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Truck crash could have been avoided: Watchdog

NSW coal mine truck crash

A truck crash at a New South Wales open cut coal mine highlights an increasing trend of avoidable mine vehicle crashes, according to the state’s safety regulator.

The NSW Resources Regulator attended the scene of a collision between a dozer and a dump truck at one of the state’s coal mines last week.

An investigation revealed the incident occurred as the dozer was site cutting a narrow dump when the dump truck entered without establishing positive communication.

The Regulator confirmed the dozer operator identified the presence of the truck just before impact and attempted to track forward to avoid a collision.

“The Resources Regulator has noticed with some considerable concern, an increasing trend in vehicle interactions over the past six months throughout all sectors of the mining industry in NSW,” the Regulator said.

Referring to a recent safety bulletin, the Regulator said there have been a total 46 vehicle interaction notification reported in that time.

Of those interactions, 45 per cent were at surface coal mines, 26 per cent from surface metalliferous and quarry operations, and 32 per cent from both underground coal and metalliferous mines.

“A review of these incidents indicated that the predominant causes have been a lack of, or inadequate, communication between people involved in the incidents, as well as a lack of situational awareness on the part of operators,” the Regulator said.

The Regulator has called on workers to report all incidents, even near-misses, report all areas of non-compliance on roadways and intersections and make positive communication with other operators in the vicinity.

Operators are being encouraged to review their higher order controls to ensure thy have effective systems in place to audit the level of compliance to positive communication protocols.

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