Mine operators are being reminded to stay on top of safety measures related to the inspection and inflation of tyres on sites, after a “catastrophic tyre failure” injured two workers at a NSW quarry.

Following the conclusion of its investigation into the 2024 incident, the NSW Resources Regulator has made a series of recommendations for both mine and quarry managers to prevent further tyre-related occurrences.

According to the regulator, the incident occurred in the quarry workshop when workers were trying to locate an air leak on the tyre while it was secured on a tyre-fitting machine and being inflated with compressed air.

The investigation found that several factors – including oversights around risk management, PPE, as well as administrative and engineering controls – contributed to workers being exposed to the risk of serious injury while performing the task.

These factors formed the basis of the regulator’s recommendations, with the safety body highlighting the importance of identifying hazards and managing risks to health
and safety in accordance with the law.

In particular, mine and quarry operators must, according to the regulator, undertake a detailed risk assessment to identify the hazards and required controls associated with tasks involved in the inspection, maintenance, repair and inflation of pneumatic truck tyres at the workplace.

They should also develop and implement a safe system of work for inflating truck tyres.

Administrative, covering both procedural and information controls should also be put in place.

This includes ensuring exclusion zones demarcated by physical barricades are implemented to keep workers clear of the potential line of fire, whenever tyres are being inflated.

Workers must also be given adequate training and instruction in how to inspect the external and internal parts of tyres to identify signs of structural damage.