In a bid to reduce the frequency of adverse vehicle interactions at mine sites, the New South Wales safety watchdog has launched a technical reference guide for operators and site managers.

The NSW Resources Regulator’s hazard management plan for roads and other vehicle operating areas in surface mining operations, assists mine operators in complying with their legislative requirements to avoid incidents and near-misses.

Under these enforced laws, operators are required to eliminate risks to workers or, when risks cannot be eliminated, ensure they are controlled as low as is reasonably practicable.

The regulator’s TRG uses a “layered defence approach to help achieve safe operating states for mobile plant” by covering areas such as mine design, site standards, effective road conditions, traffic management, operator requirements and process to implement and maintain vehicle interaction controls.

According to the resources regulator, the TRG must form part of the mine’s broader safety management system.

Included in the guide is the importance of risk management and control.

“Hazard identification, risk assessment and effective implementation of operational control measures are critical steps in ensuring safe work systems and a safe work environment,” it notes.

Operators can achieve additional security during vehicle interaction by following necessary steps, including conducting a vehicle interaction maturity assessment using the ICMM maturity framework, review existing operational control measures using the layered defence approach, identify additional measures and consider technology reactive controls.

Finally, the guide places emphasis on training vehicle operators and roadway maintenance personnel.

The TRG’s release follows 783 reported incidents and near misses relating to adverse vehicle interactions at NSW mine sites recorded in the past five years.