Mining keeps Australia afloat amid pandemic THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAS IMPACTED THE ENTIRE GLOBE, CHANGING THE WAY PEOPLE WORK AND LIVE, INCLUDING THE MINING INDUSTRY. SALOMAE HASELGROVE INVESTIGATES HOW THE MINING INDUSTRY HAS SUPPORTED THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY DURING A TIME OF CRISIS.

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hile industries such as hospitality, tourism and entertainment almost completely shut down, mining has been deemed an essential service, therefore a key primary industry keeping the Australian economy afloat during the pandemic.

Being an essential industry, however, did not mean that mines avoided changes in the way they operated during the pandemic.

From March until June, for example, Fortescue Metals Group changed its flyin fly-out (FIFO) rostering to four weeks on, two weeks off from its regular two weeks on, one week off rosters.

This decision was made to reduce travel to and from its remote sites by 40 per cent, while allowing operations to continue without compromising the health of its employees, their families and

the communities in which it operates.

BHP was another company that introduced stringent measures across its operations to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

The major miner implemented social distancing at its sites, camps and offices, limited gatherings of people, suspended international travel and increased flexible rostering.

It also reduced the number of workers travelling to and from shifts on aeroplanes and buses, and performed temperature checks and surveys of all employees before boarding company operated transport.

Even with restrictions and changes to regular operations, mining has been paramount in keeping Australian workers in jobs and related businesses operational, with a flow-on effect supporting travel, manufacturing and

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 30 JUL-AUG 2020

service industries.

Australian tungsten company Rafaella Resources understands the impact of the pandemic all too well, with one of its key assets, the Santa Comba project being in Spain, while most of the team, including managing director Steven Turner is based in Australia.

Turner arrived back to Australia from a site visit on March 10, 36 hours before Australia closed its international borders, cutting his visit short in the midst of making important business decisions regarding the project.

With travel between Australia and Spain being an integral part of Rafaella’s business, Turner says the company quickly had to adapt, like many others have during the pandemic as well.

“The biggest change not just for Rafaella Resources but in the whole market has been the travel ban,” Turner

The mining industry has helped to keep the Australian economy afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic.

tells Safe to Work.

“The working environment has changed a lot in a short time, with the travel ban impacting people across entire companies, from FIFO workers all the way up to executives that need to travel to visit sites for their business development.”

Unable to visit the Santa Comba site, Rafaella Resources hired a local project manager, allowing them to continue progressing the project despite majority of the executive team being unable to meet with the Spanish department of mines in person.

As Turner explains, the mining industry has been well prepared to quickly adapt to new ways of operating amid the pandemic.

“The mining industry is very resilient,” he says. “There is already a strong sense of safety culture in every mining operation so putting additional safety measures in place is something mining companies were very well prepared for.

“This is something that can be rolled into their normal weekly meetings, which always start with health and safety so it’s already front and centre to integrate coronavirus measures such as social distancing, hand washing and wearing masks very easily into the existing mine safety culture.”

Having been able to so aptly adjust its working procedures and expectations, the majority of Australian mining operations have continued despite the pandemic, with the various health measures in place.

Turner says mining has been “fundamental” at this time, as demonstrated by the state and federal governments deeming it an essential industry and allowing travel to and from mine sites to continue.

Rafaella Resources’ Santa Comba project in Spain.

“Mining has been critical, which means jobs are largely unaffected and new investment is still happening in the Australian mining industry,” he explains.

“This has helped to maintain and create further jobs, such as the airline industry, which although limited, is still flying in support of the mining industry.”

The ability to keep mine workers employed has also helped to improve the public’s perception of the industry.

With many people across various industries suffering lost or reduced employment due to the pandemic, the wider community is seeing the importance mining has to Australian livelihoods.

“Regional communities are generally very, very supportive of mining,” he says.

“They are the ones who are employed in mining and these communities are very supportive seeing the investment mining makes in their local area.

“Now the economy is suffering and jobs are on the line, the people who do protest against mining are changing their focus.

“Seeing the mining industry still investing in communities and employing people, therefore supporting families, the general perception has changed.”

As some parts of Europe, including

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 31 JUL-AUG 2020

Spain are recording fewer cases, they are starting to open their borders again to take advantage of the summer tourism season and the economic boost it brings with it.

Turner is urging Australia to re-open its borders as soon as possible, to allow business to return to normal.

He fears that the focus has changed from minimising the risk to eliminating the virus altogether, which will see borders remain closed for longer despite the number of cases decreasing.

“Australia has handled the pandemic extremely well, particularly at the beginning and we have managed to, for the most part, stop the import of coronavirus at the outlet,” he says.

“The idea of this was to get prepared with ventilators in intensive care units so we haven’t really figured out what the risk tolerance here is, so we need to watch these places that are opening up and see what the impact is.

“The travel ban has had a significant impact on businesses and the sooner we can reopen borders, the better because it will allow operations to return to normal much more quickly, especially as we now have now built our health system’s capacity to manage any localised outbreaks.”

Remote monitoring

JESI and Fleet Complete are combining their remote management software.

JESI, Fleet Complete begin new journey as partners AS SEPARATE COMPANIES, JESI AND FLEET COMPLETE HAVE EACH ALREADY BUILT A REPUTATION FOR PROVIDING THE MINING INDUSTRY WITH LEADING SAFETY MONITORING SOFTWARE. SAFE TO WORK DISCUSSES THEIR PLANS NOW THAT THEY ARE JOINING FORCES.

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ESI’s focus as a software company is providing solutions to the challenges presented by remote worker management.

The company helps to reduce accidents, injuries and delays for workers on the road who travel between locations as part of their role, such as in the mining industry.

Fleet Complete, on the other hand, specialises in tracking vehicles and fleet performance management, including the location of vehicles in real-time.

The two companies have announced a partnership, logically combining their areas of expertise to provide the industry with a global platform that will allow management to monitor specific journeys.

Using this technology, mining companies will be aware of their workers’ whereabouts, including whether or not they have reached their destination

safely and in efficient time.

This can be taken further to actually identify which employees are operating what vehicle at any given time.

JESI chief executive officer Joe Hoolahan says working with Fleet Complete allows the company to create remote worker management software solutions that not only monitor where employees are in the present, but also where they plan to go in the future and the most efficient and safe ways to complete their journey.

“We already cover so many aspects of a mobile workforce, so we know working together with Fleet Complete will provide a powerful, centralised approach to managing and monitoring workforces through one dashboard,” Hoolahan tells Safe to Work.

“Fleet Complete is a global leader in the telematics sector and working with them significantly enhances a value

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proposition in providing the best solution for both our customers.”

While roles within the mining industry are known for having varying levels of risk, Hoolahan says driving is still the biggest risk, whether it be travelling to and from shifts, on remote sites or between sites on the job.

“Driving is still the biggest risk in the sector and fatigue goes hand in hand with that,” Hoolahan says. “The industry is certainly seeing a lot of pressure to continue reviewing and mitigating risks in how workers behave – working to educate them on how they can be better drivers.

“It’s a really important link to evaluate how much travel someone has or is about to undertake. Completing a digital risk assessment prior to departure can quickly identify fatigue concerns or other associated risks that would impact on the worker safely

arriving at their destination.”

JESI and Fleet Complete are supporting companies to assess the risks of travel and prioritise which trips are essential or if there is a safer and more productive way to conduct a meeting.

“From JESI’s point of view, the preplanning of travel assists with fatigue and other environmental factors, as well as preparing workers with the right equipment and education for safer travel,” Hoolahan explains.

“This technology can help in making higher level business decisions regarding travel, whether it be increasing the number of buses, car-pooling or better planning of rosters and understanding of travel’s impact on certain roads.”

This is not only useful in planning everyday travel, but also in disaster management and the current circumstances with COVID-19 contact tracing capability.

Hoolahan says that by using JESI and Fleet Complete’s tracking software, teams can not only be immediately aware of any road or weather incidents, they can also give workers clarity on how to respond to the situation.

“Currently, if there is an emergency event, locating people can be a challenge if they are all operating in a variety of diverse locations,” he explains.

“Using this technology, we can quickly communicate to workers and monitor their whereabouts, which really enhances the business resilience benefits of remote worker management software.”

Fleet Complete looks forward to building its focus to include people and their set journeys more, after its success in tracking vehicles and fleets.

Fleet Complete Australia national sales director Michael Seychell says the company plans to strengthen its lone worker duty of care with JESI’s software solution, and in addition provide a platform for their newly-founded partner to access a global market.

“Currently, if there is an emergency event, locating people can be a challenge if they are all operating in a variety of diverse locations.”

JESI chief executive officer Joe Hoolahan.

“Through the integration of both platforms, we are looking to further develop our own and JESI’s technology as a seamless solution that creates greater efficiencies for our customers,” Seychell tells Safe to Work.

“By being able to manage and monitor workers as they arrive to sites and projects, we can determine the most efficient and safe routes.

“By managing this, companies can control excessive costs in fuel and unnecessary wear and tear on vehicles, as well as the safety aspect including driver fatigue from driving long hours.”

The remote worker management software is customisable to each workplace, with different organisations able to update the settings based on each individual company’s policies and guidelines.

With both JESI and Fleet Complete

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Fleet Complete national sales director Michael Seychell.

excited by the partnership, they are not wasting time in combining their existing areas of expertise, aiming to have the proof of concept integration available mid-July 2020.

While the technology is currently only focussed on light vehicles, rather than heavy mining machinery such as haul trucks, JESI and Fleet Complete have not ruled out this as a potential future avenue for the companies to explore.

For now, the companies are excited to embark on the new partnership and continue providing their clients with reliable remote worker management software solutions.

“There are limited opportunities and options in the market for integrated solutions such as this. We are excited to deliver a best-in-class system for mining industry participants that will combine both platforms,” Seychell concludes.

Materials handling

Diacon Australia guards workers in conveyor environments CONVEYORS CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES TO WORK ON OR AROUND AT A MINE SITE. DIACON AUSTRALIA AIMS TO GUARD WORKERS FROM BEING INJURED WITH ITS PLASTIC CONVEYOR GUARDS. SALOMAE HASELGROVE WRITES.

Conveyors are one of the most dangerous parts of a site but Diacon’s guards can drastically improve safety around them.

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espite knowledge within the industry about the risks of working around conveyor systems, serious injuries unfortunately still occur, meaning appropriate conveyor guarding solutions are essential at mine sites.

Diacon Australia offers high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic guards, which are of high quality and specialised design to avoid accidents on or around conveyor belts.

Plastic guards have the advantage of being more lightweight than the conventionally used steel options, being corrosion free and available in a distinct yellow colour for safety, which doesn’t wear off, and never require removal for painting.

These guards also require far less processing and minimal jigging during the set-up process, making guarding a mine with plastic guards quicker and cheaper than with steel.

As Diacon Australia managing director Brendan Refalo explains, conveyor guards are only one part of the process of keeping workers safe on conveyors, but an important one at that.

“Unfortunately, way too many people get hurt through working around conveyors in the Australian mining industry,” Refalo tells Safe to Work. “Our product is only one piece of the puzzle in keeping people safe on conveyors.

“It is so surprising that in 2020 people are not only still getting injured, but still getting killed. It is so avoidable and there is obviously a need for improved conveyor safety.”

While Diacon Australia provides the products for enhanced conveyor safety, awareness of the standard of equipment required to ensure safety on and around conveyors is essential to lowering the number of injuries and fatalities occurring on Australian mine sites.

This is true not just for the mining

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industry, but processing plants for other materials including wood chips, gravel or any operations involving working around bulk material handling conveyors.

As well as guarding solutions, technology can be used to heighten conveyor guard safety, through operational controls and interlocking systems.

While designing these systems is not part of Diacon Australia’s service, the company works to combine its products with them for the safest conveyors possible.

“We’re not electrical interlock specialists but our guarding can be adapted to fit any available systems,” Refalo explains.

“Because our guard is so customisable, we are often asked to fit it with interlocking gates, which have gated access and electronic controls.”

Under this system, any time the gate is opened, the system automatically shuts down and isolates, providing another safety barrier to help workers avoid injury.

“We will adapt our guards to work with these systems so they can achieve whatever is necessary to keep people safe,” Refalo says.

With so many other dangerous parts on conveyors, such as the pulleys, continuously moving rollers and induction motors, it is easy to overlook other more

modest dangers of the conveyor, such as the walkway.

Diacon Australia has combatted this risk as well, giving its guards the added benefit of being designed to be easily removed and hung on handrails during conveyor maintenance, eliminating them as a potential trip hazard.

“Diacon guards are easily adaptable to site conditions and are designed to be hung on the handrail beside the conveyor during maintenance, which removes them from sitting on the catwalk becoming another workplace hazard,” Refalo says.

The Diacon guards are also adaptable in what kind of sites they can be used on, including flexibility for use on both underground and open pit operations, with specialised fire-resistant anti-static (FRAS) options for coal mines available for design upon request.

This flexibility doesn’t just range from what sites the guards can be used on, but to the size of the guards themselves, allowing them to fit around obstructions around the conveyor belt, meaning the site doesn’t need to be altered upon installation.

These guards look identical but are designed to different sizes to fit around obstacles such as weigh stations, metal detectors, sampling equipment and belt tracking systems.

Using laser scanning, the Diacon Australia engineering and design teams work to build an accurate model of the conveyor and overlay the proposed guards, to ensure a precise fit.

The guards are then built with Australian HDPE and installed by Diacon for a smooth process.

“We spend several days on each site making sure what we’ve measured is absolutely correct before we leave the site,” Refalo says.

Diacon Australia remains there for its clients should the guards need any maintenance down the track. This is a rare occurrence, with just 1 per cent of guards requiring modifying after the initial design and installation.

This ease of process is just one of the reasons clients are impressed with Diacon’s guard solutions. Refalo attributes their lightweight and corrosion free properties, and that they don’t require painting as the three key reasons for their popularity.

With Diacon Australia’s conveyor guards, mine sites can be assured that they are sending their employees to work in a safe environment.

“People who go to work on those sites every day deserve the right to go home to their family and that’s part of the hard work we do to make sure that they do,” Refalo concludes.

“The bare basic is that people don’t get injured or killed at work and we have a system that can be adapted to make sure that this is the case. People work hard to make a living; we work hard to keep you safe at it.”

Diacon customises its guards to fit around obstacles while keeping them uniform with one another.

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Mining equipment

Are you isolating your mine site correctly?

ISOLATING A PIECE OF MACHINERY IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STEPS IN PRACTICING SAFE MAINTENANCE ON A MINE SITE. HUMMINGBIRD IS SAFE PROOFING THIS PROCESS EVEN MORE WITH ITS ISOLATION VERIFICATION CONTROL DEVICES.

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solating machinery may be a small step in the process but the consequences of doing it incorrectly can be disastrous, ranging from hand injuries to death in the most extreme cases.

Mine sites already have procedures in place to minimise the risk of working on isolated equipment, for example, they ensure all employees working on equipment tag in and out before a machine is started again after being isolated.

Hummingbird’s Isolation Verification Control devices take the chance out of the matter and eliminate the risk of human or mechanical error, providing digital notification that the piece of machinery is isolated and safe to begin working on.

Scott Montgomery, Hummingbird mining and industrial sales manager, says this first visual point of checking a machine being isolated correctly gives workers a true indication of its status, rather than just looking at the position of the isolation switch.

“Traditionally, the way to test if a machine has been isolated is firstly, to look and see if it is in the locked out position and if it is safe to progress to the second stage, try to start the machine,” Montgomery tells Safe to Work.

“The risk here is that some isolators can fail and even looking at the external lockout system, you can never truly know if it is faulty internally.

“With the Isolation Verification Control, we’ve been looking inside the isolator to see what condition it is in to make sure there’s no failure inside.”

Hummingbird’s Isolation Verification Control devices not only allow equipment operators to see whether a machine has been correctly isolated or not from the beginning, but also enables them to monitor its status throughout the entire maintenance process.

This makes the entire process safer from start to finish, which as Montgomery explains is particularly useful for employees completing shift work or completing maintenance that

takes longer than the duration of just one shift.

“One of the advantages of lockouts is that you may have a week’s worth of employees coming in to work on a machine, who may not be aware of what happened with the machine last regarding its isolation,” Montgomery says.

“With live data from the Isolation Verification Control device and with lockout procedures in general, it’s got to be tagged before deemed safe to use.”

Hummingbird’s Isolation Verification Control selection comes with two modes, ensuring it suits all machinery.

The Isolation Verification Control devices remove the risk of human error when identifying if a vehicle has been isolated or not.

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Hummingbird’s Isolation Verification Control devices clearly show if a machine has been correctly isolated.

“With live data from the Isolation Verification Control device and with lockout procedures in general, it’s got to be tagged before deemed safe to use.”

One mode is for battery circuit isolation and the other is for starter motor circuit isolation, to monitor applications when only the starter motor circuit is isolated for electrical work or for activities that require the entire battery to be shut off.

These two modes can be configured on the one device for the different circuits, which is panel mounted on the machinery it is being used for customer convenience.

Hummingbird’s Isolation Verification Control devices also give fault detection warnings if a battery is about to fail during maintenance, allowing

workers time to clear the area or fix the issue.

“If the battery is about to fail or anything has been left on accidentally, our Isolation Verification Control devices set off a buzzer to alert workers something is wrong,” Montgomery says.

“They also feature a battery fault interlock so it can shut down other non-essential parts of the machine should the battery start to fail during maintenance.”

Hummingbird’s Isolation Verification Control devices also allow workers to conduct live testing if a machine

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alternator is charging or the voltage of a system is correct without having to get too close to the machine, further improving safety employee’s safety prospects.

In addition to preventing injuries on site, Hummingbird’s Isolation Verification Control devices help to prevent damage to machines during maintenance.

If multiple departments are completing maintenance on a machine and one removes an oil filter, for example, and another person does not realise the machine is isolated and starts it, this can cause extensive damage to the vehicle.

“Accidents around isolating equipment certainly aren’t limited to human elements,” Montgomery says.

“If you’ve got someone working on transmission and someone else on the engine, both parties need to unlock the machine and with the Isolation Verification Control devices can see visually if it is live or not.

“If they start the machine and an oil filter isn’t in place for example, and the machine runs without oil it could do major damage.”

By using live data to create a visual prompt as to whether machinery is isolated or not has helped mine sites improve their isolation procedures to ensure maintenance schedules that are safe for operators and equipment alike.

“By providing original equipment manufacturing and mining companies with a device that guarantees safe isolation of equipment, mine sites are now able to adopt Hummingbird’s safety practices as a part of their own isolation verification,” Montgomery concludes.

“Everyone is looking for that edge in occupational health and safety initiatives and the introduction of Isolation Verification Control devices has definitely been a part of that.”

Mining equipment

Staff retention – the human cost REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU’RE MINING, PEOPLE ARE A BUSINESS’ MOST PRECIOUS ASSET. NIVEK INDUSTRIES IS WORKING TO HELP BUSINESSES PROTECT THEIR MOST PRECIOUS ASSETS TO KEEP FITTERS SAFER FOR LONGER, EXTEND THEIR CAREERS AND IN TURN, THEIR BOTTOM LINE.

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lthough the stats vary, the great majority of studies estimate the cost of re-hiring to be six to nine months of that person’s wage.

Retaining employees that build longterm careers uninterrupted by injuries is an enormous long-term financial benefit to companies. The benefits don’t stop at staff retention savings though, it seems that creating long-term teams, giving employees feelings of inclusion, support and positive workplace morale in fact improve efficiency, and productivity and that in turn flows into profits.

Nivek Industries can help play a role in protecting workers from physical injuries and exhaustion, with a suite of products designed to take some of the risk, weight

and danger out of everyday mechanical maintenance, helping workers to feel less exhausted and more motivated to complete tasks safely and efficiently.

To gain a better understanding of the part TED and other products play in the workplace and fitters’ lives, the company surveyed workers within the fitting industry, who identified a supportive working environment as their top priority when reviewing their current jobs or seeking new positions.

Nivek’s survey asked fitters and other workers within industry to rank 10 priorities in order of importance to them when reflecting on their role in fitting or when seeking a new role.

Out of a possible total score of 10, Nivek’s clients gave a supportive working

Tradecore is one of the businesses that has enjoyed the benefits of Nivek’s TED.

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environment a survey-high of eight points.

Working for a company committed to health and safety scored 6.71, narrowly edging out a positive workplace culture with 6.67. A work environment that protects physical health scored 6.57, further reiterating the importance fitters put on a safe and positive work culture.

More traditional employee priorities, such as a good work/life balance (5.38) and pay (4.78), were lower on the scale and flexibility bottomed out on the survey with a score of just three.

With Nivek Industries helping fitters to feel less exhausted, more motivated and safer to complete their tasks without injury, the company strives to deliver on these priorities, with the introduction of TED, the new Lift Assist-40, and the Lift Assist (LA) stand to more sites leading the way.

Unfortunately, people working as fitters often experience a short work life due to how hard the work is on their bodies, with the role of a fitter being described as “physically and socially demanding” by the Australian Government Job Outlook.

Job Outlook recognised that working as a fitter in the mining industry as extremely practical, at times unstructured work and completing tasks in loud and/or uncomfortable environments.

With many workers falling victim to injuries as a result of hard, physical work, fitters are often forced to move into different roles at a younger age than in

other mining professions.

Nivek Industries strives to create a safer working environment for fitters so they can stay in their roles for the long-term without experiencing the wear and tear on their bodies that many have succumbed to in the past.

The company achieves this with TED, which takes the weight out of belly plate removal and replacement, while removing fitters from the dangerous crush zone and the new Lift Assist range, taking the weight out of tooling.

Introducing TED to workshops has helped employers ranging from Tier 1 miners to small workshops and mobile contractors look after their employees as they spend their days working in this risky yet rewarding role.

Mick, who works on a contract-basis for mines across the Hunter Valley region, is one worker who has experienced the benefits of TED as a fitter.

“When you’re working on dozers without TED, you’re lifting heavy components on everything,” Mick tells Safe to Work. “You go home and you’re stuffed from it, and then you go back and have to do it again the next day.

“TED is just so much of an easier way and you can work more efficiently when you’re not sore and exhausted even the next day, it saves so much time, it’s really great.”

In addition to feeling better physically, Mick says being able to come to work refreshed each day helps with motivation, boosting morale and mental health at site.

“I work at some pits that have TEDs and some that don’t, and you can really tell the difference,” he says. “People aren’t as motivated and just don’t want to do some of the tough jobs and that’s when they start cutting corners.

“When you’re at a pit that doesn’t have one, you think that TEDs are such a reward and I’m stoked when I get back at a pit that has one.”

Nigel, a leading hand for a contractor

that represents Tier 1 mining companies, also says the introduction of TED has made fitters’ jobs safer and less strenuous.

As a result, Nigel has noticed a positive working culture among fitters in his role and has noticed that employees are leaving work at the end of the day feeling less fatigued now TED is in place across work sites.

“As a fitter we’re often working on concrete or rough outside surfaces, which can be physical and tiring,” Thompson says.

“We are always searching for new tooling to improve safety and efficiency of tasks. TED is excellent, it drives itself way better than previous belly plate lifters and it does not get bogged or spin on the spot.”

These positive differences from using TED aren’t just limited to the fitters’ health and wellbeing though, as Tradecore Industries task coordinator Murray Considine has noticed.

According to Considine, using TED to complete fitting jobs allows Tradecore’s employees to provide a superior service to its competitors, as workers are able to get the job done more efficiently and safely.

“Having TED shows our employees that we take the safety of our employees very seriously, it provides the confidence to undertake hazardous tasks safely,” Considine explains.

“TED eliminates a lot of manual handling in our day-to-day tasks as it does the heavy lifting for us. Some attachments also remove a lot of the hand injury risks involved with changing out certain components on earthmoving equipment.

“TED has come a long way from just being a belly guard jack and the attachments add so much more to the utilisation of this asset within our business.

“Our people are more efficient and self-supporting when carrying out

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repairs and maintenance to our client’s machines.”

BHP has also embraced the safety and health gains of TED and the LA system, which is in line with their ideals of looking after their workforce and benefitting from extended years of experience.

BHP currently has 28 TEDs working across 18 Australian operations, and is now teaching its next generation of fitters ‘best practice’ using the machine and the Lift Assist system in the Future Fit Academies in Western Australia and Queensland.

With equipment such as TED, and the LA-40 tooling manipulator arm lessening the impact hard labour on employees’ bodies each day, Nivek Industries is leading the way in providing the right tools for the job, making fitting a more long-term and attractive role within the mining industry.

Fast Facts • Nivek’s survey asked fitters and other workers within industry to rank 10 priorities in order of importance to them when reflecting on their role in fitting or when seeking a new role.

• Out of a possible total score of 10, Nivek’s clients gave a supportive working environment a surveyhigh of eight points.

• Working for a company committed to health and safety scored 6.71, narrowly edging out a positive workplace culture with 6.67. A work environment that protects physical health scored 6.57, further reiterating the importance fitters put on a safe and positive work culture.

• More traditional employee priorities, such as a good work/ life balance (5.38) and pay (4.78), were lower on the scale and flexibility bottomed out on the survey with a score of just three.

Diversity & Inclusion

Women’s FIFO facilities still need attention: AusIMM ALMOST TWO THIRDS (62 PER CENT) OF FEMALE EMPLOYEES IN MINING DO NOT PERCEIVE THE INDUSTRY THEY WORK IN AS DIVERSE, WITH SOME MINE SITES NOT EVEN BEING EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME FACILITIES FOR WOMEN AS MEN. SALOMAE HASELGROVE FINDS OUT HOW THIS SITUATION CAN IMPROVE.

AusIMM diversity and inclusion council chair Sara Prendergast, Today Show host Brooke Boney, AusIMM president Janine Herzig and AusIMM CEO Stephen Durkin at AusIMM’s 2020 International Women’s Day event.

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his figure was uncovered in the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy’s (AusIMM’s) 2020 survey, which had more than 700 participants from across the resources industry.

The result represents a 5 per cent increase from AusIMM’s first diversity survey which was undertaken in 2019.

Despite this alarming view of the mining industry as a whole, five times as many survey participants believe their individual workplaces are diverse, even

if the industry is not.

However, the survey also uncovered that diversity and inclusion is eight times more likely to be a priority for women in the industry than men, which AusIMM believes shows areas of the industry require “critical attention” to the experiences of women in mining.

According to AusIMM Council for Diversity and Inclusion chairperson Sara Prendergast, one of the key reasons women do not perceive the industry as diverse is because many women

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in mining do not feel represented at a leadership level.

She says many issues faced by women in mining, particularly in fly-in fly-out (FIFO) roles, are something their male counterparts do not have to consider in their day-to-day roles, such as access to toilets and other camp facilities.

“About 20 per cent of survey respondents listed toilet access as being an issue for them on-site, which is something generally taken for granted

by their counterparts working in a corporate office,” Prendergast tells Safe to Work.

“Executive management would be horrified to find out that a lot of female workers don’t have access to toilets, but it probably hasn’t occurred to a lot of them as they are mostly men.

“The reality is, we still get reports of safety as an issue around camp sites, particularly being mindful about where females are situated within a camp.”

The feedback Prendergast receives from female employees isn’t just limited to toilets but also other aspects of camp life, such as the proximity of male and female accommodation sites and shared laundry facilities.

In the survey, this was represented by 15 per cent of female employees reporting cleanliness issues as one of the many concerns they face when working on mine sites.

While Prendergast attributes a lack of understanding or knowledge from males in senior management positions as a key reason for women’s issues often going unheard in the industry, how does the industry work to improve this?

In 2020, Prendergast is aiming to not only complete a “toilet audit” to investigate facilities on mine sites, but also push further change right up to mining and contracting companies to find solutions.

This includes taking advantage of technologies that allow for remote operations that are already improving safety, efficiency and productivity in mining to also improve diversity, by creating more opportunities for flexible career options.

Many existing contract work terms do not cater for flexible working options, which makes these opportunities inaccessible to many potential employees, particularly females.

“Things like technology and automation are already making a positive difference to mining in

terms of productivity and safety,” Prendergast says.

“There needs to be more cooperation between mining companies, contractors and the mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector to collaborate and find solutions.

“Contract terms can be prohibitive to implementing flexible work, which is an issue for everyone in the industry, not exclusively women.”

While large changes are required to diversify the mining industry, the matter of women perceiving the industry as less diverse than their own workplaces is a simple fix, according to Prendergast.

She saysthe mining industry has become more inclusive of women in recent years, but most media representation does not portray this, giving women the impression that the wider industry is not as inclusive as their own workplaces.

“A lot of women perceived the industry as non-diverse in contrast to what their own workforce looks like. A lot of this is to do with media representation,” Prendergast says.

“A lot of imagery of the mining industry is of fully-abled white males

and our industry has progressed considerably from those images, because the representatives that speak in the media quite frequently are still largely that traditional image.”

AusIMM has set itself the task of creating a more inclusive workplace, hosting events that celebrate the achievements of women in mining, while also assisting male leaders to listen, learn and understand the experiences of the opposite sex in the industry.

These events are also a safe and progressive space to discuss what other work the resources sector still needs to do in order to achieve a truly diverse industry for women, those who identify as female and other minority groups, such as LGBTIQ+ workers.

“AusIMM is looking at how as an organisation we can influence the industry, so it is inclusive for every employee,” Prendergast says.

“Sadly, a lot of people in the LGBTIQ+ community, for instance, do not always feel safe to bring their whole self to work.

“Through AusIMM’s events and surveys, we want to complete the necessary work so all people feel safe to be themselves and bring their best selves to work in our sector.”

According to AusIMM, female FIFO workers still struggle with issues their male counterparts rarely worry about, such as access to toilets.

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Dust suppression

A dust control solution that does more than its name RAINSTORM DUST CONTROL, WHICH HAS A LONG TRACK RECORD OF BEING ON TOP OF MINE DUST ISSUES, IS EXPANDING INTO QUEENSLAND AND NEW SOUTH WALES TO ASSIST THE MINING SECTOR. SAFE TO WORK SPEAKS WITH RAINSTORM’S EASTERN STATES REPRESENTATIVE.

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t is a rare industry sight to see a dust suppression solution excel and be applied to over 10 million square metres of mine roads in the Pilbara, and across western and southern Australia over the past two decades.

RainStorm’s DustMag product provides two key benefits. Firstly, an 80 per cent reduction in operational dust, and a 90 per cent saving on water usage on roads. It addresses two major issues in the mining sector: dust and water.

“When you look at a coal mine, 40–50 per cent of dust is generated by traffic on the haul roads. DustMag has the capability of suppressing the harmful

coal dust on the roads,” RainStorm east coast sales manager John Turner tells Safe to Work.

In New South Wales, the state government is bringing forward its plan to enforce a tightened exposure standard for respirable coal dust two years ahead of the national transition date.

Starting February next year, respirable coal dust limits in NSW mines will be kept to a standard of 1.5 milligrams per cubic metre.

Mining companies also face challenges in operating in the state’s drought-prone areas. Water

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consumption is becoming a key issue in the mining industry.

Turner says water is essential to coal mining, but it is also a finite resource. A key finding from a report prepared by the Natural Economy for the Australian Conservation Foundation this year was that coal mining is a major water user in Australia. It is competing for freshwater resources with other water activities, including water for people.

An example of water consumption can be demonstrated by a NSW coal mine with 455,000 square metres of haul road network.

The operator uses a competitor’s dust

suppression products, with 44,000 litres of water cart loads per day. This totals 1.3 million litres of water consumption per day.

The application of DustMag, on the other hand, does not require diluting with water. It is supplied and applied neatly onto the roads, with applications lasting for 10 to 12 weeks before re-application.

No water is required to be applied on the treated surface areas over this period.

Therefore, for the above example, DustMag can save 1.3 million litres of water per day.

DustMag provides a cost-effective long-term solution to dust control and water consumption on any mining operation.

“The running cost for a water cart is close to $600,000 per year for fuel, tyres, maintenance and operator, etcetera,” Turner says.

“In the above example, the application of DustMag would be a cost saving for the client.”

DustMag is unusual in the fact that

heavier traffic volumes can increase its lifespan due to the additional compaction benefits released. It will last longer between reapplications on roads with medium to heavy traffic.

Well-designed and maintained haul roads are the key to minimising truck haulage on-road hazards and costs, as well as increasing productivity. On top of this is the reduced interaction between water carts, graders and haul trucks once DustMag is applied.

RainStorm has channelled more than 30 years of research and development into creating integrated dust control solutions that have proven to increase productivity and safety, unlock cost

efficiencies and benefit the environment.

With its manufacturing facilities in Western Australia and Victoria, the company covers the Australian mining industry.

RainStorm draws upon its learning and experience to provide tailored solutions for haul roads, access roads, stockpiles, dumps, underground work areas, handling and preparation plants, rail and more.

“With our east coast offices in Victoria and Queensland and head office in Western Australia, RainStorm is able to provide the Australian mining industry with a pit to port solution to their dust issues,” Turner concludes.

DustMag reduces interaction among water carts, dump trucks and graders on mine haul roads.

DustMag provides better road compaction upon heavy traffic.

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Respiratory protection

Taking health checks to the heart of QLD IN A SWEEPING REFORM TO COMBAT AND PREVENT LUNG HEALTH DISEASES AMONG QUEENSLAND’S MINE WORKERS, THE STATE GOVERNMENT WILL SEND A HEALTH TRUCK ACROSS THE REGIONS THIS YEAR.

Heart of Australia founder Rolf Gomes in front of a mobile clinic.

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ueensland’s focus on reducing cases of lung diseases has culminated in the development of a 25-metre, two-trailer truck that will conduct checks throughout regional areas in 2020.

The prime mover is on a mission: to bring lung health checks to past and present mine and quarry workers.

Queensland’s contract went to Heart of Australia, a program that Brisbane cardiologist of 10 years, Rolf Gomes, founded to bring specialist services to people who have to travel long distances to access health services.

This project will be the fifth truck that Heart of Australia has built.

“We started in 2014 with one mobile medical clinic and three cardiologists.

Since that time the services have grown from five communities across Queensland to 16 and soon-to-be 25 communities, providing a whole range of medical specialist services,” Gomes tells Safe to Work.

“We currently have 23 specialists who are involved with the program, not just cardiologists, but also gastroenterologists, neurologists, endocrinologists and so forth.”

With a five-year track record of delivering specialist services to The Bush and having treated over 8000 patients and potentially saved over 350 lives, the program’s capability has expanded yet again, reflecting the pace and practice of modern medicine.

The program not only aims to provide access to medical specialists, but also medical imaging and radiology

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services delivered on the back of a truck. This will assist patients and health practitioners with the early diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of health conditions.

“We often rely on medical imaging to help diagnose conditions or monitor our patients’ progress, and we’d been thinking for some time how we could evolve our program – not just to provide specialty services but also radiology services,” Gomes says.

“Here’s a very simple example.

If you live thousands of kilometres away from Brisbane and experience a cough that won’t go away, a general practitioner (GP) would likely suggest you have a CT (computed tomography) scan on your chest.

“But if you live that far, need to take care of the farm or do not have enough money to make the travel, you’d make up excuses not to go, i.e. ‘There was a dust storm a month ago’, ‘I was spraying the crops’, etc.

“But with things like lung cancer, you want to know about it when it’s only the size of a pea, not when it’s grown into the size of a tennis ball.”

Simply put, bringing simple services like CT imaging and chest X-rays to remote regions could mean life and death.

“What we need to do is ensure no one slips through the cracks. Anyone who’s in an occupation where they’re put at risk should have access to screening services,” Gomes says.

“By having a mobile service that

provides comprehensive health screening, including an opportunity to access a one stop shop where people can have their X-rays and CT scans in one location, and potentially on the same day, significantly reduces their burden in terms of cost, inconvenience and time away from work.”

Heart of Australia has considerable mobilisation experience in bringing health screening facilities to the bush and mining sector.

The service looks at the health of miners not just from the perspective of their physical health (such as dust exposure, black lungs and silicosis), but also the psychosocial aspect.

Heart of Australia’s contract with the Queensland Government involves the design, construction and operation of the mobile health service.

The question now is, how will large equipment such as a CT scanner and X-ray machine be fitted in the truck?

“The truck will be built and fitted out in Queensland. In the coming months, we will engage very closely with government, employers, employees and unions in designing and implementing the most efficient and beneficial service,” Gomes says.

“We’d like to get as close as we can to where the patients are likely to be.

“We’ll be looking very closely at the logistical aspects of the service: the

suitable parking spots relative to the mine’s location, the health and safety requirements to move in and out of those locations and how to add value to existing services.”

The team operating the mobile service will include doctors, nurses, radiographers and a truck driver. It will also provide respiratory and hearing protection fit testing.

The Queensland Government plans to cover the coal fields across the Bowen and Surat basins, the north west minerals province, and the opal and gem fields in the west and southwest of the state.

“Our goal is to make sure we can deliver a finished prototype by the end of the year, as well as design a comprehensive and safe program from an occupational health point of view,” Gomes says.

“In addition, we’ll work closely with stakeholders and the community to ensure services are well received and continue to be supported moving forward.”

The service is part of the Queensland Government’s initiative to heighten protection of mine workers.

“This mobile screening service will be taking important testing to quarry workers and miners where they live and work to support the early detection and prevention of mine

Two of Heart of Australia’s mobile clinics on the road.

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dust lung diseases like black lung and silicosis,” Queensland’s Assistant State Development Minister Julieanne Gilbert explains during launch of the initiative.

“The 25-metre two-trailer truck is projected to clock about 50,000 kilometres annually, delivering chest X-rays and respiratory checks.”

In addition, the government also offers free respiratory health checks for miners when they start in the mining industry, when they leave and at least every five years while they are working.

Retired or former coal, mineral mine and quarry workers have access to the same free checks.

Medical professionals who provide compulsory health checks and take X-rays are also given special training.

To Gomes, the mobilisation of health services, such as the heart trucks, indicates the decentralisation of health care and a step towards equitable access to healthcare for all Australians regardless of postcode.

“Technology has become more adaptable and Internet capacity and road networks in remote regions have improved significantly. We can now mobilise many health services, and by doing so deliver tremendous benefits to patients who live outside of the city, as well as support employers in meeting their obligations to local employees,” he concludes.

Innovation The Slide Sledge multihead hammer with tools.

Slide Sledge breaks the clang of hammers SLIDE SLEDGE’S MULTI-HEAD HAMMER IS CHALLENGING THE CONTINUED USE OF SLEDGEHAMMERS DUE TO ITS WINNING SAFETY BENEFITS FOR BOTH THE USER AND MINE SITE. SAFE TO WORK LEARNS ABOUT THE INNOVATIVE TOOL WITH ITS AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR SECUREFIX.

I

n the 1980s, a then-amateur boxer was battling for a spot in the United States team for a fight against an Irish competitor.

The boxer, Kevin Lowther, kept his dream alive by doing auto body repair to pay the bills.

He was trying to hit a hammer one day when it bounced off and broke his hand – a critical tool for not only his boxing ambitions but also in life.

Unsatisfied by this setback, Lowther started inventing a tool that would enable him to continue working while his hand was recovering, and picked up the product development again after retiring from boxing.

This tool, called the Slide Sledge

multi-head hammer, is now used day-in, day-out by mine workers across 15 sites in Australia.

The innovation broke ground by catching the eyes of the industry back in 1999. The multi-head hammer won the New Innovation of the Year and Product Demo of the Year awards at a Dallas tools show from manufacturing company Mac Tools.

Its popularity owes to the impacttransfer mechanism that allows a heavy drive bar to travel in a steel chamber and facilitate multiple job-specific repair tips for a range of applications.

The linear motion delivers precise blows to impact surfaces, eliminating the catastrophic risk of a striking injury

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presented by a traditional sledgehammer.

“For workplace occupational health and safety, it’s critical you go to great lengths to prevent such impact injury,” says Andrew Rodgers, director of Securefix, which oversees Slide Sledge hammers’ national distribution across Australia and New Zealand.

“The Slide Sledge multi-head hammer is one of the only tools in the world of its type that is extremely safe to use and impact-safe.

“It enables a one-man operation, it is very safe, it is very light, and with the exchangeable tips, it makes a very versatile tool that you can use for all sorts of things.”

With safety at the core of the Slide

Sledge multi-head hammer, it is no wonder that the tool assists in heavy equipment maintenance and repair, while also being safe to use underground.

The exchangeable soft tips, made of copper and brass, prevent sparking, which is a key safety concern in underground operations.

“You can’t have cases of sparking underground. If you use a traditional tool, it’s likely you’ll create sparking and potentially ignite fires,” Rodgers says.

With such winning quality, Slide Sledge isn’t limited in the number of tips available for the multi-head hammer.

Depending on the application, mine employees can choose from pin drivers for the removal of pins from heavy equipment; bucket tooth pin remover and inserter for access to hard-to-reach pins; curved chisel tip for breaking or shearing rusty bolts and nuts; to scarifier tooth tip for the removal of ripper teeth from heavy equipment.

And still, the list of application goes on. The continuous miner tip, for example, is also available at one’s disposal to eliminate the need for a chisel or punch and chance of glancing hammer blows when removing the teeth from continuous miner equipment.

The utility wedge tip is also designed to separate parts and straighten steel in a safe and timely manner, while the race/ bearing/seal adaptor tip installs races, bearings and seals with ease.

“The Slide Sledge multi-head hammer can pretty much be used across all applications where something needs removing,” Rodgers says.

“It’s not at all an overly complicated tool. The multitude of tips attach so easily every time you need to change it according to your needs.”

Tasks such as knocking out a pin, reaching tight or awkward spaces, or loosening and tightening bolts become a one-man job, with impact force deliverable simply by a user’s fingertips.

Its capacity for precision means

no inaccurate or missed swings or secondary damage to valuable equipment and personnel.

With Slide Sledge hammer union tip, all wing tabs are impacted on the same spot with direct contact, reducing the chance of the tool and tip slipping off when impacting.

The potential for fatigue, muscle strains and lost-time injuries is reduced.

Mining operators can also enjoy increased productivity, reduced work time and increase their focus on safety and productivity.

“Slide Sledge is an answer to mining operators’ pursuit for tonnes of production that is so precariously balanced with the demand of equipment maintenance needed to deliver those tonnes,” Rodgers says.

“Mine employees can put safety back into the picture while working towards production targets and deadlines.”

Slide Sledge hammers are still manufactured in the United States today.

However, they are now being used worldwide across multiple industries, including mining.

A scarifier tooth tip easily removes ripper teeth from mining equipment.

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Automation

The road to autonomous mining THE JOURNEY TOWARDS AUTONOMOUS MINING CALLS FOR CHANGES TO THE STANDARDS FOR HAUL ROAD OPERATIONS. SAFE TO WORK SPEAKS WITH POSITION PARTNERS, REYNOLDS SOIL TECHNOLOGIES (RST) SOLUTIONS AND PROOF ENGINEERS TO UNTANGLE THE ISSUES FACING MINING COMPANIES.

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ine employees are today working in different environments, with many companies transitioning to digitalisation and automation at operations of various commodities.

While decisions are mostly made at the top of an organisation’s hierarchy, it is the workers that are on-site dayin, day-out who make the potential of digital technology happen.

This also means they will be the first people to benefit from enhanced protection from the harsh environments that mining activities present.

According to Position Partners

business manager – mining, solar & landfill, Andrew Granger, technologies that used to be considered “magic” and might not have necessarily worked a couple of decades ago are now driving today’s modus operandi effectively.

The mining sector has evolved to make technology more robust and reliable. This is reflected in the standard of a blade that is attached to a modern dozer, for example, and other pieces of equipment that are taken for granted.

“The big focus over the last 20 years was to get the best machineries to dig the most materials,” Granger, a mining

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veteran with 20 years’ experience, tells Safe to Work.

“Now, it’s even more important to add a piece of technology to these machineries so they can perform to the best of their ability and in the safest manner.

“Our number one goal at Position Partners is to remove operators from dangerous systems and allow them to not only improve production, but also continue working day and night safely.”

Take proximity awareness between equipment, for example. The technology has quickly come to the fore in the last decade, but it had once gone to the

“But there’ll always be a need for on-site and remote support, and that’s the biggest feedback we’ve got from the industry.”

RST formula being applied by watercarts for the construction of unpaved roads that service autonomous haul trucks.

wayside due to its over-beeping, causing unnecessary distraction to operators.

This characteristic does more harm than good as operators start to ignore the alerts, according to Granger.

Position Partners’ latest proximity awareness device has been calibrated to only produce an alert when there’s a proximity awareness situation, Granger adds.

To prove today’s advancing technology, anything from Position Partners’ survey drones to machine guidance to fleet management systems can be customised depending on a company’s desired outcomes and budgets.

“One of our major focusses, aside from providing mining companies with the right technology, is to train the site team to deal with minor issues and then empowering them to use the system,” Granger says.

Position Partners is able to provide remote tech support to mining companies.

“But there’ll always be a need for on-site and remote support, and that’s the biggest feedback we’ve got from the industry. We’ve been able to listen to their feedback and employ local people to meet their need.”

RST Solutions is another mining services company which is making advances in building technologies that are robust in applications.

The company has been actively involved in the learning and understanding of how autonomous truck programs operate since 2016.

That year, the RST team visited a global mining company’s large coal mine in the southwestern region of the United States for a trial of autonomous haul trucks that was being conducted in partnership with a leading original equipment manufacturer.

“We were interested to learn how the unmanned trucks would operate

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under the current parameters of a fully manned operation,” RST operations and technical director David Handel says.

“In a fully manned haulage operation, there are permanent and dynamic unsealed haul roads that are constantly changing and requiring continual maintenance and spillage removal to maintain good running surface and ongoing watering to mitigate haul road dust.”

“The saying ‘good roads, more loads’ is very true, but good roads also reduce tyre wear, fuel consumption, truck damage and driver fatigue, while delivering significant cost savings.”

What the RST team found during the early days at the mine was that an autonomous truck could drive straight into the dust coming off another truck, and the former’s autonomous system would perceive the dust as a wall and stop, shutting down the machine.

Automation This meant that manned graders for road maintenance and water carts for dust mitigation could not operate on the haul roads when autonomous vehicles were in operation.

It was found that companies would still prefer to operate manned auxiliary equipment on a separate haul road to autonomous vehicles.

“It was, therefore, difficult to maintain a good running surface and manage dust,” Handel says.

“We immediately saw this as an area RST had to focus on as part of our continual research and development programs.”

RST subsequently developed superior dust suppressant products that stop the requirement for intense watering and reduce the need for frequent maintenance.

The RST product treatment beats the extreme ends of dust control methodologies on haul roads. On one end is a short-term solution by improving current watering programs to reduce water reapplication frequencies and dust levels.

On the other end of the spectrum are long-term dust suppressants that consume large volumes of product during the initial application and maintenance applications, and do not allow roads to be graded.

In response to this problem, RST

Autonomous equipment is changing how haul roads are managed.

developed liquid road stabilisers that are simply watered into the road material.

Upon compaction, usually by the trucks themselves, the road is significantly stronger and less permeable.

According to Handel, this reduces the damaging effects of heavy vehicle traffic and rain.

“On top of that, in just four years since looking at the mine’s autonomous program, we have developed Guardian Roadbinder, as well as a product called RT20 Dynamic Soil Stabiliser specifically modified for autonomous applications,” he says.

“These products can deliver superior haul road structure with significantly higher structural integrity as the treatment could control dust, and also be regenerated with water application during maintenance grading to achieve the required dust suppression levels.”

The Guardian Roadbinder polymer technology is aimed at delivering the

RST performs a mine site inspection to monitor the dust levels from a haul truck prior to its intervention.

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required results that Handel says are different from anything that was being used for dust control.

It works in both surface and underground operations, and has proven effective to achieve sales of 300 tonnes to date.

Jordan Handel, engineering and technology manager at Proof Engineers, a company that has implemented RST’s RT20 stabilisation program on large haul road projects, stresses that it is imperative to adapt current infrastructure and processes around haul truck operations to suit autonomous vehicles.

“With the introduction of autonomous vehicles, the interaction between manned maintenance machinery and autonomous vehicles becomes a new risk for sites to manage,” he says.

“As an autonomous vehicle will react differently to a manned vehicle, it is important that the current standards are adapted to suit.”

THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY

ISSUE 8 - JULY-AUGUST 2020

Remote revolution

Safety from a distance

Technology

Dust suppression

Virtual reality

Respiratory protection

Throughout the cycles of the mining industry there is one constant for everyone involved in the industry – safety. A safe workplace is critical to the continued success of your business.

Launched in 2018, Safe To Work provides a high-quality, multi-platform publication for the Australian mining sector, with safety as its key focus.

Safe To Work’s promotional features deliver a forum for organisations to showcase the role each aspect of safety plays in helping the industry achieve the industry’s No. 1 priority.

TO BOOK IN SAFE TO WORK CONTACT JONATHAN DUCKETT NOW JONATHAN.DUCKETT@PRIMECREATIVE.COM.AU | 0498 091 027

Risk management Coal workers will benefit from the RSHQ.

A blanket of protection across Queensland and beyond

T

he law is in place for the good of communities, and this winter Queensland mining and quarry workers are the beneficiaries of increased attention on safety.

The Resources Safety and Health Queensland Act 2020 was passed in Queensland parliament during March.

It will come into effect in July upon governor proclamation.

One of the major things instigated by the Act is the establishment of the Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) body.

Its purpose boils down to protecting the safety and health of Queensland’s minerals, coal, petroleum and gas,

quarry, small-scale mining and explosives workers.

The body will also regulate safety and health in the industry and monitor compliance with and the effectiveness of the Resources Safety Acts.

“RSHQ will be 100 per cent focussed on workers and will be totally separate from the government’s broader function of growing and facilitating mining and exploration projects and the resources sector as a whole,” Queensland’s mines minister Anthony Lynham tells Safe to Work.

“The RSHQ chief executive officer will also report directly to the minister.”

The independent statutory body will

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comprise of almost 90 inspectors of coal mines, mineral mines and quarries, explosives and petroleum and gas, according to Lynham.

In addition, joining the RSHQ are Queensland’s Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station )Simtars) and the Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme (formerly the Coal Board Medical).

The Queensland Resources Council also plans to work with the minister, the resources safety inspectorate and worker representatives during the creation of RSHQ. Its establishment is among the latest in the Queensland Government’s suite of sweeping mine

Copyright: The state of Queensland.

AUSTRALIA’S PROMINENT MINING REGIONS DON’T TAKE HUMAN LIFE LIGHTLY, WITH ORDER REINFORCED IN THE SECTOR BY MEANS OF NEW LAWS. SAFE TO WORK WRITES.

safety and health reforms.

The state government has also passed industrial manslaughter laws in the parliament with maximum penalties of $13 million and 20 year’s jail, as well as facilitate better detection and prevention of black lung.

“We have already extensively reformed mine safety and health over the past five years and Queensland now has the toughest mine safety and health laws in the world,” Lynham says.

“The formation of the RSHQ body remains a priority of the Palaszczuk Government and delivers on the government’s commitment to protect the safety and health of Queensland’s 70,000-plus resources sector workers.”

WELCOME, INSPECTORS When it comes to inspections, the Queensland Government hasn’t lost momentum in carrying out this safety measure.

The current 2019-20 financial year alone saw the Queensland Mines Inspectorate do at least 215 unannounced inspections out of a total 1015.

This capacity owes to the state government’s recruitment and mobilisation of additional mine inspectors since the start of this year, bringing the total to 46 inspectors as of January.

The new inspectors are placed in mining-rich regions such as Rockhampton and Mt Isa. “The Palaszczuk Government is committed to working with employers,

“We have already extensively reformed mine safety and health over the past five years and Queensland now has the toughest mine safety and health laws in the world.” unions and peak bodies to continue to improve protections for our workers,” Lynham says.

“An independent Work Health and Safety Prosecutor has (also) been established under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to prosecute serious offences under resources safety legislation.

“Only the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor will be able to prosecute serious offences, while other offences may be prosecuted by the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor or the chief executive officer of RSHQ.” For mining and quarrying, a serious offence is defined as one where a person on whom a safety and health obligation is imposed contravenes the obligation, and this breach causes death, grievous bodily harm or involves exposure to a substance that is likely to cause the above, according to Lynham. It can also be an offence that is prescribed by regulation, he adds.

“The bill adopts similar serious offence provisions for explosives and petroleum and gas,” the minister says.

“Individuals will have the ability to submit a written request to the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor seeking that a proceeding be brought in relation to a particular act or omission which constitutes a serious offence.”

This bill signifies an amendment to the resources safety legislation, defining those offences which are considered

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“serious” to be prosecuted by the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor.

“Utilising the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor will enhance transparency and independent decision-making in relation to prosecutions and promote efficiency in process,” according to Lynham.

In sweeping safety reform across Australia’s resources sector, Western Australia has also introduced the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Bill in parliament.

This is driven by a significant outcry of public concern, instigating the addition of industrial manslaughter provisions in the legislation that carries with it a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment for an individual and a fine of $10 million for a body corporate.

This bill will modernise Western Australia’s laws and bring it into line with other states, according to Western Australian Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston.

“The current legislation is spread across multiple Acts and regulations – this update will bring the resources sector and general industries under the same act, but with separate regulations,” he explains last year when tabling the laws in parliament.

It is apparent that safety is a priority in Australia’s resources sector, with people in high places intervening to create a safer workplace for the tens and thousands in mine sites.

Health & Wellbeing

A solution to COVID-19’s mental health ramifications THE AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES AND ENERGY GROUP (AMMA) PROVIDES AN ACCESSIBLE SOLUTION TO MENTAL HEALTH BURDENS THAT IS DIFFERENT TO WHAT THE MARKET ALREADY OFFERS. SAFE TO WORK WRITES.

AMMA’s online training empowers mining professionals to have difficult conversations with colleagues.

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ental wellness has received extensive attention in the mining sector, but its importance is all the more emphasised now.

When COVID-19 struck and brought daily changes to mining operations, it affected the lives of people who have

kept mining moving as a well-oiled machine during the crisis.

The mining, energy and resources sector is especially vulnerable to the life restrictions imposed by COVID-19 for four reasons.

“Our industry is characterised by a lot of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) operations,

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which means people are often spending long periods of time away from their first support network,” AMMA director operations Tara Diamond tells Safe to Work.

“They do have the support network that they can access to via work, but we know that FIFO rosters can be very challenging to some due to their physical distance from their base.”

A survey of 400 Australian workers, conducted by strategic consultancy, Engaged Strategy, revealed that 62 per cent of workers that were impacted did not have an effective support system in the form of counselling or additional job training from their organisation.

Over 50 per cent also struggle with negative emotions that could impact productivity.

The challenge rises with Australia’s harsh mining conditions and extreme temperatures. Workers are also required to be extremely careful for long periods of time in what’s considered an intense safety environment.

“They often need to be in full concentration and not to ruminate.

They can’t always process things that happen to them or what people say to them in real time when they’re operating machinery or managing and monitoring equipment – they have to be so present in their job,” she adds.

“The level of concentration required is inherent in a lot of the tasks they need to perform.”

The fourth reason that workers are particularly vulnerable during the crisis

is their predominance in a demographic that is most prone to mental health conditions and suicide, i.e. male between the ages of 35 and 60.

Diamond believes this is such a key factor as to why AMMA’s online mental health training program is important.

While mental health condition is an issue for all industries, it is definitely an issue for the resources, energy and mining sector, she says.

While working hard to be more diverse and inclusive, the industry workforce has a disproportionate demographic more than other sectors.

“After all, every one moves through a continuum with a degree of mental wellness everyday,” Diamond says.

AMMA’s industry-first mental health program is designed to help reduce the stigma attached to mental health conditions.

The program took eight months to develop but when COVID-19 happened, it was converted into an online program that includes a coronavirus module. This provides people with the opportunity to unpack the impact of COVID-19 on mental health.

“Having this program will really help employers and individuals start to reduce the stigma and enable people to acknowledge that seeking help for a psychological injury or a mental health challenge is just as normal as seeking a treatment for a physical illness or challenge,” Diamond says.

“We’ve seen a particularly high level of engagement in this program because (mental health) is such a current and universal physical impact.

“Whether someone is working on site or elsewhere, (changes that are brought on by COVID-19 present) a universal mental health challenge. The impact is not just reserved to the workplace, economy or commodity prices.”

AMMA’s online training program offers key insights, practical activities and opportunities for participants to

role play what can typically be difficult mental health-based conversations with employees, with mental health specialists as the subject matter experts.

Participants are also split into pairs virtually to practice initiating the conversations that can so often be challenging, scary and awkward, Diamond says.

This is hoped to give resources industry employees practical skills, but it doesn’t seek to replace mental health training.

“This program has been developed because mental health trainings that were available out there were really extensive,” Diamond says.

“There was a real gap in the market (for a program) that helps create awareness and provides practical training so that employers and employees can

work together to reduce stigma and create mentally healthy workplaces.

“The goal of this program is not to raise a first responder or a mental health expert.

“Companies just want everybody to have the awareness and feel comfortable to seek support when needed, and for their colleagues to be able to identify a psychological hazard in someone and support them to get support.”

Companies have not only registered for the AMMA program, but also customised it for use across their sites.

“It’s struck a cord with the industry.

But the level of engagement we’ve received is no surprise to us since we’ve done such an extensive pilot program and work with the resource energy advisory board to hone our content,” Diamond concludes.

“The goal of this program is not to raise a first responder or a mental health expert.”

AMMA director operations Tara Diamond.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 55 JUL-AUG 2020

, D E E N U T. O Y RE R E ER N. V E F O T N S A I O H W D IT RCH FINE SEA TH

RELY ON AUSTRALIA’S MANUFACTURING, MINING AND INDUSTRIAL HUB 70,000 monthly users can’t be wrong. Find what you’re looking for with over 12,000 business listings and 8,000 specific product listings. Access relevant information and resources, empowering you to make a qualified purchase decision. You can always rely on your industry hub.

F E R R E T.C O M . AU

FERRET GROUP OF WEBSITES

MHD Supply Chain Solutions

Product spotlight

Tradies choose customisable SP Tools kits WHEN PROFESSIONAL TRADESMEN FROM LANGE FITTING & MECHANICAL DRIVE THEIR 4X4 VEHICLES OR TRUCKS THROUGH THE DUSTY ROADS LEADING TO A MINING OR QUARRYING SITE, THEY CARRY AT THE BACK OF THEIR VEHICLE A METAL BOX IMPRINTED WITH THESE WORDS: SP PROFESSIONAL TOOLS.

A

ny professional tradesperson would tell you that if there’s one thing they could absolutely not do without, that’s a good set of tools. The SP Tools brand has built a reputation among Australian tradesmen over the years as the go-to brand when the best quality is demanded.

Queensland-based maintenance and repair company, Lange Fitting & Mechanical, has equipped its service vehicles with the field service series of SP toolboxes. The company’s employees deal with heavy earthmoving equipment, cranes, crushers and trucks on multiple mining and construction projects.

Cam, a diesel fitter working with Lange Fitting & Mechanical says the SP Tools field service toolkit stays firmly at the back of a utility vehicle or truck, even when driving in rough terrains.

“The SP field service toolkits have everything that I need, including a full range of sockets, full metric and imperial set of spanners, all the screwdrivers and allen keys. The rollers are very sturdy and hold up well when the toolbox sits on the back of a ute or truck,” he says.

As a leading national supplier to a wide range of industries in Australia, BSC has been working closely with SP Tools over the past 10 years, offering premium tool solutions for different market segments.

BSC’s industrial and engineering consumables category manager,

An SP Tools kit fit for mining.

Dominic Arena says SP’s large range of tools and toolkit solutions allows BSC to service both professional tradesmen and apprentices working in a wide range of industries.

“Whether your requirements are for mining, manufacturing, agricultural, mechanical or general servicing needs, we have the products to service our customers with SP Tools,” he adds.

Arena says what makes the range of toolkits and cabinets offered by SP Tools truly unique, is that they are customisable to meet the requirements of each end user.

“Having customisable toolkits means customers don’t have to pay for tools they don’t need. There are already over 100 toolkits in the SP range and for high-volume orders, we can also mix and match the kits in conjunction with SP Tools to optimise to our customer’s requirements,” he says.

High durability, accuracy and strength are what SP Tools have become well known for. All the hand tools in the

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SP Tools range come with a lifetime warranty. SP’s toolboxes and roller cabinets have also been designed to carry a substantially heavy load.

“SP Tools is a fully Australian-owned brand offering, what we consider as the highest quality toolkits available.

All the products in the SP Tools range have been designed by professional tradespeople to well exceed the ANSI and DIN standards,” says Arena.

Another benefit for customers, Arena says, is the Click & Collect option with SP Tools.

“Whenever we receive a large order, we assemble the toolboxes or cabinets as per the specific order on the same day and customers can collect their order from our branches,” he explains.

“With the Click & Collect option, our customers can purchase their SP Tools products online at www.sptools.com and then collect them from any BSC branch across Australia.”

This option is particularly attractive in view of the current precautions in place with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are taking every measure to ensure the safety of our employees and customers,” says Arena. “Please talk to us about delivery options for your SP Tools orders whereby you may be a shift worker, you may be located remotely, or if you can’t visit us during normal operating hours. We will continue to offer our customers solutions as always, it’s in our DNA.”

Events CONFERENCES, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS EVENT SUBMISSIONS CAN BE EMAILED TO EDITOR@SAFETOWORK.COM.AU

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS, MELBOURNE, AUGUST 13 The Women in Industry Awards acknowledges the exceptional women who have achieved success through their invaluable leadership, innovation and commitment to their sector.

The awards recognise and reward the achievements of women working within the resources, engineering, manufacturing, process control and commercial road transport industries, and aim to raise the profile of women within industry, as well as promote and encourage excellence.

• womeninindustry.com.au

MINESAFE INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL CONFERENCE 2020, SEPTEMBER 22-23 The Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) has moved its Minesafe International Digital Conference online this September, allowing industry professionals to come together from the comfort of their own home and learn about the latest industry safety practices.

The conference themes will include COVID-19 risk assessment, planning and hygiene practices, mental health, innovation and human interaction, legal issues, accident and incident investigation practices and healthy workplace culture.

Participants will immerse themselves in four live keynote sessions, a virtual exhibition and have the opportunity to network via one-on-one virtual meetings. Sessions will be recorded and available on-demand for the six months following the conference.

• minesafe.ausimm.com

QUEENSLAND MINING AND ENGINEERING EXHIBITION, MACKAY, SEPTEMBER 22-24

DIGGERS AND DEALERS MINING FORUM, KALGOORLIE, OCTOBER 12-14

Having run for more than 25 years, the Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition (QME) is recognised as the largest mining expo in the Sunshine State.

Held at the Mackay, the event is right on the doorstep of some of the country’s largest coal mines in the Bowen Basin region.

QME will feature over 250 suppliers showcasing leading products and solutions and will host a free-to-attend seminar series that will provide a unique opportunity to hear from industry professionals who will address the current needs of the industry.

Sessions will cover mine management and maintenance, health and safety, coal processing strategies and automation, future skills, policy outlook, engineering excellence and more.

• queenslandminingexpo.com.au

This annual conference brings together mining and exploration companies, brokers, bankers, investors, financiers and mining service industries into Australia’s unofficial gold mining capital, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

The event, which has been moved from August to October following the impact of the coronavirus, combines presentations by listed companies with a large display area, housing a range of exhibitors from within the sector.

Diggers and Dealers also features a worldclass entertainment program, including a keynote address from a world-class speaker, Oxford University professor, Ian Goldin.

• diggersndealers.com.au

AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS 2020, BRISBANE, OCTOBER 8 The Australian mining industry’s biggest awards celebration returns to the Sunshine State for the second straight year. Since 2004, the Australian Mining Prospect Awards have been the only national awards program to stop, take a look at what the mining industry is doing, and reward those who are excelling and going above and beyond, recognising and rewarding innovation. That trend is set to continue this year, with 14 awards on offer for mining highest achievers, including two new awards. Visit the Prospect Awards website for information about nominating for the 2020 awards.

• prospectawards.com.au

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 58 JUL-AUG 2020

INTERNATIONAL MINING AND RESOURCES CONFERENCE + EXPO, MELBOURNE, OCTOBER 27-29 Australia’s largest global mining event the International Mining and Resources Conference + Expo, or IMARC, is returning to Melbourne this October.

More than 7000 members of the mining community from 100-plus countries will have three days to converse, network and attend demonstrations all related to the future of mining at the seventh annual IMARC event.

This year’s key themes for IMARC include collaboration and engagement, commodity trends, ethical investment, project opportunities, exploration challenges and opportunities, innovation, waste management, people and culture and technology.

Attendees will have the opportunity to attend workshops and browse exhibitions covering the entire mining supply chain, put on display by more than 400 global mining companies.

• imarcmelbourne.com

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