WorkSafe is urging mine operators in Western Australia to ensure their emergency response capabilities tick all regulatory boxes, after an operation in the state was shut down temporarily due to the absence of required safety processes.
An open-pit iron ore mine in WA briefly closed its doors following an inspection from the workplace health and safety regulator, which uncovered the lack of mobile plant and vehicle rescue equipment, and found there was minimal apparatus to deal with emergency situations.
As a result, the mine’s operations were halted for two days until it sourced the essential equipment and responded to WorkSafe with a commitment to modify its emergency management plan and train a suitable number of its personnel in the use of the apparatus.
According to WorkSafe mines safety director Tony Robertson, the incident serves as a timely reminder to operators to ensure their emergency response capabilities meet the legal requirements under the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022.
“Vehicle and mobile plant interaction is one of WA’s principal mining hazards, and not having the equipment required to respond places workers at significant risk in the event of an emergency,” he said.
“Mobile equipment interactions, single-vehicle rollovers and vehicle fires are some of the most frequently reported events to WorkSafe.”
Robertson said WorkSafe inspectors will continue their focus on ensuring WA mine operators have the necessary emergency response capabilities.
“It’s every WA mine operator’s duty to provide their workers with a safe workplace, and in the event of an emergency, they must be able to respond effectively, even if their geographical location is remote,” he said.