A truck driver has escaped serious injury with minor scrapes after an articulated tip truck overturned at an industrial minerals site in New South Wales this week.
The truck was carrying 24.6 tonnes of rock when it overturned while tipping its load.
The NSW Resources Regulator said the truck was parked ‘fundamentally stable’ when the incident occurred.
The risks associated with the rollover of mobile plant was the subject of a regulator compliance priority program in 2018.
At the time, the regulator said it is essential critical controls are developed for mobile plant equipment.
Elsewhere in the state, an open cut coal mine had a close call when a truck operator noticed sparks coming the grid box of an oncoming truck. The driver immediately called an emergency and hit the E-stop in the truck.
A workshop maintenance worker opened the grid box cabinet and found there was no flame, but a water cart sprayed the grid box for about five minutes to cool it down.
A preliminary investigation by the NSW Resources Regulator showed the grids were aligned in incorrect positions.
“Mine operators should ensure stringent monitoring and quality control of maintenance and repair activities and also ensure risk control measures to prevent the occurrence of fires are implemented and remain effective,” the regulator said.
“Inspection regimes and housekeeping standards should be routinely examined to ensure minimum standards are met or exceeded.”
Other recent incidents involving close calls with sparking equipment have prompted the state’s regulator to call for greater awareness from operators.
“It is suggested that mine operators review their fire and explosion risk assessments and update any hazard management plans or subordinate documents where appropriate,” the regulator said at the time.
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