THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY
ISSUE 7 - MARCH-APRIL 2020
Managing future workforces Making mine workers safe and included
Environment
Mining equipment
Technology
Risk management
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Comment Responding to a more accountable safety culture BEN CREAGH
MINING IS MOVING IN LINE WITH OTHER INDUSTRIES IN QUEENSLAND FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE. HOW CAN COMPANIES BE READY FOR THE STRICTER REQUIREMENTS?
A
ustralian decision makers and the mining industry continue to follow through on plans to strengthen the safety culture in the sector. These moves reached a pinnacle in Queensland during February when Mines Minister Anthony Lynham introduced legislation in parliament that created the offence of industrial manslaughter. Lynham’s announcement effectively brought the resources sector in line with other workplaces in the state, a year after a series of tragic incidents shocked the industry. Under the proposal, senior officers of a mine or quarry company can be tried for industrial manslaughter if criminal negligence is proven for a worker’s death. While the threat of industrial manslaughter stole the headlines in Queensland, the state government also promised a series of other reforms, including ongoing safety reset sessions and tighter
NICKOLAS ZAKHARIA Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: nickolas.zakharia@primecreative.com.au
PUBLISHER CHRISTINE CLANCY MANAGING EDITOR BEN CREAGH Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: ben.creagh@primecreative.com.au JOURNALISTS SALOMAE HASELGROVE Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: salomae.haselgrove@primecreative.com.au
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controls on mine dust levels. The government announcement for a stricter environment has generally been welcomed by Queensland’s mining industry, which looks determined to improve its safety culture. The reforms may increase the risks that mining companies face, but they do also reinforce that worker safety and wellbeing always takes priority over digging minerals from the ground. These added risks can also be viewed as an opportunity for Australia’s METS (mining equipment, technology and services) sector. Mining companies in Queensland and across Australia have received a wakeup call following last year’s unfortunate incidents, and they are going to require partners to drive improvements. METS companies have an opportunity to fine tune their services and products to complement the changes that mining companies make. They will be asked to
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SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 3 MAR-APR 2020
collaborate with mining companies to develop innovative products or technologies that boost operational safety. As state governments and other decisions makers update their safety expectations from Australian mining companies, it’s time for the industry to be proactive and do the same. Ben Creagh Managing Editor
FRONT COVER A safer, more inclusive workforce. Image: Hastings Deering.
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In this issue Features
32
16 Fit for work
Nivek Industries prioritises fitter safety
18 Remote operations of today Sandvik and Barminco elevate underground conditions
22 Mining’s guardian angel
MineARC provides an underground refuge
24 Crisp cabin air
44 Socially conscious profits
36 New laws to prepare for
Hummingbird Electronics keeps dust
Queensland greets industrial
to a minimum
The business case of a greener future
manslaughter laws
26 Diversity beyond tokenism
CBC Engineering speaks thermal imaging
expectations
set a high standard
Mining assets that stand to gain (or lose)
30 Bushfires find mining support
46 Technology for safety
38 Shifting decarbonisation
Hastings Deering and Anglo American
49 Interoperable solution
40 Protect your vision
Collective action in the face of tragedy
Roy Hill to automate haul trucks
Bollé Safety comes to the rescue during bushfires
32 Protecting against cyclones
30
42 Sourcing ethical gold
How Pilbara miners prepared for the
latest season
Technology ensures sustainable mining
36
REGULARS
6 NEWS
12 PRODUCTS
50 EVENTS
SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 4 MAR-APR 2020
STAY ALERT AT WORK, SUBSCRIBE TODAY safetowork.com.au/subscribe SAFE TO WORK is a leading resource providing insights on safety developments and innovation in the mining industry.
THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY
ISSUE 7 - MARCH-APRIL 2020
Managing future workforces
Safe To Work is a multi-platform publication for the Australian mining industry with safety being the key priority. Published quarterly, the magazine includes interviews with prominent industry figures, and profiles on people and companies innovating and developing a safer industry. Safe To Work will provide the industry with news and features about the latest achievements, equipment, technologies and products benefitting safety. Safe To Work is Australia’s leading source for safety in mining.
Making mine workers safe and included
Environment
Mining equipment
Technology
Risk management
THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY
News Henry to heighten BHP safety through technology Mike Henry believes superior tech application and innovation is one way for BHP to stay at the forefront of the global industry. Henry, who has taken over from Andrew Mackenzie as CEO this year,
has witnessed the same approach at other leading resources companies. Woodside, Rio Tinto, South32 and Fortescue Metals Group have all used technology to connect people, according to Henry.
Mike Henry of BHP.
BHP established its first fully autonomous haulage system at its Jimblebar mine in Western Australia in 2017. The initiative significantly reduced incidents with fatal potential and lowered costs, according to Henry. “Part of staying at the forefront of the global industry and value creation, must be being able to innovate and apply technology better than others,” Henry, speaking at Perth’s Resources Technology Showcase, said. “This is a significant focus at BHP. It will enable us to reduce our impact on the environment and it will give rise to more fulfilling jobs.” BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) also plans to convert a fleet of up to 86 Komatsu trucks over the next two years at the Goonyella Riverside coal mine in Queensland. “Whether it’s automated haulage, robotics, drones, big data or artificial intelligence – we are changing the way we work,” Henry said. “Today, technology has helped to make us safer, more predictable and more focussed than ever before. However, there is potential is so much greater. The opportunities abound.”
Queensland lifts Coronado operation restrictions The Queensland Mines Inspectorate (QMI) has allowed Coronado Global Resources to restart all tyre and wheel rim fitting activities at the Curragh coal mine in Queensland. The QMI was satisfied the operations could recommence safely. Tyre and wheel rim fitting operations were halted at the Curragh mine
following an incident in January. It involved an injury to a Thiess employee who was changing a tyre in the main workshop. Operations were suspended for five days following the incident as the QMI and other authorities launched an incident investigation. The QMI developed a return to work plan to ensure all future tyre work is SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 6 MAR-APR 2020
completed in a safe manner. “The company was supportive of the directive and all efforts to improve safety at its operations,” Coronado stated in a media release. “Coronado continues to conduct its own investigation to understand the causes of the incident and continues to support the third-party reviews under way.”
Cyclone Damien disrupts DeGrussa operations Sandfire Resources has felt the wrath of Tropical Cyclone Damien after heavy rainfall left a section of the DeGrussa copper-gold mine in Western Australia flooded. The company temporarily suspended operations at the DeGrussa mine after rainwater overtopped a section of a containment bud and entered the Evans decline. Sandfire immediately isolated the impacted area, limiting the damage to erosion of one section of the decline road surface, a light vehicle and one piece of underground mining equipment. “Appropriate measures were activated in line with standard underground mining safety protocols,” Sandfire stated in a media release. “Following assessment and subsequent clearance, all personnel were safely moved to the surface via light vehicles. “Our employees and contractors responded professionally, with the safety of our people paramount at all times.” The Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and
The DeGrussa copper-gold mine in Western Australia.
Safety (DMIRS) attended the site for an inspection and mining activities resumed after its approval. The DeGrussa concentrator was unaffected by the cyclone and continued to process run-of-mine stockpiles from both DeGrussa and the nearby Monty mine. Tropical Cyclone Damien hit the Pilbara region in mid February, bringing with
it more than 200 millimetres of rainfall and up to 100 kilometre per hour winds near its centre. While the cyclone was rated category 3 when it made contact with land, it was reduced to category 1 two days later. Port Hedland, Dampier and Ashburton ports were all closed as cyclone Damien passed overhead.
Newmont to automate Boddington trucks in world first Newmont has given a $US150 million ($226 million) investment in a Caterpillar autonomous haulage system (AHS) for the Boddington gold mine in Western Australia the green light. Once operational in 2021, Boddington will be the first open pit gold mine with an autonomous haul truck fleet in the world. The fleet of autonomous Caterpillar 793F haul trucks will feature rigorous safety controls that reduce worker exposure to potential vehicle interactions, according to the United
States-based company. The project will add at least two years to Boddington’s mine life thanks to improved efficiencies delivered by the AHS. “Not only does Boddington continue to deliver strong performance, our investment in autonomous haul trucks will generate an internal rate of return greater than 35 per cent with a more controlled and efficient haulage operation,” Newmont chief executive officer Tom Palmer said. Newmont will provide reskilling
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opportunities and redeploy haul truck drivers to other roles supporting the AHS. Perth-based Cat dealer WesTrac will play a key role in implementing technology solutions and plans to leverage its recently announced autonomous technology training facility that is being constructed in Collie. “Simply put, Boddington will be a safer, more productive world-class gold mine in a top-tier jurisdiction,” Palmer said.
News QLD recruits additional mine inspectors
Gladstone coal mine.
placed in regional Queensland because this was where most of the state’s mines were located. “The safety and health of our 70,000 resource workers is paramount and our mine inspectors need to be close to where the mines are,” Ryan said. “Our resources industry is worldclass and demands strong, contemporary skills from our inspectors to work with industry and workers to enhance safety.
Image credit: Ray Cash Photography. © the state of Queensland.
The Queensland Government has boosted the ranks of the state’s mine and quarry inspectors to 46 with four new recruits. The four inspectors come with a combined 122 years’ experience in mining between them and mining engineer credentials. They are based in Rockhampton, Mackay and Mt Isa. Queensland Acting Mines Minister Mark Ryan said two out of three of the government’s inspectors were
“Having most of our inspectors in regions gives workers and the industry more efficient access to our inspectors and more inspectors to keep our mine and quarry works safe.” Ryan said this system was critical to the government’s health and safety reforms. These reforms include better prevention and detection of black lung, increased maximum penalties and powers for regulators to issue fines without going to court, reset sessions to refocus on health and safety and tighter controls on mine dust levels. The Queensland Government has also committed $35 million to deliver reforms to improve mine and quarry workers’ health and safety and is looking to introduce new legislation in parliament. There is already legislation put before parliament to establish an independent resources health and safety authority, as well as plans to make industrial manslaughter an offence.
National Group increases fleet of Cat dozers National Group will deliver a second Cat D11 dozer to BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA)’s Blackwater coal operations in Queensland. The D11 dozer lends operators greater safety, comfort and control, with strategically located mirrors and available rearview cameras, including a 360 vision system. It also features improved access ladder with engine-off raise and lower capability. National Group expects the machines
to arrive in the coming months, adding to the Cat D11 dozer which is already working at the Blackwater mine. According to National Group managing director Mark Ackroyd, the D11 is the industry’s best large dozer so it was a logical choice for the company to bring in six new dozers to add to its expansive fleet. The D11 will extend out component life from fuel burn to overhaul, along with load sensing hydraulics reducing fuel burn.
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Ackroyd said the contribution the dozers would add to production and efficiency would boost overall performance on site. “We expect to lower maintenance and repair costs by up to 5 per cent thanks to a new case and frame design, improved bearings, redesigned pin joints, and a 30 per cent larger oil pan,” he added. The D11 also features engineered and tested fire-suppression system and engine overspeed protection.
Brady Heywood has released a report on Queensland’s mining and quarrying safety performance as part of a state government independent review. The report, which is called Brady Review, notes that the industry had a fatality cycle based on its examination of all fatal incidents in Queensland mines and quarries from 2000 to 2019. This will likely continue if the sector does not make any significant changes to how it operates, according to the Brady Review. It also states that past behaviour suggests around 12 fatalities are likely to occur over any five-year period. “This pattern has been evident over the past 19.5 years and is characterised by periods where a significant number of fatalities occur, followed by periods where there are few to none,” the report continued. “This suggests that the industry goes through periods of increasing and decreasing vigilance.” The Brady Review suggests that the causes of fatalities are typically a combination of banal, everyday factors, such as a failure of controls, a lack of training and/or absent or inadequate supervision. “The industry needs to focus on
Image credit: Bruce Peebles. © the state of Queensland.
‘Banal’ factors responsible for Queensland fatalities
Safety equipment.
ensuring workers are appropriately trained for the specific tasks they are undertaking (and) supervised for the tasks they are undertaking,” the report stated. The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the release of the Brady Review, stating that it represents a wealth of information that the resources industry can use to further enhance safety. “QRC endorses all of the
recommendations of the Brady Review,” chief executive Ian Macfarlane said. “The six fatalities that occurred between July 2018 and July 2019 have been described by some in the industry as evidence of an industry in crisis, but a bleaker assessment is that this is an industry resetting itself to its normal fatality rate. “This is a very sobering assessment that the industry takes seriously.”
FIFO workers safe after plane overruns Newman runway A plane carrying FIFO workers has overshot the runway at Newman Airport, Western Australia upon completing its journey from Perth. The Qantas aircraft, which was reportedly carrying fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers, stopped around 50 metres past the end of the runway at low speed. None of the 80 passengers and
crew were injured, and the Fokker 100 aircraft suffered no damage. All passengers and crew headed to the terminal by bus and baggage was offloaded. “The incident will be investigated by Qantas, and the Shire of East Pilbara is not in a position to provide further details on the incident,” shire president Lynne Craigie said.
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Newman Airport was closed following the incident, with all incoming and outbound flights to and from Newman cancelled until noon. The notice of closure to airmen was cancelled and services returned to normal following the removal of the aircraft by Qantas and an inspection of the runway.
News Queensland strengthens explosives laws The Queensland mining and quarrying industries are set to experience tighter laws surrounding explosives. Queensland is the largest user of explosives in Australia due to the size of its mining and quarrying sector. The new laws include a requirement for all licence and authorisation holders to hold a new security clearance and enhance criminal history checks for ineffect domestic violence orders. Queensland chief inspector of
explosives Alex Mandl said safety was paramount and rules must be strengthened to ensure explosives didn’t end up in the wrong hands. “Around 1.5 million tonnes of explosives are used in Queensland every year, with mining and quarrying the biggest users,” Mandl said. “There have been situations where explosives stolen from mining and quarry sites have been used in domestic disputes and gang violence.
“The inspectorate’s number one priority is to keep the community safe from the adverse effects of explosives and these changes will help us do that.” The Queensland Explosives Inspectorate is the licenser and regulator for all things related to explosives. The Inspectorate is implementing these changes following amendments to Queensland’s explosives legislation.
An aerial view to an open mine after explosion.
Safe Work alters workplace limit to silica exposure Work, health and safety (WHS) ministers have agreed to reduce the workplace exposure standards for respirable crystalline silica as soon as practicable. The workplace exposure standard for respirable crystalline silica is set to go down from 0.1 milligram to a time weighted average of 0.05 milligrams a cubic metre. A total of 6.6 per cent of Australian workers faced exposure to respirable crystalline silica, with earthmoving works or excavation works, and construction workers the
most likely to be affected, according to a study by Oxford Academic in 2016. The equivalent for respirable coal dust will also fall from 2.5 milligrams to a time weighted average of 1.5 milligrams a cubic metre. This will take a three-year transitional period, with the exposure standard to be applicable starting from October 2022. Commenting on the change of regulation, Safe Work Australia stated, “We received 31 submissions with valuable feedback from a range SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 10 MAR-APR 2020
of stakeholders, including WHS regulators, government, industry and industry groups, unions, professionals and other interested or affected people.” The announcement coincided with tighter controls executed by the Queensland Government on mine dust levels, on top of its $1.21 million funding for a mobile health screening van. Mining companies are also required to keep their records of air monitoring for a minimum of 30 years and make them available to affected workers.
Rio Tinto extinguishes Pilbara truck blaze Rio Tinto has confirmed that it investigated a fire that occurred on a haul truck at the Yandicoogina mine in the Pilbara region, Western Australia last year. There was no one injured during or as a result of the fire as no one was in the truck, according to a Rio Tinto spokesperson. Rio Tinto’s on-site emergency response team attended the fire, with
neither collision was caused by autonomous operations. The previous incident occurred at Rio Tinto’s Brockman 4 iron ore mine, which is just under 325 kilometres west from Yandicoogina. Rio Tinto subsidiary Pilbara Iron owns the Yandicoogina mine. It produces almost 60 million tonnes of iron ore annually, making it one of the largest iron ore mines in the world.
the Department of Mines, Industry, Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) informed of the incident. This is the second incident involving an autonomous truck following a Rio Tinto haul truck that collided with an unattended light vehicle in November. Given the trucks were operating in manual mode during both incidents, Safe to Work understands
Image: BHP.
ICMM strengthens membership requirements
BHP’s Olympic Dam site in South Australia.
The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) has updated its membership requirements, forcing companies to disclose their operational performance on a yearly basis. Member companies are required to disclose activities in validating that their operational performance is in line with expectations. ICMM expects the latest principle to apply to around 650 assets in over 50 countries.
BHP, Rio Tinto, Newcrest and Anglo American are only four of the 27 ICMM member mining companies, in addition to 36 member associations. “Mining and metals are critically important to society – as a catalyst for sustainable social and economic progress and as essential materials for the technologies needed to address climate change – but they must be produced responsibly,” ICMM chief operating officer Aidan Davy said.
“Our aim has been to develop a holistic set of requirements that establish a benchmark for responsible mining practices.” ICMM introduced a set of performance expectations in 2018 for how members are expected to manage sustainability issues. The resulting principles address issues including labour rights, resettlement, gender, access to grievance mechanisms and mine closure.
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Products BOLLÉ SAFETY RUSH+SEAL FOR DUST AND PARTICLE PROTECTION Some glasses may protect against debris, but dust and microscopic particles can also cause serious eye problems. Rush+ Seal is a hybrid model of positive seal safety glasses that is as comfortable and stylish as spectacles, and as resistant and covering as goggles. Featuring PVC nose bridge, co-moulded temples and built-in upper brow protection, Rush+ Seal is an extension of the popular Rush+ model by Boll Safety. Rush+ Seal features Bollé Safety’s leading Platinum anti-fog and anti-scratch coating and comes assembled with SBR positive seal gasket and strap kit, making it a suitable solution for working in dusty environments. bollesafety.com.au
HEXAGON COUNTERS DROWSY DRIVERS Hexagon’s HxGN MineProtect Operator Alertness System Light Vehicle detects driver fatigue and distraction on mine sites. Providing real-time alerts in the event of driver distraction, drowsiness or microsleeps, the HxGN MineProtect can prevent accidents by alerting drivers before it is too late. HXGN MineProtect also communicates with the OAS-HV Analytics server, which enables full vehicle fleet monitoring. The in-cab unit can be fitted in medium-sized mobile equipment, light vehicles and semi-trucks. It works in light and dark conditions, making it ideal for open cut and underground mine operations and also through prescription glasses or lenses. hexagon.com
DYNO NOBEL DIGISHOT FOR SAFER BLASTING Dyno Nobel’s Digishot 1800 blasting system meets the needs of challenging mining environments while keeping operators safe. The Digishot 1800 system is split into two components: the bench box and the base station. Operators place the base station at a point of safety to operate the bench box remotely, via easy to follow screen menus to control all delay and firing options. With the ability to fire larger blasts or multiple blast patterns in one event, Digishot 1800 helps to keep equipment downtime to a minimum. The base station unit requires a password to activate the blast, as an added safety feature. dynonobel.com
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MINE RUNNER EWB MODEL OFFERS HIGHER CAPACITY Astec Australia’s Mine Runner vehicle is designed to safely transport workers around a mine site while keeping running costs low. Its new extended wheel base (EWB) model allows a larger maximum capacity of up to 15 people. At two metres wide, the Mine Runner is the perfect size to fit on standard mine tunnel roads, which are generally five metres wide and high, meaning the vehicle can safely pass by others within the mine. The wheel bates of the EWB model have been extended by 1.5 metres, meaning the Mine Runner can carry up to 3295 kilograms, an increase of earlier models’ 2700-kilogram capacity. Astec has also teamed up with MineARC to design a MineSAFE Rescue Vehicle that treats injured workers in an emergency situation. astecaustralia.com.au
TRAKKA SOFTWARE PREDICTS EQUIPMENT FAILURES The Trakka Anomaly Detection and Remaining Useful Life software by Dingo is allowing mining companies to predict impending equipment failures with a high degree of accuracy. This allows engineering teams to address maintenance issues earlier and restore equipment quicker. Anomaly Detection detects anomalies well before traditional engineering limits are reached, while Remaining Useful Life predicts how long mining assets are going to remain in operation through its probability of failure and degradation guides. With Trakka, mining companies will be able to forsee and proactively manage maintenance shutdowns for the best possible safety and productivity while equipment is down. dingo.com
BLUNDSTONE CELEBRATES 150 YEARS To celebrate 150 years of keeping workers’ feet safe, Blundstone is releasing two limited edition pairs of boots, the #9150 and #150 models. The #9150 safety boot represents Blundstone’s workwear, while the #150 casual boot showcases its timeless style. Modelled off the best-selling #990 model, the #9150 features a range of anniversary updates, including a rich oxblood leather upper, an embossed 150 heel feature, a broad-fitting steel cap toe and a rubber outsole to provide protection against the elements, such as temperatures of up to 300 degrees Celcius. Established in Tasmania in 1870, Blundstone remains a family-owned company, following from its founder John Blundstone’s legacy. blundstone.com.au
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Products EPIROC ZERO-EMISSION FLEET UNLOCKS SAFETY BENEFITS Epiroc’s second generation battery-electric equipment has a range of benefits, including improved health and safety, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower operating costs. Conventional diesel motors can release a mix of toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and fine dusts that mean workers need to wait 30 or more minutes for the gases to disperse before safely entering the work zone. The electric vehicles provide no pollution or gases, saving this downtime and ensuring workers are not at risk of inhaling harmful fumes. Epiroc’s electric powered machinery also saves miners capital on energy bills, maintenance, ventilation and cooling. epiroc.com
LOCKING IN SAFETY WITH LOCKSAFE The red and yellow brackets fitted to mine site machinery may be small, but they are one of the most important pieces of safety equipment on a mine site. Locksafe’s brackets ensure both battery operated and start motor machinery is isolated for maintenance, ensuring the engine will not start, which can cause serious injuries to anyone working on the machine. Each employee will have their own personalised set of padlocks and tags, so a machine is not just isolated by the first or last person working on it, but everyone. Each worker is then accountable for their own safety. Locksafe’s isolation brackets are available in both stainless steel and polycarbonate. locksafe.com.au
CATERPILLAR LAUNCHES TROLLEY ASSIST SYSTEM Caterpillar’s trolley assist retrofit kit is a lower emission, fuel and energy cost trolley assist system for Cat electric drive mining trucks. The trolley system significantly reduces diesel emissions within mines by substituting electricity during the most demanding part of a truck’s work cycle. Powering a 337 metric tonne payload on a 10 per cent grade as it climbs the ramp out of a pit, the trolley assist system saves up to 40 litres of diesel per kilometre of trolley line. Using the trolley system, a loaded Cat 795F truck can run at 28 kilometres an hour on a 10 per cent physical grade and increase speed-on-grade by up to 100 per cent compared with diesel only mode. Other advantages of the Cat trolley assist system include superior uptime, reduced repair costs and a quick-drop feature to protect overhead trolley lines. cat.com
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AVEVA TRAINS THE NEXT GENERATION OF OPERATORS Aveva’s augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) Immersive Training System is allowing the next generation of mining operators to train in a realistic environment from the safety of the office. The AR/VR Immersive Training System is a 3D engineering tool that connects control room operators and field personnel to maximise productivity and efficiency by using advanced learning, operational insight and automation. Operators can use AR/VR training to test designs, hardware and mining equipment before deployment, ensuring it is completely safe before being put onto a mine site. It also allows for remote data entry and operator feedback, which are easily accessible within the Aveva VR system. sw.aveva.com
STRATA KEEPS WORKERS CONNECTED UNDERGROUND StrataConnect MC2 is allowing underground mine workers to communicate on the job via text in work zones out of regular cell phone and GPS range. It enables miners to stay continuously connected, and as well as communication, it provides personnel location tracking for added safety benefits. In the event of an emergency, StrataConnect MC2 provides a critical alert and response function so all workers are accounted for. The device is easy to read and use with a full QWERTY keyboard and navigation keys, an audible alarm that ensures miners know when a message is received and clearly distinguishable emergency messages. strataworldwide.com
ABB ABILITY VENTILATION OPTIMISER ABB’s optimiser is proven to reduce ventilation costs, extend the lifetime of ventilation systems and create a lasting, healthy and safe working environment. The system improves safety conditions through built-in functionality in case of a fire, such as preventing the spread of smoke and enabling faster exhaust of hazardous fire gases. ABB’s ventilation optimiser is a modular solution designed to be scalable, configurable and easy to maintain using standardised components. The system can be fully integrated into ABB’s 800xA control system. It can also be configured with three implementation levels to suit individual mine requirements, including basic control, ventilation on demand and sensor feedback. new.abb.com
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Mining equipment
Nivek’s commitment to fitter’s safety FOLLOWING AN UNFORTUNATE BOUT OF INJURIES AND FATALITIES, THE MINING INDUSTRY IS PUSHING FOR BETTER SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE, PROMPTING MANY MINES TO RETHINK EXISTING WORK PRACTICES AND FOCUS ON MAKING THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB AVAILABLE.
T
he Queensland Government recruited four additional mine inspectors during January, giving it 46 in total, to ensure the health and safety of the state’s 70,000 mining and quarrying workers. A bill to penalise industrial manslaughter to strengthen safety culture within the resources sector was also passed by the state government. Under these new laws, employers deemed responsible for causing the death of mine workers face a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment or 100,000 penalty units. The state government’s moves follow eight fatalities during the past 18 months in the mining and quarrying industries in Queensland alone. As a result of these stronger laws and additional inspectors, there is a greater emphasis on providing the right tooling, safety culture and environment to help ensure every worker returns home safely after their shift. Nivek Industries is committed to improving mine safety across Australia with its specialised equipment. The company understands the importance of safety equipment all too well, after director and owner Kevin Cant was involved in a near miss incident while working as a fitter. The belly plate Cant was working on slipped and narrowly avoided crushing him, which inspired him to spend three years of research and design to create the Tracking Elevating Device, or TED,
Jess Briggs is one of many fitters that has enjoyed the safety benefits of the LA40.
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the world’s first remote controlled belly plate jack. First demonstrated by Cant on site at the Rix’s Creek mine in New South Wales, the innovation has since been adopted at mine sites, quarries and earthmoving projects across Australia. There has been a myriad of attachments recently added to the TED range, allowing for more maintenance jobs to be completed without the fitter in the line of fire for the dangerous lift and lower part of maintenance operations. As Nivek Industries sales and marketing manager Rachel Fraser explains, the company is always consulting workers within the industry to continue to uphold its high safety standards in the design and manufacture of new equipment. The Lift Assist Arm (LA-40), another innovative safety product designed and manufactured by Nivek Industries, was developed to take the weight of tooling. These tools can weigh up to 36 kilograms and are typically used at awkward angles and heights for extended periods of time. Nivek’s LA-40 gives fitters greater control of the job by lowering manual handling, which improves posture and fatigue on the job. The LA-40 also allows fitters to keep their fingers and hands out of tight places, therefore avoiding potential finger and hand strip and crush injuries. “We’re hearing from fitters and safety people that the fatigue reduction they’re experiencing using the system is huge,” Fraser tells Safe to Work. “There are some well documented links between fatigue and serious accidents, particularly in high-risk industries. “Improved safety by lowering fatigue is a key offering of LA-40.” With the success of the LA40, a couple of the company’s clients approached them to make a stand to adapt the arm for usage
at the site’s tyre bay. “After experiencing the benefits of the LA-40 in the maintenance workshop, one of our local sites asked us to make a stand to adapt the arm for use in the tyre bay,” Fraser explains. “Word got around quickly that we were working on this project and subsequently, several tyre companies and mine sites got in touch with us. “Talking to tyre fitters, it becomes quickly evident that they have a tough, incredibly physically fatiguing job which we’ve recently seen taking its toll. “While each tragedy has its own unique set of circumstances and there is no single, golden fix, recent events have highlighted the need to focus on safety and improve conditions for tyre fitters. “There needs to be a better way. In consultation with some tyre industry leaders, we have been working on providing tooling solutions to improve working conditions for tyre fitters.” While saving lives is Nivek’s number one priority, the company also focusses on bettering general health and wellbeing, such as improved posture, to avoid repeated stress injuries in the long term. “The Lift Assist system lowers manual handling and consequently improves posture, which are both massive wins for musculoskeletal health,” Fraser says. Nivek Industries constantly seeks Nivek’s TED featuring the front belly plate cradle, designed specifically for front belly plates on D11s.
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With the upcoming release of the Lift Assist stand tyre fitters will also be able to experience the benefits of the Lift Assist arm.
feedback from its customers, finding out what their concerns are firsthand and creating a solution from the bottom up. Using this feedback, Nivek Industries is able to shape its equipment to counter fatigue and other workplace safety compliances with advice from the people out in the workforce. “It’s incredibly valuable to us to have so much feedback from engineers, fitters and safety personnel, the people who will ultimately be using the system,” Fraser says. “(This gives) us the parameters to work within and get the design right straight up, meeting some pretty tough criteria.” “We’re excited to release the Lift Assist stand in the coming months and see it implemented on Tyre Bays across the country and around the world.”
Technology
What protects the technology keeping mines safe? SANDVIK AND BARMINCO HAVE PROVED AT IGO’S NOVA MINE THAT REMOTE OPERATIONS ARE A REALITY IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, BUT HOW CAN CYBER SECURITY BE ENSURED?
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he Sandvik-Barminco trial has demonstrated that the Nova operation, 160 kilometres from Norseman in Western Australia, can be operated from Barminco’s office in Perth more than 750 kilometres away. Barminco employee, Guy Gilbert has operated a Sandvik LH517 underground loader at the nickelcopper-cobalt mine, remotely bogging 400 tonnes in a little over two hours from a stope to a stockpile, from the company’s control rooms at Hazelmere in Perth. Not only was the trial of the Barminco Remote Operating Centre (BROC) successful, but it also occurred via the internet rather than through a fibre-optic cable, the common method at these kinds of operations. Gilbert’s feedback about the experience is resoundingly positive. He says when the telehut door is shut he forgets he is at Hazelmere and goes about his job like he is on-site at Nova. The potential of remotely-operated
Barminco operated a Sandvik LH517 underground loader at the Nova mine from 750 kilometres away in Perth.
mines offers an exciting opportunity to improve safety for workers, removing them from potentially dangerous situations, according to Gilbert. Operating from a distance allows workers to make better use of less productive time in a more flexible workplace closer to cities like Perth
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rather than in remote areas. It also allows workers to return home after shifts rather than working a fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) roster where they are away from families and friends. While keeping workers safe is the number one priority, remote operations also need to be protected
from a new wave of threats that come with the advanced technology being implemented, including cyber security. Barminco general manager, technology and innovation Darren Kwok plays a major role in keeping the BROC safe from cyber threats. “The integrity of our networks in general outside of BROC is certainly something that we put a lot of thought into,� Kwok tells Safe to Work at the Sandvik: Digitalisation in Mining conference. “BROC operates in the confines of those networks already, so that’s the first level of security that we have. Like many global businesses, Barminco transacts over the internet now. “Level two is the machine to machine security, and we’ve built some great things with Sandvik to allow us to have a high level of confidence when
Barminco employees working the Nova mine near Norseman from Barminco’s Perth office.
it comes to the security of the physical act of manoeuvring the machine.� Barminco’s team in Perth also continuously connects with the site via more conventional methods such as telephone, video and extended
two-way radio, allowing further communication between them and with the operator. Barminco chief executive officer Paul Muller says the remote operations were tested over a greater broadband
The possibilities are endless...
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Technology
network and the National Broadband Network (NBN) during the trial. “The primary objective of the BROC proof of concept was to understand how the control of underground mining equipment would be affected by real world internet conditions,” Muller explains. “All data was encrypted from end to end and standard safety systems were in place. If there was a network interruption for more than 250 milliseconds, the loader would stop and require a manual reset.” Barminco has designed systems to resolve the challenges encountered in the first attempt, such as network disturbances, using information gathered during the trial. “The Automine system is reliant on there not being any data losses through the network,” Muller says. “This caused a number of interruptions throughout the trial, requiring the machine to be manually reset. We expect the new system
“The primary objective of the BROC proof of concept was to understand how the control of underground mining equipment would be affected by real world internet conditions” designs will mitigate this issue in the future without compromising safety.” With technology in mining now a necessity for both large and small mining operations, rather than just an optional add on as it has been in the past, designing the best possible defence systems is essential to safe operations. As Kwok explains, this means finding more than just the best
security solution for the present, but continuously developing securities to keep up with evolving technology. “There’s no end-game in security, it’s constantly evolving,” Kwok says. “What we believe to be best practice today may be different tomorrow, so the whole concept of what we’re trying to build is one that progresses ahead of technologies evolution.” “As part of the design of
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Sandvik conference prioritises people in digital mines of tomorrow
of the ability to gather data while working autonomous machinery then using the data to find information for future operations.
Sandvik’s conference may have been called “Digitalisation in Mining” but one of its key focusses was how to ensure people are a part of the digital journey. Nearly 300 mining, quarrying and construction leaders from Australia, Japan and Indonesia gathered in Brisbane for the two-day summit, which showcased some of the industry’s best examples of digitalisation.
Barminco employee Guy Gilbert remotely operating IGO’s Nova mine from Barminco’s Perth control room.
BROC, we are able to adopt new security practices as they are being developed.” With Barminco and Sandvik running a more advanced trial integrating the new system designs in early 2020, the companies are hopeful to take the next step in cyber security and make BROC a permanent fixture at the Nova mine.
“Data is essential, but if it is not being looked at then we are just gathering data for the sake of it,” he says. “The background analysis of data, particularly for machines, maintenance, costs and so on, how does that then translate into information and operations and how quickly does it happen? “So yes, the analysis is happening at the moment, but it doesn’t flow instantaneously through the operations.” Sandvik provided delegates with the opportunity to virtually visit its clients sites, including the Barminco Remote Operating Centre (BROC) and Northparkes and Tritton mines in New South Wales, and showcased other clients including Resolute Mining and RedBull Powder Company.
While technology and digitalisation were the hot topics, industry leaders emphasised the importance of using human intelligence to truly understand the technology being implemented at Australian mine sites. One of these was Byrnecut Australia managing director Pat Boniwell, who urges the industry to not take people for granted as more operations take on technology such as automation and artificial intelligence (AI).
Attendees had the opportunity to not only view, but have a go at crushing, drilling and controlling mock operations digitally, giving them practical insight into the mine of tomorrow.
“We are doomed to failure unless we take our people with us and are prepared to question and be challenged,” Boniwell says. “Technology is a key part of the equation on how we best optimise systems and processes in mining and if we don’t use it, we can’t make the most of them.” Boniwell also emphasises the importance
“An amazing two days at the Sandvik Digitalisation in Mining conference,” Cement and Aggregate Consulting chief executive and attendee Steve Franklin says. “There was an incredible range of world class speakers who basically all had the same message; innovate or lose to someone else who will.”
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Underground mining MineARC’s Refuge Chambers have saved lives worldwide during mining emergencies.
MineARC’s GuardIAN Intelligence Network: Looking out for your personnel EQUIPPED WITH ADVANCED SAFETY FEATURES, MINEARC’S REFUGE CHAMBERS HAVE SAVED LIVES IN MINING EMERGENCIES AROUND THE WORLD. NOW, THE COMPANY HAS TAKEN MINE SAFETY INNOVATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH THE GUARDIAN INTELLIGENCE NETWORK.
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nderground mine disasters can be a frantic time for workers. Crucial decisions need to be made within a matter of moments; whether it be seeking protection in a safe space, accounting for team members or avoiding harmful gases. MineARC’s underground refuge chambers can eliminate some of the stress in such high-pressure situations by providing a safe haven with clean, compressed air, mains power connection and direct communication channels to above-ground rescue teams. Compliant with Australian mining industry guidelines, MineARC’s range of refuge chambers are designed to ensure mine workers can stay inside for at least 36 hours. Now, the company has launched its next development in safety technology,
the GuardIAN Intelligence Network. GuardIAN provides site-wide real-time data at the operator’s finger tips – from gas monitoring, navigational lighting and personnel tracking, to monitoring an entire fleet of refuge chambers – all from one centralised device on the surface. Further, site operators are automatically alerted to emergency scenarios or network faults. MineARC chief innovation officer Brent Pearce and marketing manager Lesley Emery speak to Safe to Work about GuardIAN’s distinct features and how it performs in underground environments. “A lot of what we’re doing is around increasing safety,” Emery tells Safe to Work. “Helping people to react appropriately in an emergency and navigate to the chamber quickly and easily.
“The refuge chamber monitoring aspect of GuardIAN is very unique to the industry; sites can completely monitor their entire fleet of refuge chambers from the surface. “Should there be a fault that occurs in the chamber at any time, they’ll get an instant alert and that fault can be resolved very, very quickly, meaning that refuge chambers are fit for operation the moment they need to be used.” In the event of an emergency, workers sheltering in a MineARC refuge chamber equipped with GuardIAN can communicate face-to-face with the above-ground control room while remaining completely sealed from the outside environment. Communication with rescuers is not only reassuring in the midst of an adverse event but is also helpful for the
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mine emergency response teams (ERTs) when prioritising which chambers to attend to first. “When being utilised in an emergency, you get that full visibility around who’s in the chamber and the ability to communicate from the surface to the chamber,” Emery says. “The ERTs have the added benefit of knowing which refuge chambers they need to be heading down to first and making them a priority if there’s people underground who are in need of assistance.” The system is designed to be clear and simple to use, ensuring workers can easily set up for the wait time in the chamber. Another exciting element to the GuardIAN Intelligence Network is the GuardIAN Gas Node. Using the same technology as MineARC’s already popular Aura-FX gas monitoring for refuge chambers, the GuardIAN gas nodes provide realtime data and analysis from across the underground mine. “As soon as a gas level or temperature threshold is ceded, nodes in the vicinity will alert,” Pearce says. “Some environments are going to have different thresholds to others, so we make the alerts as intuitive and proactive as possible. “Being connected to a live network,
MineARC’s GuardIAN Intelligence Network provides mine sites with real-time data, including monitoring refuge chambers.
you’re looking at close to instantaneous notification to surface control.” In addition, MineARC provides handheld gas monitors that underground workers can equip themselves with, acting as a redundancy to the node network. MineARC has also developed GuardIAN tracking nodes that identify the position of workers across the entire mine site. The nodes allow supervisors to be accountable for their subordinates’ wellbeing at all times, as well as smart lighting nodes to help personnel navigate to the nearest refuge chamber, through the use of colour based visual alerts. All nodes are monitored from a single GuardIAN dashboard. While the GuardIAN Intelligence Network is designed with safety in mind, it also offers operational efficiency and
MineARC’s Gas Nodes allow mine sites to monitor dangerous gas levels.
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improved site management. “Thinking from an asset management perspective, in terms of manually having to inspect 30 to 50 chambers in a large mine – you can do that remotely with GuardIAN,” Pearce says. “Rather than having to drive around and do all of those checks, you’re getting those notifications and diagnostics fed through to a single screen.” All diagnostics and real-time monitoring are easily accessible through a secure, locally hosted webpage; compatible with any computer, tablet or smart phone. The GuardIAN system operates on a private network exclusive to the mine, meaning no one can access it from outside the network. Despite its already unique features, MineARC has big plans for the future and scope of GuardIAN. The company has a dedicated engineering and research and development department to design new products to complement GuardIAN and the rest of the company’s extensive safety range. “Connectivity underground can mean a lot of things,” Pearce concludes. “It can be very complex so with GuardIAN, we’ve brought in a product which is easy to install, it’s very durable and it is a complete system for accurate information required in underground mining, where you don’t have access to cell coverage or GPS and other things you take for granted day to day.”
Dust suppression Hummingbird cabin pressure monitors are helping to prevent illnesses associated with exposure to dangerous dust particles, such as asbestosis and black lung.
Hummingbird Electronics cabin pressure monitors keep vehicle cabin air clear MINING CAN BE A DANGEROUS PROFESSION, WHETHER YOU’RE OPERATING ABOVE GROUND IN OPEN CUT CONDITIONS OR DEEP UNDERGROUND. SOMETIMES IT’S THE SMALLER RISKS THAT CAN BE THE MAJOR HEALTH HAZARDS. SALOMAE HASELGROVE WRITES.
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eing so miniscule, dust is not only an issue for workers mining out in the open but also within machinery, as the tiny particles find their way into cabins and make breathing conditions unsafe for workers. It is difficult to tell when dust particles and the air pressure within the cabin become dangerous for an operator relying on their senses alone, so Hummingbird Electronics has worked to bring an innovative solution to the industry to counter this risk. Hummingbird has developed its cabin pressure monitors that compare atmospheric pressure outside of the cabin versus inside. The solution ensures that there is enough positive pressure within
the cabin to keep out dust and other contaminants. Hummingbird national sales and marketing manager Mark Bruce says the company offers two different models of cabin pressure monitors: the configurable cabin pressure monitor and the panel mount cabin pressure monitor. “The configurable model is a very compact unit that allows it to be tucked up out of the way of operators,” Bruce tells Safe to Work. “The panel mount provides a lot more detail with regards to specific pressure that’s currently in the cabin and also an audible and visual alarm or warning status should the air pressure start to fall to an unsafe level. “Essentially, the cabin pressure
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monitor, whether its configurable or panel mount, is mounted in the cabin of a machine to ensure it is pressurised. “Our device ensures cabin pressure systems continue to operate at their peak, keeping the dust and other airborne contaminants out of machinery cabins.” Monitoring air pressure is essential in preventing illnesses that can impact mine workers in the long term, such as asbestosis or coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP), commonly known as black lung. While these illnesses can take many years of long-term exposure to dangerous particles to creep up on workers, the consequences of them can seriously affect the life expectancy of sufferers and even be fatal.
“When machinery operators are mining, whether its iron ore or coal, you can never guarantee that dangerous material is going to be exposed,” Bruce says. “They could come across a seam of asbestos for example, or there could be airborne debris in the working environment that is harmful to humans.” While the cabin pressure monitor doesn’t clean filters or fix leaks in cabin seals, it does give operators timely warning of any damage or leaks and when cleaning is required. This can be combined with Hummingbird’s audio alert system, to ensure the warnings are received and understood clearly. “You can combine our audio alert systems with the cabin pressure monitoring systems,” Bruce says. “In the alert of low cabin pressure, the alert system will give the operator a verbal message, such as ‘Warning, cabin pressure low please stop operation of machine and contact supervisor’ rather than just a buzzer or light going up on the dashboard. “These things can become like white noise in a loud working environment and it’s easy to ignore them.” This is just one of the user-friendly features of Hummingbird’s audio
Hummingbird national sales and marketing manager Mark Bruce.
alert system, with the company taking feedback from the industry to continue developing its systems. Bruce attributes Hummingbird’s joint success to building quality relationships with its clients, offering locally made, user-friendly equipment that gets the job done. “We’re a local business and we can quickly react to change, or demand,” Bruce says. “When someone has an enquiry, they can speak to the person who made or designed it, we are very hands on with the industry in our own backyard here in Australia.” As well as creating solutions for industry, Hummingbird is also involved
Hummingbird’s cabin pressure monitors help to keep vehicle cabins clear of dangerous dust particles.
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with backend design for original equipment manufacturers, keeping workers safe from harmful conditions, within not only the mining sector, but also within the civil, construction and demolition sectors. Bruce says that every machine on a mine site should be equipped with a cabin pressure monitoring device, for the health and safety of workers. “What is the cost to your business if you don’t install one of these?” he concludes. “When a worker suffers, it’s not just downtime for your business, but reputation as well and every worker deserves to come home healthy and safe at the end of the day.”
Workforce management
Inclusion drives change from bottom-up HASTINGS DEERING AND ANGLO AMERICAN’S COURAGEOUS PURSUIT OF INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY HAS PROMPTED THE COMPANIES TO BREAK FREE OF THE STATUS QUO. VANESSA ZHOU WRITES.
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iversity is not just a catch phrase for one of Australia’s largest Cat dealers, Hastings Deering – the company’s commitment to inclusion looks well beyond the general make-up of the workforce. Diversity is a popular measure of corporate governance in the 21st century, but Hastings Deering has a core belief something else is more important: that people who call Hastings Deering their workplace can be themselves while still feeling safe and included.
This is not a small commitment for an employer of over 3500 people and a footprint that extends across Queensland, the Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia. “If you want to be an employer of choice, you’ve got to make sure that people can come to work, be themselves, bring all that they are to the work environment and still feel comfortable,” Hastings Deering executive manager – safety + sustainability Suzannah D’Juliet tells Safe to Work.
A big focus at Hastings Deering is employee inclusion.
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“You have to specifically address the topic of inclusion these days. It can’t just be an initiative or a project. “It is how we do business at Hastings Deering and it drives our policies and our procedure development.” This is one of the motives behind the company’s decision to name its flexibility and inclusion program ‘Together as One’. Since starting in 2018 the program’s goal has been to ensure every one of the company’s employees feels like they belong. Within just two years
it has developed from a core group of focussed employees to an entire company-wide movement. Nearly 50 employees now help drive the initiative, and an additional 30 provide further on-the-ground assistance across a diverse range of roles and locations. Some significant milestones have already been achieved. Through Together as One, Hastings Deering introduced an annual gender pay parity audit to ensure equal pay for equal work is maintained throughout the organisation. The audit resulted in 26 role adjustments in 2018, and another six the following year. Female participation in Hastings Deering’s apprentice intake increased by 4 per cent from 2018 to 2019, and is projected to increase by a further 7 per cent this year thanks to the company’s focus on attracting Indigenous, female and mature aged trainees. The company has also surveyed both male and female employees separately about gender issues that are affecting them at work. D’Juliet believes that an environment where people can celebrate differences and find a sense of belonging creates a stronger business. “We genuinely believe everyone belongs at Hastings Deering, and that together we create a diverse and powerful workforce that enables us to understand our customers and deliver excellence,” D’Juliet says. “We’ve received feedback that our program is different because of its very broad focus on workplace inclusion. “We recognise people as whole people; while traditional diversity programs may have focussed on a person’s visible characteristics, our program recognises there are many and varied characteristics of the whole person and our culture, values and behaviours at work all impact whether a person feels valued,
Anglo American’s female-only intake of trainees has commenced work at Moranbah North.
included and welcome.” Together as One has five areas of focus encompassing culture, gender, LGBT, mental or physical abilities and age – all characteristics that traditionally can be a source of discrimination in the workplace. “We don’t simply focus on gender or culture, we tackle them all at once,” D’Juliet says. “Everyone has a culture, gender or no-binary preference, set of abilities both mental and physical, an age and some of us also identify as LGBTQI.” Hastings Deering also recognises that inclusion supports gender diversity and, eventually, a balanced workforce, not the other way around. All new female employees receive a welcome email from a female general or executive manager, providing reassurance that Hastings Deering takes gender participation and women in leadership “incredibly seriously.” In fact, the percentage of women commencing new roles at the company increased by 6 per cent in the 12 months to the first quarter of the 2020 financial year. D’Juliet, who started at Hastings Deering as a lawyer, is particularly excited about the company’s inaugural
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reconciliation action plan. Hastings Deering has already established itself as a trailblazer in the area, as well as having publicly committed to the national goal of reconciliation by aiming to improve relationships with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This will see the launch of community programs that deliver health and education benefits, as well as providing direct employment and vendor service opportunities to indigenous communities. “We know we’ll get greater diversity of thought. We can innovate, be more agile, and all of that leads to greater profitability. Nothing is a metro-only initiative,” D’Juliet says. Up in Moranbah, Anglo American has broken a legal barrier by appealing to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to allow an exemption to the Anti-Discrimination Act. This paved the way for Anglo American’s ‘Balancing the Team’ program, which launched in 2018. It specifically targets women in the recruitment of underground mine technicians. “Traditionally, underground coal mining has had a largely male
Workforce management Hastings Deering operations participate in management inclusion initiatives.
workforce, in part because legislation did not allow women underground until the 1980s,” chief executive of Anglo American’s metallurgical coal business Tyler Mitchelson says. “While improvements in gender diversity have been made, we identified that traditional ways of recruiting women were simply not delivering the step change we are driving in diversity at Anglo American and recognised the need to take a different approach. “This program was the first of its kind for a Queensland coal mine, and a critical step toward creating a more inclusive environment for women in coal mining.” Anglo American has received an overwhelming response for the womenonly program, with more than 1300 applications for the trainee roles. The company has also created new entry-level trainee underground miner roles for women, and has already offered eight positions. Following an enhanced selection and recruitment process, the first ever female-only intake of trainees commenced work at the Moranbah North mine in the third quarter of 2019 “Over two years, trainees will complete a Cert II in Underground Coal Mining, including hands-on
experience across the different areas of the underground environment outbye, development and longwall,” Mitchelson says. “Teams on site have supported the program and are focussed on truly building on an inclusive work culture. Fathers who work at the mine now see opportunities for their daughters in the industry.” The diversity the female recruits
contributes to Anglo American’s effort to build an inclusive work culture. “Mining is an incredibly rewarding industry, and we are working hard to break down entry barriers and to create thriving, more diverse workplaces,” Mitchelson says. Anglo American’s efforts to build an inclusive work culture are not just limited to the underground mining environment. The company is also exploring other areas in the operation where there is room to innovate processes and reduce manual handling tasks for all. Balancing the Team has also been a catalyst for improved underground and surface facilities, while enhancing selection and recruitment processes for all entry-level roles. While the fruits of Anglo American and Hastings Deering’s initiatives have not seen the end, their incredible success has led them to become finalists of the 2020 Queensland Resources Council/Women in Mining and Resources Queensland Awards for the Excellence in Diversity Programs and Performance category.
Hastings Deering wants every one of its 3500 people to feel welcome.
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T I C K E TS N OW O N SAL E
AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST LOGISTICS EXHIBITION 1 ST - 3RD A P RI L 2 020 M E LB OU R N E CON V E N T I O N & E X HI B I T I O N C E N T R E
P R OU D PART NE R
S U P P O RTIN G S P O N S O R S
Department of Transport
ACC R E D I TAT I ON PA RTN E R
ASS O C IATIO N PA RTN E R S
CO N F E R E N C E S P O N S O RS
Image credit: Australian Red Cross
Community interaction
Red Cross volunteer provides essential psychosocial support to individuals affected by the bushfires.
Mining plays a part in bushfire relief A UNITED RESPONSE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN MINING INDUSTRY HAS PROVEN THAT THE SECTOR DOESN’T SHY AWAY IN THE FACE OF HEAT. VANESSA ZHOU WRITES.
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he fires that have swept across Australia over the summer months have spurred governments, businesses and individuals into action. WWF-Australia estimates that more than 1.25 billion animals may have perished in the fires that have burnt more than 10 million hectares across the country. The fires, indiscriminate to the Christmas and New Year’s period, have left a trail of missing individuals and others who have lost their homes. The Australian Red Cross has collected $115 million in donations and the Salvation Army has received more than $40 million to aid the recovery (at the time of writing).
They are just two of the organisations that mining companies have extended their generosity to, with other beneficiaries including the Victorian Government Bushfire Appeal, New South Wales Rural Fire Service and RSPCA. BHP social investment vehicle, BHP Foundation, has donated $2 million to the Australian Red Cross, $30,000 to Mallacoota relief and a $2 donation for every dollar donated by its employees to Red Cross, Rural Fire Service, SA Fire, RSPCA and the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services (WIRES). “The foundation’s donation will help Australian Red Cross provide immediate support through evacuation centres, psychological first aid and emergency assistance, including cash
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grants to people who have lost homes as well as support longer-term recovery programs in fire-affected communities,” according to BHP. Rio Tinto has also donated a total of $1 million across multiple contributions to the Australian Red Cross to support emergency relief efforts. Canada’s Kirkland Lake Gold has expressed the widespread impact of the bushfire crisis despite it not impacting the company’s operations. “While our operations in Australia have not been affected by the recent bushfires, we have watched with great concern their devastating impact,” the company has tweeted. “We are donating $1 million to support relief and recovery efforts and to
assist in funding new projects aimed at improving fire readiness.” The MCA is proud of the financial and practical support its member companies have already extended. “Australia has had a traumatic start to 2020 with bushfires in many states and the tragic loss of life, property and wildflife,” Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) chief executive Tania Constable says. “The nation, including many MCA member companies, has rallied to provide practical and financial support – including donating time, money and services – to firefighters and affected communities.” Mining companies have also taken creative approaches to providing emergency relief by using the existing resources to help those in need. Dart Mining, for example, has converted a six-wheeler mine site water truck into a firefighting resource to protect the communities of Tindaldra and Wodonga in north-east Victoria. Yancoal has made its residential properties available to people who have lost their homes, and to the fire services as temporary respite accommodation. The range of support provided by the mining industry is so wide-ranging that, according to the MCA, a company like Downer has assisted the South Australia Koala rescue centre directly
by washing hundreds of kilograms of soiled laundry daily. Meanwhile, multiple companies such as Dyno Nobel, CIMIC Group and Thiess have joined BHP and Rio Tinto in making leave entitlements available to employee bushfire volunteers. “Our industry is a pillar of the Australian economy and a good contributor within regional communities nationwide,” Constable says. “Safety is the number one priority for the minerals industry and was the main priority for many members who were close to bushfire activity, including the mental health of their workforce.” The sector’s involvement in Australia’s largest fires since the devastating 2009 Black Saturday in Victoria has
Red Cross, alongside the Army and Air Force, provides cut-off communities in Victoria with care-packages.
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Image credit: Australian Red Cross
Firefighters try to control bushfires in extreme heat.
extended to include the broader environmental issues that must be considered. Australia’s minerals industry agrees that a sustained global action, including practical actions to support Australia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, is required to reduce the risks of human-induced climate change, according to Constable. “Australian mining businesses are working together to make our contribution to lowering emissions, including reducing the emissions from minerals extraction and processing, investment in low emission technology, energy efficiency initiatives and increasing the use of renewable energy in operations,” Constable says. “The global transition to low emissions technologies – including solar, wind, batteries, gas, advanced coal and nuclear energy – depends on the metals and raw materials provided by the minerals sector.” The MCA is preparing (at the time of writing) to release a Climate Action Plan that complements its members’ strong efforts in reducing their carbon emissions and supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. “A thriving minerals sector focussed on effective and pragmatic climate action is essential to mobilise the solutions required to address climate change,” Constable concludes.
Risk management
How mining companies prepare for cyclone season MINING COMPANIES HAVE SHOWN THAT WHILE WEATHER EVENTS CAN BE UNCONTROLLABLE AT TIMES, THEIR IMPACT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE. VANESSA ZHOU WRITES. over the past year. Fortescue was forced to suspend its rail activities and shipping operations from Port Hedland in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Veronica in March 2019. Just a month later, BHP announced a potential loss of around six to eight million tonnes of production due to the Port Hedland closure. The same region was put on alert when Tropical Cyclone Damien threatened to hit the Pilbara coast in February, bringing with it the risk of strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous storm tides. Tropical Cyclone Damien was the strongest tropical cyclone to cross the Western Australian coast since category four Tropical Cyclone Christine in 2013, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
The weather agency recorded a peak wind gust of 194 kilometres an hour as Tropical Cyclone Damien made a direct hit on the Pilbara town of Karratha. Port Hedland, Dampier and Ashburton ports were all closed, while heavy rain drenched the Solomon and Karratha airports that service Fortescue and Rio Tinto’s iron ore operations. Thankfully, Fortescue chief executive Elizabeth Gaines says the impact of the 2019/2020 cyclone season has been minimal (at the time of writing). “While operations at Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak (in the Pilbara) were paused for a short period due to heavy rainfall, there was no impact on production,” Gaines tells Safe to Work. The health and safety of Fortescue’s people is the company’s highest priority during an extreme weather event.
Images credit: Fortescue Metals Group
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xtreme natural events can pose dangers to a mining operation, the people that work on them and the communities in which they are based. While cyclones are uncontrollable as they approach off the coast of Australia’s northern regions, the effect they have can be contained with the right preparation. Mining operations can guard against the hazards posed by a tropical cyclone in a number of ways. As per the famous quote of Benjamin Franklin, “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” It’s an old adage that Australian mining companies have sensibly followed. Pilbara iron ore miners Fortescue Metals Group and BHP felt the pinch at their operations as tropical cyclones hit the Western Australian region
Fortescue Metals Group’s stockyard at Port Hedland.
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Fortescue’s Christmas Creek mine survived Tropical Cyclone Damien unscathed.
“Prior to the cyclone season, we (completed) comprehensive assessments at all locations to ensure our facilities meet the required standards, and our people and management practices are prepared,” Gaines says. Fortescue’s port, rail and mine infrastructure is also built to meet the highest specifications and accounts for the risk of extreme weather events, she adds. Gaines says Fortescue has six stages of cyclone alerts that are closely aligned to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services’ (DFES) alerts cyclone warning system. “We use accurate forecasts from Bureau of Meteorology and Weatherzone for cyclone tracking, which helps us keep our people safe and disruptions to operations to a minimum,” Gaines says. “We work with the Pilbara Ports Authority and other operators to minimise impacts to ship movements during extreme weather events.” Likewise, BHP remains on guard during the cyclone season, which BOM forecasts to run from November to April. Australia’s largest mining company has an integrated system of four processing hubs and five mines, including Newman, Yandi, Mining Area C
and Jimblebar in the Pilbara region. If operations need adjustments due to impending weather impacts, they are strategically managed with safety as the first priority, according to a BHP spokesperson. “We continually monitor the local weather situation in the areas in which we operate and implement appropriate measures as required to ensure the safety of our people and our operations,” the spokesperson tells Safe to Work. “For example, when a cyclone or severe weather is on approach, our operations would stand up an incident management team to monitor the changing weather conditions.” The company’s response depends on the situation, and this includes commencing tie-down activities of infrastructure and equipment, or onsite work suspensions during severe situations. One pattern seems to be clear: communication is key for the miners to ensure the safety of the people and operations. “During all escalated weather situations, we ensure we communicate with our employees and follow the advice of local authorities and emergency services, putting safety first at all times,” the BHP spokesperson says.
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AS Tropical Cyclone Damien dissipated and turned into a low-pressure system over central Western Australia by mid-February, it left behind moderate damage to infrastructure and widespread vegetation damage, according to BOM. The latest cyclone season’s impact has been mixed. Mount Gibson Iron, for example, has maintained its ore sales guidance for the Koolan Island mine for the current financial year. Despite more than 330 millimetres of rain falling at Mount Gibson’s Koolan Island main pit over three days, the company’s readiness for cyclones looks to have paid dividends. Rio Tinto, on the other hand, has suffered from the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Damien. The cyclone caused the miner to reduce its Pilbara shipments forecast from 330–343 million tonnes down to 324–334 million tonnes. Despite the incident, Rio Tinto is focussed on keeping disruption to a minimum and is on track to bring the Koodaideri iron ore project in the Pilbara to completion by 2021. After all, the mining company has factored a degree of wet season interruption into its long-range planning, proving: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
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Risk management
Industrial manslaughter laws: A path to a safer sector THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT HAS TABLED A BILL FOR INDUSTRIAL MANSLAUGHTER IN STATE PARLIAMENT TO HELP RESTORE A STRONG SAFETY CULTURE IN THE MINING INDUSTRY.
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he Queensland mining industry has taken a defiant stand following a series of fatalities that hit the “tightknit” resources sector last year. Those working in the industry are aware of the impact that the eight lives that were lost over the past 18 months had. The tragedies have pushed the Queensland Government to conduct a safety crackdown to reverse the trend. Among initiatives, the tabling of industrial manslaughter laws to Queensland parliament seeks to make mining a safer place for all employees. Mining executives could now face up to 20 years in jail if Queensland’s mine and quarry workers die due to criminal negligence, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME). “Legislation introduced to
Queensland’s parliament on February 4 creates the offence of industrial manslaughter, bringing resources workplaces in line with all other Queensland workplaces,” the DNRME states. “Queensland already has the toughest mine safety and health laws in the world, and the laws give the state’s 50,000 mine and quarry workers the same protections as other Queensland workers.” The DNRME proposes that senior officers of a mine or quarry company can be tried for industrial manslaughter if criminal negligence is proven for a worker’s death. An employer commits an offence when their negligent conduct causes the death of a mine worker with or without the involvement of explosives. The bill sets out a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, 100,000 penalty units and up to $13 million.
Mineworkers should be trained to perform tasks according to OEM requirements.
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Ian Macfarlane of the Queensland Resources Council.
“The new laws are part of a suite of sweeping mine safety and health reforms,” the DNRME states. “Those include $35 million to deliver reforms to improve the safety and health of our mine workers (and) extra mines inspectors.” The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) welcomes the industrial manslaughter amendment bill, stating that such laws already exist in other industry sectors. “QRC accepts the introduction of industrial manslaughter as an offence in the resources sector,” QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane says. “However, QRC is concerned the current proposed legislation unintentionally weakens the mine safety reforms introduced two decades ago following the Moura 2 Mine tragedy that claimed 11 lives on 7 August 1994.
“QRC is concerned the roles of SSEs (senior site executives) that have been so fundamental to the proactive on-theground management of safety on mine sites under the Moura mine tragedy reforms will be more targeted by the new offence of industrial manslaughter when the intent of the offence was to target gaps in the law at corporate leadership levels.” Macfarlane believes the existing safety legislation that applies to the resources sector was designed to address the unique organisational structure that exists in the mining sector. The former federal minister wants to see the new legislation build on safety without impeding the culture of sharing of safety information. According to Rod Hodgson, state managing principal at law firm Maurice Blackburn, the laws are important new protections which help establish Australia’s toughest regime of work health and safety laws for mining and quarry workers, bringing them in line with other workers in Queensland. “Unless board members and
executive officers know they can be prosecuted then an insufficient deterrence exists – proper investigation and prosecution of board members and executives is key to ensuring a robust safety culture in the mining sector,” he says. “Under the government’s new laws, the message is now clear that if a mine worker dies as a result of your negligence severe financial penalties and significant jail time can follow. “Of particular significance is the new offence of ‘negligence causing death’ which strengthens regulation and compliance around workplace health and safety.” The QRC has been committed to working with Queensland Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Anthony Lynham on the outcomes of industry safety reviews since last July. In the review into Queensland’s mining and quarrying fatalities from 2000 to 2019, forensic engineer firm Brady Heywood says a combination of banal, everyday factors are the typical cause. The factors include a failure of
Companies should ensure workers are supervised when faced with ineffective preventative controls.
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controls, a lack of training and/or absent or inadequate supervision. The report recommended that more effective controls be put in place instead of administrative controls, which according to Brady Heywood are some of the least effective controls available. Australia’s mining industry is also urged to shift its focus from lost time injuries as a key safety performance indicator. Its proneness to manipulation means that the mining sector can reduce the lost time injury frequency rate without making the industry safer, according to the report. In addition to the Brady Review and tabling of the industrial manslaughter laws, the state government’s $35 million reforms have also resulted in four new mine inspectors being recruited to the state’s mine and quarry industries. They commenced their roles in Rockhampton, Mackay and Mt Isa last year. The safety measure also goes alongside a proposed legislation for an independent resources health and safety authority to be established. “The resources industry supports one in seven jobs across Queensland,” Macfarlane concludes. “A safe workplace for those 372,000 men and women and their safe return home to family and loved ones is our priority.”
Environment
Coal is at risk of shifting mineral demand.
Ebbs and flows of mining commodities NOT ALL COMMODITIES STAND TO LOSE TO THE THREATS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. MCKINSEY & COMPANY REVEALS MINING ASSETS THAT ARE MOST AT RISK AND WAYS TO DECARBONISE OPERATIONS.
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he increasing demand for decarbonisation at mining operations has pushed companies to introduce emission-reduction goals. Management consulting firm McKinsey & Company reveals the targets range from 0 to 30 per cent by 2030, well below the Paris Agreement goals. Reaching the 1.5–2 degrees Celsius
global warming limit will require significant global action, one that could result in a shifting demand for minerals, according to McKinsey. All sectors will need to halve their carbon dioxide emissions from 2010 levels by 2050. To limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a reduction of more than 85 per cent will be required.
Copper demand is expected to rise amid electrification.
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McKinsey predicts in a report, Climate risk and decarbonisation: What every mining CEO needs to know, that coal will be “the most obvious victim” of shifts in mineral demand. “Decarbonisation of the power sector would mean taking net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to zero, implying an almost complete reduction in the combustion of coal,” the report states. Every year the mining industry produces between 1.9 and 5.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent of GHG emissions, according to McKinsey. The majority of emissions, between 1.5 to 4.6 gigatonnes, come from fugitive coal-bed methane that is discharged during coal mining, mainly at underground operations, the report continues. “Decarbonising the mining industry would require a serious effort by the coal industry, particularly in tackling fugitive methane,” it states. Though methane capturing
technology exists today, McKinsey notes the investment isn’t economical in many cases. “Mines theoretically can fully decarbonise (excluding fugitive methane) through operational efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy use,” the report states. “Capital investments are required to achieve most of the decarbonisation potential, but certain measures, such as the adoption of renewables, electrification and operational efficiency, are economical today for many mines.” This involves the switch from diesel trucks and gas-consuming appliances to electrified machinery. Fortescue Metals Group made a notable move into renewable energy at its Pilbara iron ore mines in Western Australia last year with plans to introduce solar power at operations. Australia’s largest mining company, BHP, has also signed contracts for renewable energy at the Escondida and Spence copper mines in Chile. In February, Rio Tinto announced a project that will see its most technologically forward Pilbara iron ore project, Koodaideri, powered with a 34-megawatt solar plant. “The construction of our first solar plant in the Pilbara is a significant milestone for the business and an important step in reducing our carbon footprint in the region,” Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Chris Salisbury says. The opportunity is in front of the mining industry as it continues to provide the raw materials required for decarbonisation solutions, the report adds. Decarbonisation technologies span from wind turbines to solar photovoltaics, from electric vehicles to energy storage and from metal recycling to hydrogen fuel cells. McKinsey outlines that this will inevitably alter demand patterns for upstream commodities.
The switch to electric vehicles is a strategy for decarbonisation.
Niche materials such as cobalt, nickel, platinum, palladium and rare earths could be winners in this demand shift, along with the electrification of vehicles. “Many of the world’s biggest mining companies will need to rebalance nondiverse mineral portfolios,” McKinsey states. “Copper-heavy portfolios may benefit from demand growth related to widespread electrification, for example. “And iron ore and aluminium-heavy portfolios may see an upside from decarbonisation technologies, but they are also more likely to be hit by rising recycling rates.” The impact would be increasing mining costs that drive commodity prices higher. McKinsey recommends that mining executives conduct an end-to-end diagnostic of climate change’s effect on their business to identify assets that need protecting from climate change, and which stand to gain or lose from decarbonisation. “Mining is no stranger to harsh climates … We find that today, 30 to 50 per cent of production of (copper, gold, iron ore and zinc) is concentrated in areas where water stress is already high,” the report notes. “In 2017, these sites accounted for roughly $150 billion in total annual revenues and were clustered into seven water-stress hot spots for mining: Central
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Asia, the Chilean coast, eastern Australia, the Middle East, southern Africa, Western Australia and a large zone in western North America.” To improve resiliency, Anglo American improved evaporation monitoring at the Drayton mine dam in Australia, for example. More capital-intensive approaches, though expensive, may also be necessary for the long term, according to McKinsey. At the other end of the spectrum, northern Australia is considered to be a “wet spot”. This region is likely to experience a 50 to 60 per cent increase in extreme precipitation this century. Iron ore and zinc are the most exposed to extremely high flood occurrences, requiring companies to adopt flood-proof mine designs, adapt roads and use conveying methods that don’t rely on trucking. “(Actions on climate change in the mining industry) are too modest to reach the 1.5 degrees Celsius to two degrees Celsius scenario and may not be keeping up with society’s expectations,” McKinsey states. “Mining companies concerned about their long-term reputation, ‘licence to operate,’ or contribution to decarbonisation efforts may start to consider more aggressive decarbonisation and resilience plans.”
Eye protection
Bollé Safety shields Australia during bushfire season BOLLÉ SAFETY’S START TO THE YEAR HAS BEEN BUSIER THAN USUAL, AS UNPRECEDENTED EVENTS INCLUDING THE AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRES AND THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK INCREASED DEMAND FOR EYE AND FACE PROTECTION. SALOMAE HASELGROVE WRITES.
The Rush+ is one of Bollé Safety’s most popular products.
Rush+, the latter being the first product from the manufacturer to feature the Platinum anti-fog and anti-scratch coating applied by a dipping process on the inside and outside of the lens. With fogging and scratching being two of the biggest issues in markets such as mining, the popularity of the Platinum coating quickly made its way to other
© Bollé Safety – F Bourcier.
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s one of Australia’s most popular safety eyewear brands, Bollé Safety has been shielding workers from the potential for eye and face damage, with its first pair of safety goggles hitting the market in the 1950s. In the mining sector, Bollé Safety’s most popular models are Prism and
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Bollé Safety styles, with 22 products now comprising this feature. Bollé Safety has this year experienced demand in less conventional areas, following a devastating Australian bushfire season during the summer months. The company experienced a large surge during January for its fire safety goggles, the Backdraft and Pilot 2, according to national business development manager Craig Yuile. “At the moment the market is a little unprecedented with the fire season,” Yuile tells Safe to Work. “Throughout the January period, our fire goggle requirements went through the roof.” As well as providing eye protection equipment for those fighting fires, Bollé Safety has taken the extra step to provide support for organisations like the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS). Bollé Safety supplied products to the most affected areas of New South Wales and made donations to help the impacted communities during this troubling time, as well as running its own promotion featuring its new product, Mercuro. “Until the end of March, we will donate $1 from every goggle supplied through distribution to the most affected RFS organisations around Australia,” Yuile says. “Second to that, we did a deal with Essential Energy, where we reduced the price of one of our products for their workers as a reward.
“They had to change up to 600 power poles in the North Coast region of New South Wales, so we basically did a deal with one of our local distributors on our new product Mercuro, and offered that to the guys involved in the replacement of poles as recognition for their work. “Internationally, Australia has been in the spotlight for what is going on, so it is the least Bollé Safety could do to help our local communities during that time.” Not long after the Australian bushfire crisis started to settle down, Bollé Safety was hit with more unique requirements as the knowledge of the coronavirus evolved and reached Australia.
Bollé Safety has provided relief to communities affected by the Australian bushfires.
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© Bollé Safety – F Bourcier.
© Bollé Safety – F Bourcier. Bollé Safety’s Cobra model.
“Rolling into what’s going on globally with the coronavirus outbreak, it’s having a fair impact on goggle requirements,” Yuile explains. Despite interruption from these exceptional events, Bollé Safety is continuing to focus on its usual areas within the safety industry, ensuring people are protected at work. While hand and finger injuries might be more common in industrial and resource fields, Yuile says eye injuries are a larger concern, as the consequences if something goes wrong are far more dire. “The most common injury in the industry is hands and fingers,” he says. “That’s because you’re touching, feeling and picking things up and your hands can get squashed. “You can still function if you have a hand injury but if you lose an eye, you never get that back.” The importance of eye health is the company’s priority as it sets out to continue developing new products throughout 2020, including a product range launch during May. Although Bollé Safety is globally recognised for its safety culture, Yuile says staying locally minded and dedicated to looking after the company’s clients is the basis of its success.
The Baxter safety glasses by Bollé Safety.
“The brand is big, there’s no doubt about it,” he says. “But if you don’t have quality people it doesn’t matter how big your brand is; Bollé is what it is because of our people. “If someone goes to work, we need them to get home, be safe and have their eyesight in check no matter what industry they work in.”
Innovation
Australian partnership to deliver gold transparency THE PERTH MINT AND SECURITY MATTERS ARE BRINGING THE WORLD’S FIRST MINE-TO-PRODUCT TRANSPARENCY SOLUTION TO THE GOLD INDUSTRY DURING A PERIOD OF GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY.
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old buyers are on the cusp of welcoming a technology that gives them 100 per cent confidence in ethicallysourced gold products. The Perth Mint has joined forces with ASX-listed protection and authentication company Security Matters to commercialise the high-tech proprietary supply chain solution called trueGold. The application will allow industry stakeholders to track the metal that they purchase from raw materials through to manufacturing and recycling.
This is possible through scientificallyproven molecular markers that are embedded in various stages of gold production, identifiable only to a unique energy reader. Security Matters founder and chief executive Haggai Alon describes the molecular sequences as “very strong” and “powerful”. “Significant changes can easily be made to supply chain processes when adopted by leading organisations and technology that can drive that change,” Alon
trueGold covers the supply chain, from raw material, commercial to recycle.
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tells Safe to Work. “By differentiating between and employing a different technique to each of the three major life cycles within the gold supply chain – raw material to production, production to commercial, commercial to recycle – we can create an entire technology driven ecosystem that promotes integrity, corporate transparency and accountability, anticounterfeiting and sustainability.” Metal obtained from war-torn areas, where child labour and other abhorrent practices are widespread, is indistinguishable to the end user from ethically sourced gold, according to The Perth Mint chief executive Richard Hayes. “This complete transparency will instil even greater trust in a commodity which already provides the ultimate refuge during times of economic and geopolitical turmoil,” Hayes says. Pre-dating the formation of Security Matters in 2015, Alon, the former chief coordinator of the Israeli military industry body at the Ministry of Defense, was exposed to the technology through his time at the government body. He negotiated a licence to use the technology with the Government of Israel, paving the way for a breakthrough in identifying ethically-sourced metals, including diamonds. “Australia is the natural house to grow this type of technology, adding to the fact that the country boasts a very strong culture of transparency and product liability,” Alon says.
“xxx”
Haggai Alon of Security Matters.
“I call Australia a small America: same language, very similar regulations and strong federal governments – an ideal place to grow a technology like ours. “The trueGold project perfectly demonstrates how easily big changes can be made to supply chains and distribution processes when adopted by leading organisations, and how technology can be used to drive change.” The Perth Mint has long been at the forefront of setting the highest ethical standards across its operations as the world’s largest refiner of newlymined gold and a fully integrated precious metals enterprise.
To end users, ethically-sourced gold is indistinguishable to that which isn’t.
With Australian gold miners as major clients of The Perth Mint, it holds each company to standards of social, ethical and sustainable mining, or else face the enterprise’s rejection. “The Perth Mint has always looked to ensure that the gold we source is ethically sourced,” Hayes says. “We’ve been refining gold for over 120 years. Throughout that time and especially in more recent times, we’ve made sure the gold we’ve taken for refining has been ethically sourced. “We understand the suppliers and the source of that gold. We have a history of turning away refining opportunities if we
Richard Hayes of The Perth Mint.
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haven’t been satisfied with how the gold has been mined.” The Perth Mint has been working with Security Matters for nearly two years in moving trueGold towards its expected launch in March. trueGold will firstly be exclusive to The Perth Mint, before being available to all industry players through the precious metals enterprise. Hayes believes that ethically-sourced gold can one day fetch a premium in the marketplace. “If you look at the diamond industry, diamonds that are certified with ethical mining are typically traded at a premium or are easier to trade than those without a proper history behind them,” Hayes says. “People are looking for ethically sourced food, ethically sourced clothing. We’re developing a growing market need as the world is moving more and more toward sustainability and ethically sourced products and services.” Hayes is confident the role that gold plays as an investment will be more significant than ever before. Given the level of uncertainties in the world, gold provides an effective hedge against global volatility during a period of record low interest rates, he concludes.
Sustainability
Mining squares up to the social investor
Sustainable mines are more likely to attract investment in a changing world.
FACED WITH GROWING INVESTOR DEMAND, DELOITTE HAS ITS SIGHTS SET ON GUIDING THE MINING INDUSTRY INTO AN AGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND DECARBONISATION. NICK ZAKHARIA WRITES.
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ncreasing pressure from stakeholders for mining companies to be transparent in their social, economic and environmental impact has ignited an industry trend of seeking socially conscious profits. As mining companies enter a new decade, stakeholders are increasingly directing their investments towards companies committed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. The benefit of keeping investors satisfied while also strengthening a business’ financial position is why Deloitte Australia’s mining & metals leader Ian Sanders believes mining companies should go green. “Decarbonisation makes sense operationally. Electrified mines are easier to automate,” Sanders says “The cost benefits of decarbonisation also can’t be ignored. Although there are capital costs to setting up the infrastructure to support the generation of renewable power, the consumption costs associated with renewable energy are negligible.”
“Electrification, digitisation, automation are all going to be techniques that we need in mines to move us through into a new era.” Sanders suggests electric mining will eradicate the operational expenses of traditional mining equipment. “This price dynamic has the potential to radically alter the cost basis of mining. In traditional mining operations, energy is generally the first or second most significant spend, accounting for 15 to 40 per cent of operating expenses,” he says. The decision to undertake a sustainable approach can also boost business for mining companies through the efficiency of electric mines. “With ore grades declining and mineral deposits being as challenging
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as they are to extract,” Sanders says. “Electrification, digitisation, automation are all going to be techniques that we need in mines to move us through into a new era.” Sanders stresses that the devotion towards decarbonisation must extend down the supply chain. “Sustainability teams within our mining organisations do not have the bandwidth or depth to be able to achieve their stated objectives,” he says. “That’s not because they don’t want to, but those objectives are so significant and vast, i.e. the different
examples of mining companies talking about decarbonisation footprint to 2050. “To be able to get there they are going to need to be talking right through the supply chain.” With an emphasis on an ethical supply chain, Sanders believes these objectives can be attained. “Mining clients are very proactive for going back into their supply chain, saying we want to make sure that we have an ethical supply chain,” he says. “Leadership is paramount, not just from the top because the tone of the organisation is set at the top. “It has to come from within each and every person within the organisation. The only way you can do that effectively is to ensure every leader is adopting those principles.” Mining companies are aiming to attract and maintain investors by reducing emissions following significant pressure from stakeholders. The environmental, social and economic impact needs to have value beyond compliance for this to be successful, according to a report by Deloitte. “I think some are finding value and some aren’t,” Sanders says. “It may have been a bit hit and miss. There’s one thing beyond doubt, the sector is changing and changing fast.” Yet the most significant challenge that mining faces, according to Sanders, is the industry’s public reputation. “In many jurisdictions around the world the level of trust in mining is low, even though the industry is critical in supplying raw materials and driving the economic development of regions around the world,” he says. With companies such as Deloitte pushing the envelope for a greener future, there is a chance for the mining industry to restore their reputation. And Sanders hopes that an increase of trust in the mining industry will attract
new investors, who are vital to the future of the mining industry. “You need to find new investments,” he says. “New investments can come in the form of expansion activity, but people are also looking at the next generation of mines.” And it’s not just the mining industry being pressured into more sustainable business practices. Approximately 800 financial organisations with $US118 trillion of assets are applying climate risk disclosures to their folio investments in 2019, according to the Deloitte report. The report also found 26 global banks have halted direct financing for new coal plant projects. Sanders hopes that joint ventures will be able to reduce the environmental impact of mining. “It is not only the majors…you take Technology is guiding companies towards achieving better ESG outcomes.
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the likes of Ken McKenzie for example, saying that climate change is a complex problem, we can’t do it alone,” he says. “That is code for we need joint ventures, partnerships, alliances, ecosystems to work our way through some of the big issues facing us or the planet. “This type of shared value collaboration allows companies, governments, communities and other key stakeholders to work together to strengthen local economic clusters, achieve greater social impact, and increase the return on social investment. “However, reaching this end goal is clearly a journey, which is why mining companies should start small before adopting a model that pools all funds and integrates governance structures.”
Technology
Why thermal imaging is a hot topic in mining MARK SLAUGHTER OF CBC ENGINEERING PROVIDES INSIGHT INTO HOW THERMAL IMAGING CAMERAS CAN IMPROVE SAFETY AT MINING OPERATIONS. Thermography benefits companies wanting predictive maintenance practices.
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here are a number of benefits that thermal imaging cameras can bring to a mining operation but perhaps the most salient of these is how they can improve safety. “A very plausible example would be at a coal mine where you would have tailings, or discarded coal that can’t be used and is stockpiled,” explains CBC Engineering solutions manager, Mark Slaughter. “When stockpiled, coal has a tendency to spontaneously combust – an obvious safety hazard. This is a scenario where a thermal imaging camera could be used to see how hot the stockpiles are. “The camera will indicate a problem whenever the temperature is above or below a standard. And this notification will be channelled to the right personnel, who can then take action to prevent an incident.” While thermal imaging – or
“It’s all about interpreting the image, knowing what the image is telling you and knowing your piece of machinery.” thermography – is not new, the scope of its applications is only just being realised by the mining industry. Thermography is predominately used as a form of condition monitoring for predictive maintenance on electrical and mechanical systems on a mine site, but can also be used in other applications to identify safety hazards. Slaughter works closely with Flir Systems thermal imaging cameras – firstly, because CBC distributes these industrial-purpose cameras in Australia, and secondly, because he personally uses the cameras when providing engineering services to customers. “We distribute a lot of Flir Systems thermal imaging cameras to customers because they are globallyrecognised as an industry leader with this technology. The cameras are most commonly used for condition monitoring,” he explains. “While we have customers who want to do the work themselves, we still need to provide training for
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them to understand how to use the cameras. Additionally, we have a lot of customers who prefer us to come to the site, and perform inspections or provide an ongoing condition monitoring service to them. Either way, because we are using the product ourselves in our services, we have the expertise and experience to guide and advise customers.” The thermal imaging camera works by interpreting radiated energy from an image and showing the temperatures as colours. The hotter the section of
While not new, thermal imaging is only just finding its place in mining.
an image is, the colour will be a vivid red that transforms to white. The colder a section is, the darker the image will be – dark blue, verging into black. Slaughter and the CBC engineering team often use the cameras to identify potential fire risks at a site. “In terms of electrical thermography, we would inspect a customer’s electrical cabinet by looking through the camera to see if there are any ‘hotspots’ that could cause a fire. In mine sites, all the machinery is hooked up to the switch rooms, so we will use the cameras to check those rooms for hazards,” he says. Moreover, the reason the technology is used in condition monitoring is because it measures temperature. Just as in human health, anomalies in temperature are often an indicator that something is wrong with the equipment. Importantly, Slaughter points out that adopting thermal imaging technology is not as simple as purchasing a thermal imaging camera. Having an understanding of the science behind how the camera works and how to interpret the images is essential. He also emphasises the need to establish reference temperatures for particular components so they can be compared for analysis. “It’s all about interpreting the image, knowing what the image is telling you and knowing your piece of machinery. A lot of analysis you do with a thermal imaging camera is comparative,” he explains. “For example, if you have two bearings on the same shaft, going at the same speed, and subjected to the same loads, you would expect their temperatures to be similar, provided there are no external influences. So, if one bearing is 20 degrees hotter than the other, that is a clear sign that the
equipment is under stress and may fail. That’s why establishing reference temperatures is essential.” Slaughter also reiterates how important the relationship is between CBC and Flir Systems in providing customers with an efficient service.
“When a customer needs the product, we can get them ordered in and delivered quickly from Flir Systems, and can also ensure that they have been properly calibrated to meet the customer’s specific needs.”
The safety improvements the technology provides should not be overlooked.
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THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY
ISSUE 7 - MARCH-APRIL 2020
Managing future workforces
Making mine workers safe and included
Environment
Mining equipment
Technology
Risk management
Throughout the cycles of the mining industry there is one constant for everyone involved in the industry – safety. A safe workplace is critical to the continued success of your business. Launched in 2018, Safe To Work provides a high-quality, multi-platform publication for the Australian mining sector, with safety as its key focus.
Safe To Work’s promotional features deliver a forum for organisations to showcase the role each aspect of safety plays in helping the industry achieve the industry’s No. 1 priority.
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Automation
Epiroc, ASI Mining to automate Roy Hill haul trucks ROY HILL IS THE LATEST PILBARA IRON ORE MINER TO UNVEIL PLANS TO AUTOMATE ITS FLEET OF HAUL TRUCKS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY.
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oy Hill chief executive Barry Fitzgerald says the Pilbara iron ore miner is putting safety first by signing a contract with Epiroc and ASI Mining to automate its mixed fleet of Hitachi and Cat haul trucks. Epiroc and ASI Mining will deliver an interoperable solution with the ability to expand to other mining vehicle types and manufacturers. The solution will also have the capability to integrate with existing and future Roy Hill systems at the Western Australian site. Epiroc will work with Hitachi/ Wencomine on truck conversion and integration of Roy Hill’s existing Wenco fleet management system. The project will involve an initial phase of testing and production verification of up to eight trucks, before the full fleet of Roy Hill machines is converted from mid 2021. Roy Hill chief executive officer Barry Fitzgerald believes the Pilbara iron ore site is well positioned to transition to automation. “Our teams on site and in our remote operations centre in Perth have demonstrated a clear capacity to deliver complex projects, sustainable change and operational excellence with the recent success of the autonomous drill program and fleet optimisation initiatives,” Fitzgerald said. “Now is the right time to bring the combined expertise of Roy Hill, Epiroc, ASI Mining and Wenco together to
Roy Hill, Epiroc and ASI Mining celebrate the contract signing.
convert our haul truck fleet.” Fitzgerald reinforced the importance of Roy Hill’s people in this project, saying safety was a key driver of the project. He said the commitment to Roy Hill’s people extends to the effective transition of impacted operators to other roles. “Care is one of our core values, with safety at the heart of everything we do. Roy Hill’s Smart Mine program is driving innovation across our business, and the automation of our haulage fleet is central to delivering safety and production improvements,” Fitzgerald said. Epiroc and ASI Mining, which have global experience on automation projects, plan to establish a highlycredentialed team in Western Australia to deliver the project. United States-based ASI develops technology solutions for the autonomous operation of mining
vehicles. Epiroc acquired a 34 per cent stake in the ASI in October 2018. ASI CEO Mel Torrie said the companies would also partner with key suppliers, including mining technology integrator Sedna, to deliver the automation haulage system (AHS) at Roy Hill. “As a manufacturer-agnostic solutions provider ASI Mining looks forward to highlighting the opportunities presented by an interoperable approach to autonomous mining,” Torrie said. Roy Hill has established reskilling and redeployment plans to assist the transition of operators to new roles within the business. “We are committed to an automation journey that creates an environment in which our people can develop new skills critical to the workforce of the future. Our focus is on setting people up to succeed and further contribute to the Roy Hill community,” Fitzgerald said.
SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 49 MAR-APR 2020
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UNDERGROUND OPERATORS 2020, PERTH, MARCH 25-27
SLOPE STABILITY CONFERENCE, PERTH, MAY 12-14
AusIMM will bring together mining engineers, mine operators, technical service managers and consultants to the Underground Operators Conference in 2020. This conference will set the benchmark for sharing underground operational experiences and industry best practice. Underground Operators 2020 will answer the pressing issues presented by deposits that are getting deeper or lower in grade, and operators facing increased pressure to find smarter and more cost-effective ways to extract orebodies. The key discussion topics for this conference will be centred around the evolution of digital technologies, automation and artificial intelligence, and how these innovations are providing solutions to challenges found underground. • undergroundoperators.ausimm.com
One of the world’s leading Slope Stability Conferences, ‘Slope Stability 2020’ will return to Perth in 2020. The Slope Stability Conference will provide a forum for open pit mining and civil engineering practitioners, consultants, researchers and suppliers worldwide to exchange views on best practice and state-of-the-art slope stability technologies. The 2020 Slope Stability Conference will explore best practices with respect to pit slope investigations, design and implementation. Performance monitoring will be discussed during the symposium. Experts will analyse the principles that underlie the most frequently used computational methods and some less common but accurate methods. • slopestability2020.com
MEGATRANS, MELBOURNE, APRIL 1-3 MEGATRANS returns in 2020 as an important industry event, facilitating cross-industry collaboration in a multidimensional and integrated conference and exhibition for the freight and logistics industry. For the first time, MEGATRANS2020 will take place in conjunction with the specialised bulk handling expo, Australian Bulk Handling Expo 2020. The two events will be held side-by-side, with one ticket entry into both exhibitions. MEGATRANS2020 will showcase the latest in artificial intelligence, robotics, automated racking, telematics and route optimisation, warehouse automation, intelligent fleet systems, blockchain, Internet of Things, big data and advanced analytics. • megatrans.com.au
QUEENSLAND MINING AND ENGINEERING EXHIBITION, MACKAY, JULY 21-23 Having run for more than 25 years, the Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition (QME) is recognised as the largest mining expo in the Sunshine State. Held in Mackay, the gateway to the Bowen Basin region, the event is right on the doorstep of some of the country’s largest coal mines. QME will feature over 250 suppliers, showcasing leading products and solutions and will host a free-to-attend seminar series that will provide a unique opportunity to hear from industry professionals who will address the current needs of the industry. Sessions will cover mine management and maintenance, health and safety, coal processing strategies and automation, future skills, policy outlook, engineering excellence and more.
QME will be held from July 21 to 23 at the Mackay Showground and will be the ultimate destination for Queensland’s mining industry. • queenslandminingexpo.com.au
MINE WASTE AND TAILINGS STEWARDSHIP CONFERENCE, BRISBANE, JULY 28-30 The 2020 Mine Waste and Tailings Conference aims to be the benchmark for sharing knowledge and experience on mine waste and tailings management, sustainable practices and closure in Australia and the rest of the world. The conference holds its relevance as the majority of the world’s future minerals will come from low-grade, high-tonnage and ultramechanised operations. As higher production of waste rock and tailings is expected, mining systems will require re-engineering. This event will cover all aspects of life cycle in waste rock and tailings management, from site selection and design to post-closure care. The two-day conference will feature a number of keynote speakers, four expert panel discussions covering key current themes, and paper presentations. • tailings.ausimm.com
WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS, MELBOURNE, AUGUST 13 The Women in Industry Awards acknowledges the exceptional women who have achieved success through their invaluable leadership, innovation and commitment to their sector. The awards recognise and reward the achievements of women working within the resources, engineering, manufacturing, process control industries and commercial road transport industries, and aims to raise the profile of women within industry, as well as promote and encourage excellence. • womeninindustry.com.au
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