Dr Gareth Kennedy – Director, Mine Safety Technology Research Centre, Simtars
ABSTRACT
Simtars commenced operation in 1986, with purpose-built analytical and research facilities commissioned at Redbank in 1988. The Queensland Government established Simtars following the tragedies of Box Flat Colliery and Kianga No 1 Colliery explosions, which occurred in the 1970’s. Over the last 30 years Simtars has made significant contributions to industry.
Simtars has recently launched its new five year research strategy to help improve safety and health outcomes for Queensland’s future mining industry. The research strategy focuses on four key areas including health, safety, emergency response and emergency preparedness.
Through consultation with industry, this sets a framework for a more consolidated approach to research. Key areas will initially focus around respirable dust, human-machine interactions, emergency preparedness, spontaneous combustion and explosion characterisation and survivability.
This paper will present a summary of Simtars’ research journey over the last 30 years, an overview of current research projects, and finally discuss the plans for the future.
Dr Gareth Kennedy
Simtars, Resources Safety and Health Queensland
Prof Peter Knights
The University of Queensland
Jenny Krasny
Senior Customer Safety & Fatigue Consultant, Caterpillar Inc.- Caterpillar Safety Services
Sleep deprivation, abnormal sleeping patterns, long commute times, and highly repetitive, sustained and monotonous tasks are common predictors of fatigue across the mining industry. Fatigue is a reality that our industry faces, and while all would agree that it is a critical risk that must be managed, understanding the severity of that risk and developing the associated controls has been a challenge… until recently. Using wearable devices, the condition of our operators, employees and managers can be assessed easily and accurately, enabling solutions for fatigue mitigation and management to come to the fore. The dilemma, however, is that solutions developed for one operation do not always apply to other operations due to the unique differences in rosters, sleeping conditions, commute times and a multitude of other variables.
Having worked across four continents, supporting various mining operations identify, mitigate and manage their fatigue risk, Jenny Krasny will present to you not only the state of fatigue in our industry, but also some of the unique and innovative solutions customers are adopting to manage fatigue risk.
Simon Krismer
WQMS Pty Ltd
Nikky LaBranche – Principal Mining Engineer, Simtars
ABSTRACT
Since the first case of CWP in over twenty years was reported in Queensland in 2015 there have been 66 confirmed cases of mine dust lung disease among current and former QLD mine workers. As a result ACARP commissioned research into a number of questions relating to monitoring and controlling coal dust exposure.
The project had a number of aims which include the following areas: 1) establishing the state of the art with respect to current dust suppression and prevention controls and their effectiveness. 2) Reviewing the basis used for setting an exposure standard for respirable coal dust 3) The current trends in exposure data and any underlying points of concern or interest 4) current research into reducing exposure to respirable coal dust. 5) The capacity to monitor respirable coal dust in real time – what techniques are available and what are their limitations and 6) Future directions for research into better control of respirable coal dust exposure.
The research seeks to answer these questions and better define the next questions for future research. This paper will present the progress results of the Improving Respirable Coal Dust Exposure monitoring and Control research project.
Nikky LaBranche
Industry Fellow, Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland
David Cliff
Professor of OHS in Mining, Minerals Industry – Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland
NIKKY LaBRANCHE – Nikky is a resources sector professional with mining engineering and health and safety research experience spanning three continents. She is currently an Industry Fellow with the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre undertaking a strategic gap analysis of particulates in the resources sector. Her research interests also include incident management practices and accident/injury analysis and investigation.
Nikky is currently Chair of the AusIMM Southern Queensland Branch and a Board Member of the AusIMM Health and Safety Society. She holds an MBA and both an RPEQ and Professional Engineer credentials in the US.
DAVID CLIFF – David has over 30 years in the resources sector in Australia. His experience spans both research and consulting settings as the manager of both the Occupational Hygiene Environment and Chemistry Centre and the Mining Research Centre at SIMTARS, Occupational Health and Safety Advisor to the Queensland Resources Council and Professor of OHS in Mining and Professor of Risk and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Queensland.
David has provided OHS advice particularly in the areas of OHS risk management, governance and education and training. He has provided this specialist support to governments, unions and companies.
Rod Lansdowne
Outbye Electrical Coordinator
The Problem
A recent incident report identified a “Near Miss” at an underpass intersection between the 2nd main travel routes of the mine, involving a loader and a man transporter. Safety meetings with crews identified that with the LED strip lighting underground, it made it difficult to identify vehicles entering the main headings from blind corners, and suggestions were made to remove strip lighting from around the underpass intersections to allow identification of vehicles at the intersection (via headlights on the vehicles).
The Solution
After further consultation, it was decided not to remove the current lighting from the intersection but to find a solution that would work within all the current controls under the Mine Transport Rules. Work was already being trialled on using coloured LED indication for belt monitoring purposes, and testing began on using the same string of LED to use an amber light to give an indication of movement from around the blind corner. An ultrasonic system was chosen, as a way of removing human behaviour, and testing to confirm functionality, so that either vehicle or pedestrian would activate the warning lights. A trial was put in place at 30ct underpass to test overall functionality and allow feedback from the workforce as to what changes were required prior to implementing through out the mine.
Benefits/Effects
By adding an autonomous warning system, it gives a visual warning to vehicles/pedestrians in the travel roads of movement around the blind corner. Being autonomous, there is no reliance on people’s behaviours or attitude.
Transferability
Already looking at using the same system to change existing block lights on site to ultrasonic, replacing existing drift lighting with the same LED strips, use of LED strips to indicate gas levels at TG machine doors.
Innovation
Combined current technologies to achieve working system.
Approximate Cost – $2600 for single control box and lighting
Dr. Jenny Legge
Managing Director, JobFit Systems International
Exoskeletons, or wearable robotics, are appearing in scientific journals, industry publications, the media, and even in some workplaces as a potential ‘solution’ for workplace musculoskeletal injury prevention.
This presentation will outline the different types of exoskeletons currently available and their intended uses, including how they can potentially reduce the load on specific muscle groups to minimise fatigue and subsequent injury. However, there are also several documented risks associated with their use in industry. A review of the current evidence base will be presented.
Acceptance of exoskeletons across industries and different work types has been variable and is still in relatively early stages of development and implementation. Mining is often seen at the forefront of safety innovation and can be early adopters of new technologies and processes. Could ‘Exos’ be the next big thing for our industry?
To assist potential users and purchasers to make informed decisions before trial or purchase of such devices, a checklist for independent evaluation will be presented. This takeaway resource will also outline a number of ‘toolspecific’ risk factors to be considered in any onsite formal pre-use / pre-purchase risk assessment for the mining environment.
John Lennon, Business Development Manager, Lennon Training