Mining Safety Management and Inspection

Legislation Notes

• A principal hazard is any activity, process, procedure, plant, structure, substance, situation, or other circumstance relating to the carrying out of mining operations that have a reasonable potential to result in multiple deaths in a single incident or a series of recurring incidents in relation to any of the following:
  • Ground or strata failure. (20)
  • Inundation or inrush of any substance. (8)
  • Roads or other vehicle operating areas. (8)
  • Fire and explosion. (8)
  • Subsidence. (6)
  • Spontaneous combustion. (4)
  • Air quality or dust or other airborne contaminants.
  • Gas outbursts.
  • Mine shafts and winding systems. (4)
  • A hazard identified by the mine operator under cl34 of the WHS Regs.

Managing Risks

• A PCBU must manage risks to health and safety in accordance with part 3.1 of the WHS Regs.
• A risk assessment must be conducted by a competent person having regard to the nature of the hazard.
• In conducting a risk assessment, consideration of the hazard's nature, likelihood of affecting persons' health and safety and severity of potential consequences is required.
• A PCBU must keep a record of each risk assessment conducted, the person's name and competency, and control measures implemented.
• A PCBU is not required to keep a record of a risk assessment if a risk assessment is one that an individual worker is required to carry out before commencing a particular task or a risk assessment carried out in relation to the development of the SMS for the mine or a PHMP.

Review of Control Measures

• A PCBU must review and, as necessary, revise controls measures implemented under section (5) (B) if:
  • An audit on the effectiveness of the SMS for the mine indicates a deficiency in a control measure.
  • A worker is moved from a hazard or assigned to different work in response to a recommendation contained in a health monitoring report provided under part 3.
  • An incident referred to in clause 124 occurs.
  • Any other incident requiring notification to the regulator under WHS laws.

Record of Certain Reviews of Control Measures

• This section applies to operators of mine sites who have reviewed a control measure under cl38 of the WHS Regs.
• The operator must keep a record of causes (or likely causes) of the incident, work health and safety matters arising from the incident, recommendations, outcomes of any review or revision of any control or part of the SMS, and a summary of any changes to the SMS for the mine and any affected PHMP for the mine.
• The operator must provide any records to the regulator if required.

Contents of a Safety Management System

• The health and safety policy of the mine site operator, including broad aims regarding safe operation.
• Arrangements for managing risks.
• Systems, procedures, plans, and control measures for risks associated with mining operations (PHMP, PCP).
• Procedures for review of control measures.
• Procedures for record management to ensure compliance with WHS laws.
• Management structure for workplace health and safety.
• Arrangements in place to supervise workers and other persons for work-related health and safety risks.
• Work environment monitoring and assessment arrangements.
• Worker communication arrangements, including shift changes.
• Health monitoring arrangements.
• Control measures for contractors' work.
• Consultation, cooperation, and coordination of activities between mine site PCBU's regarding WHS laws.
• Arrangements for worker induction (training and instructions).
• Consultation and safety roles for workers.
• Emergency procedures.
• Procedures and conditions to withdraw persons to safety.
• Procedures for notifiable incidents.
• Response and investigations for incidents.
• Performance standards under section 20.
• Resources for effective implementation and use of the SMS.
• Details relevant to the mine site that adequately addresses all elements related to the risk.

Performance Standards and Audit

• Performance standards for measuring effectiveness of the SMS.
• Steps detailed to continually improve the SMS.
• The way in which standards are to be met.
• Systems for auditing SMS effectiveness—including methods, frequency, and audit process results.

Review of the SMS

• Reviewed within 12 months of the commencement of mining operations and every 3 years after.
• If a control measure is revised, the SMS for the mine site must be reviewed.

Duties to Provide Information to Operator of Adjoining Mine

• Operators must provide information about conditions at the site or any activities that could affect the adjoining mine site.
• This includes survey plans and mine site plans.

Duties on Operator to Provide Information to Contractor

• The operator of a mine site must provide contractors with all relevant information and access to enable them to identify risks associated with proposed operations.

Contractors to Prepare Plan or Use SMS

• A contractor must not carry out mining operations at a mine site unless they have prepared a plan and given a copy to the operator, provided written proof from the operator that the plan is consistent with the SMS, and implemented the plan as far as reasonably practicable. Subsection 1 does not apply if the contractor has - reviewed the SMS for the mine site or given written notice of the contractor's review of the SMS and that they reasonably believe it's consistent.
• A contractor health and safety management plan must set out how the contractor will manage risks, provisions to ensure worker and others' safety. This plan must be documented and easily understood by the users.

Principle Hazard and Control Plan & PCP

• Mine site operator must identify all principal hazards associated with mining operations.
• Risk assessments for each identified principal hazard are to include a comprehensive and systematic analysis of health and safety risks.
• Suitable investigation and analysis methods for the principal hazard and its cumulative effect with other hazards at the site in the risk assessment is crucial.
• Prepare a PHMP for each principal hazard, outlining management of all risk aspects and expressed in understandable terms.
• Describe the nature, relationship to other hazards, analysis methods, record of recent risk assessment, and control measures.
• Implement arrangements for providing necessary information, training, and instruction on the principal hazard and any design principles, engineering, or technical standards considered. List of Additional factors to be addressed (e.g., geology, geotechnics, water, blasting, mine design and operations).

Duties to Provide Information to Operator of Adjoining Mine Site

1. Operators must provide information upon request. This includes any conditions at the mine site or any activities that could be a risk to the adjoining mine.
2. This applies to survey plans and mine site plans.

Duty on Operator to Provide Information to Contractor

• Operators must provide a contractor with the required information and access to the mine site to enable the contractor to identify any risks associated with the planned operations.

Duty on Contractor to Provide Information to Operator

• A contractor must ensure the operator is aware of all relevant information to enable risk identification.

Contractors to Prepare Plan or Use SMS

• A contractor must not perform mining operations without first preparing a plan (contractor health and safety plan), providing a copy of the plan to the operator, and receiving written confirmation from the operator that the plan is consistent with the mine's SMS and is implemented as reasonably practicable.

Division 3 Provision of Information

• Duties to provide information to adjoining mine site operators

Subdivision 2: Safety Management Systems

Contents of a Safety Management System

• Operators must have a health and safety policy, including aims.
• Establish systems and procedures for risk management.
• Ensure compliance with WHS laws.
• Describe the management structure.
• Establish arrangements for worker supervision concerning safety issues from working at the site.
• Establish other monitoring, assessment, and inspection procedures for the work environment.
• Establish a process for worker communication between shifts with proper documentation.
• Establish arrangements for health monitoring.
• Develop control measures concerning contractors' work.
• Establish consultation, cooperation, and coordination processes between all PCBU's concerning WHS laws.
• Establish procedures for obtaining information and training for workers.
• Implement induction procedures for workers.
• Develop safety roles for workers concerning their participation in risk identification, control measure considerations, and review procedures, including conducting a review under section 29.
• Establish emergency procedures.
• Develop and implement a plan concerning the procedure for persons to be withdrawn to a safer place if warranted by a health or safety matter.
• Develop procedures for notifiable incident response and investigations.
• Establish procedures for the provision of performance standards under section 20.
• Document resources for effective implementation and use of the SMS (especially for fire or explosion, and for any other relevant factors).

This quiz covers key aspects of mining safety management systems, including control measures, health and safety policies, and inspection plans. Participants will be tested on their understanding of the regulatory requirements and best practices related to health and safety in mining operations. Ideal for operators and safety representatives in the mining industry.