A worker at a coal processing plant in New South Wales is recovering from a punctured lung after the tooth of a secondary crusher pierced his chest during a change-out.
While removing a tooth segment from the secondary crusher, the worker struck the segment with a hammer and felt an injury to his chest.
He was assessed by paramedics and flown to hospital. While waiting for further assessment, his condition deteriorated, and he described increasing pain and shortness of breath.
X-rays identified a small metal fragment in his lung. An initial investigation by the state’s Resources Regulator indicated the use of incorrect tooling for removing the teeth.
The Regulator stressed the importance of using designated tools for a particular job, with the incident serving as an unfortunate example of what can go wrong when incorrect tools are used.
“All mine workers should be reminded of the dangers associated with the use of hard metal tools, including contact with other hard metal surfaces,” the Regulator said.
“Fit-for-purpose tools and equipment, work procedures and training should be provided to workers to prevent injury from metal fragments becoming projectiles.
“Soft faced hammers should be considered where force is being manually applied to hardened steel.”
The NSW Resources Regulator recently announced a set of new compliance priorities aimed at reducing the number of such incidents on site.
“By listening to industry and analysing incident data, we can implement targeted strategies that enhance operational safety, protect the environment, and promote sustainable practices across the resources sector,” Resources Regulator executive director Peter Day said.
The compliance campaign will begin in the second half of 2024.
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