A fire on the tail pulley of a longwall conveyor has triggered fresh safety recommendations for underground coal operations, with a focus on managing bearing failure risks in hazardous zones.
According to the NSW Resources Regulator, tradesmen in the mine first noticed a burning smell before spotting a 300 mm flame near the off-walk side tail pulley bearing. The area had been isolated earlier to clear foreign material, which was suspected to have caused the initial heating. However, once the conveyor belt was restarted, temperatures spiked and the flame appeared within minutes, and was quickly extinguished.
In response, mine operators are being urged by the regulator to review and improve their control measures around longwall conveyor bootends. This includes assessing whether current designs are fit-for-purpose, establishing reliable systems for identifying and replacing worn or damaged bearings, and ensuring inspection teams are aware of the heightened risk of failure in high-tension areas.
The incident reinforces the importance of robust longwall safety practices – a focus that will be front and centre at the upcoming Coal Mining Safety and Health Advisory Committee (CMSHAC) forum in Moranbah on November 11.
The free industry event will bring together regulators, operators, unions and technical experts to share lessons and strengthen safety controls around longwall operations, particularly in managing gas and spontaneous combustion risks in the goaf.
Its agenda will include key technical and operational topics, including ventilation strategies, gas and oxygen management, inertisation, representative monitoring, effective Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs), mine design, and emergency sealing and re-entry.
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