A dozer at an open cut coal mine in New South Wales that tipped onto its side last week has triggered a warning from the state’s Resources Regulator about a rise in similar cases.
The dozer was completing floor clean-up at a dig area and after completing a push, reversed at 45 degrees.
The operator stopped, ready to begin another push when the dozer slowly started to tip onto the right-hand side.
The NSW Resources Regulator spoke with the operator, who said it felt like the bench the dozer was sitting on slumped.
“Pre-task inspections of work areas should be undertaken to identify and manage any hazards present,” the Regulator said.
“Where the work area conditions change, workers should stop and re-assess the area.”
A spate of similar incidents involving tipped dozers at mine sites was reported across the state in 2019.
An investigation at the time from the Regulator found that while dozer rollovers and collisions can occur in all phases of mining operations, the highest rate occurs when dozers are reversing and working on cross grades.
In order to avoid another period of high rates of dozer incidents, the Regulator has released recommendations to the industry:
- confirm that all reasonably foreseeable operating conditions and practices have been assessed in the operational risk assessment for dozer operations and that the controls identified have been implemented, and they are monitored for effectiveness on an ongoing basis
- review training and assessment material to determine it adequately covers hazards and controls identified in operational risk assessments
- conduct pre-task inspections of work areas to identify and manage the hazards present, a practice that must be monitored and confirmed by supervisors
- require that ground implements (blades and rippers) are kept as low to the ground as possible during operation, particularly when operating on uneven surfaces
- provide adequate lighting for operation at night
- schedule supervisors to conduct routine inspections and task interactions with equipment operators
- review stockpiles to confirm that valve locations are easily and readily identifiable for operators.
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