The Western Australia Government has urged mining companies to re-evaluate their safety plans in readiness for the 2021-22 cyclone season, which runs from November to April.
Employers and executives of workplaces in cyclone-sensitive regions must have the appropriate safety infrastructure in place and training must be provided to employees to ensure they are up to speed.
It comes as the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) released its tropical cyclone outlook for 2021-22.
The BOM split its report up into four sections, including the western, north-western, northern and eastern regions of Australia.
The north-western region, which encompasses the upper-reaches of Western Australia and the mining-rich Pilbara region within that, has a 62 per cent chance of an above-average cyclone season.
The north-western region of Australia experiences five cyclones on average each season, with around 40 per cent of cyclones affecting the region’s coastal areas.
The eastern region of Australia, which encompasses Queensland and New South Wales, including the coal expanses of the Bowen Basin, Surat Basin and the Galilee Basin, has a 66 per cent chance of an above-average cyclone season.
This section of Australia generally experiences four cyclones per season.
The BOM puts its 2021-22 predictions down to the increased chance of La Niña development in the Pacific Ocean along with expected warmer sea surface temperatures in Australia’s north.
Cyclones have the capacity to isolate workers, with the potential to cut off access to emergency services, roads, transport, power, infrastructure and communications.
WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) acting director Sally North said cyclones pose a significant risk to mine safety, and shouldn’t be underestimated.
“Mining and petroleum operators must prepare response plans for the likely risks of cyclones,” North said.
“Operators must also coordinate the plans for sites with multiple employers by appropriately training all workers.
“All employees must know exactly what actions to take in the event of a cyclone.”
DMIRS has outlined a number of safety considerations mining operations should be exploring in readiness for the upcoming cyclone season. They are as follows:
- Develop emergency procedures and plans in conjunction with advice from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and local regional emergency planning groups where each individual work site and camp is located.
- Regularly review training and include the plan when providing on-site inductions.
- Detail site-safe actions to be undertaken at all levels of cyclone warning phases. For example: remove or restrain loose objects or structures; have step-by-step plans for the safe evacuation of workers; and have clear communication protocols established for reaching all personnel on site during all cyclone alert warning phases.
- All transportable buildings on work sites in cyclone sensitive regions are to be adequately secured including accommodation units, dongas and offices.
- Plan for a safe and orderly evacuation of non-essential personnel prior to worsening conditions, for example, during the blue and yellow cyclone warning phases.
- All personnel remaining on site during the cyclone should move to an appropriate designated shelter well in advance of the arrival of the cyclone.
- Adequate food, drinking water, medical supplies and other essential items are to be available for all isolated workers.
- During the red alert cyclone warning phase, a reliable emergency backup communication is to be available for contact with external emergency services.
- Cyclone warnings are monitored via radio, television or the Bureau of Meteorology or DFES websites. Battery-powered radios are to be available in the event of power interruptions on site.
For more information from DMIRS regarding cyclone preparation and safety, head here.