ICCS Guide

Mines Rescue November 2014 Update

Content

Learnings from Emergencies

- Incidents

- Simulated emergencies

Actions

- MR internal RA’s and system

improvements

- Consultation regarding EMS

What is on horizon

- WHS (Mines) Regulation and Code

- Sub Plan and multiple agency simulations

- ICCS training

Ravensworth Incident - 30 November 2013

A large haul truck collided with and ran over a light passenger vehicle, killing its

driver.

Ravensworth Incident - Learnings

Mines Rescue Industry

Response system

• Not as per procedure

• No induction process, always supervised by

mine employee but need to be aware of mine

site specifics

Communication system

• Difficulty reading pager whilst driving

• Difficult to get mobile reception on site

• Police not recognising mine site hazards – e.g.

depth of mud, mud falling off truck as it dried

out

• Identification of Mines Rescue personnel

• External agency unable to identify Mines

Rescue staff from mining personnel

• Police happy for Mines Rescue to do job

Austar Incident – 15 April 2014

Two mine workers died when a major rib/sidewall burst event occurred in a longwall development gate road

during mining operations. Material from the rib engulfed the two workers who died at the scene. Five other

members of the mining crew escaped injury and initiated the mine emergency response system.

Austar Incident - Learnings

Mines Rescue Industry

Response system

• Not as per procedure

Mine induction package:

• Unfamiliar personnel may not cope well with a “hurried” induction Mines

not familiar with response agencies electronic equipment

Communication system

• Pager system was cumbersome

• Difficult to access responding

personnel on mobile telephones

DTI Role

• Unknown expectation by response agencies of the role of DTI Mining

inspector role

Internal communication protocols

• to staff/brigadesmen

Police Role

• High turnover of police staff

• Lack of protocols regarding managing responding police

• Lack of understanding of Police role whilst acting on coroner behalf

• Importance of an onsite Command centre

Identification of mine staff/inspectors/investigators

• It is important to know who staff are and what is their role

Industry Simulations - Learnings

Positives

• Usually well handled

• Self-escape aspect is generally good

with only minor mistakes being made

• Where incident is low level and

required decision making is minimal

incidents are managed very well

Industry Simulations - Learnings

Room for improvement

• Cooperation/communication of parties

• Speed of response when incidents

increase in size and complexity

• Personnel’s competence in their role

within their EMS structure

Industry Simulations Key Requirement

Need to involve external

agencies in the:

development of written plans and

procedures

mutual engagement in simulations

development of interpersonal

relationships

know what to expect

Mines Rescue Actions

Risk Assessments

• Industry involvement

• Response system

• Communication system

Mines Rescue Actions

Response

Capability

- Worst case

scenario

(mines are 60

minutes travel

time from

rescue

station)

Category Required Response Time from

initiation

Initial response • Initial phone call answered by

‘Responding’ Mines Rescue Duty

Officer, either directly or by

Emergency pager system

Within 2 minutes

Responding Duty

Officer

• Duty Officer to mine Within 90 minutes

Sister Station Duty

officer

• Accepts telephone duties and

initiates brigadesman call out

Within 10 minutes

Surface coordinator

• Arrives at mine site with

Emergency Response vehicle

within 90 minutes

Brigadesmen • 2 mines rescue teams (as per

Mines Rescue guidelines), ready

to go u/g (with all equipment

tested and ready to go)

120 minutes

Mines Rescue Actions

Technology

• Whispir

• GRN

Incident Management Training

• Procedural based

• ICCS, common language and systems

Current Mines Rescue Consultation regarding EMS

Compliance Audit

To audit the Colliery site with regard to

emergency management and in particular

their compliance with legislative requirements.

Improvement Audit

To review the Colliery site with regard to

emergency management and what is viewed

as current ‘best practice’ in relation to the

effectiveness of their systems and processes

in use on a day to day basis.

Where to: Emergency Management Legislation

Final consultative stage

prior to release of:

• WHS (Mines) Regulations

• NSW Code of Practice

Emergency planning for

mines

Subplan under SERM Act:

• Discussions and meeting

ongoing

• Will contain all of the detail

regarding major events

external agency cooperation

arrangements

Where to: Emergency Management Mines Rescue

Simulations, Auditing and

Review

Mines rescue will continue to

offer the following services for

no extra charge:

• Involvement in simulations

(planning, responding,

auditing)

• Compliance and Review

Audits

ICCS Training

• Finalising draft course with

Glencore

• Ability to roll out across

Industry

Summary

Lessons from simulations and events needs to form part of

our improvement process.

Operators need to be comfortable in discussing experiences

for benefit of others

Presentations should form part of industry cpd/moc process.

This information exchange or technical seminar is planned

to be an annual event for all mines.