STW May 2021 by Prime Creative Media

THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY

ISSUE 13 - MAY/JUNE 2021

Handling material risks Safety around conveyors in focus

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Technology

Training & Education

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Comment Conveying materials handling safety improvements BEN CREAGH

SAFETY IS THE LEADING CONSIDERATION FOR ALL MATERIALS HANDLING OPERATIONS. WHAT IS BEING DONE TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES WORKING IN THIS AREA OF A MINE SITE?

aterials handling operations are a hot spot for new innovations and technologies that improve the safety performance of mine sites. The safety risks of working around conveyor systems, for example, reinforce the ongoing need to develop methods or tools that enhance processes. Conveyors may be a key driver of productivity, but it is the safety of workers around this equipment that trumps any other aspect of the operation. This edition of Safe to Work highlights the research and development that has been committed to make materials handling activities safer. Conveyor guarding, for instance, has developed significantly from the steel structures that have traditionally been used at mine sites. First and foremost, a conveyor without proper guarding is an unsafe system, but a number of elements have emerged that aid the safety of workers even further.

VANESSA ZHOU Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: vanessa.zhou@primecreative.com.au PUBLISHER CHRISTINE CLANCY MANAGING EDITOR BEN CREAGH Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: ben.creagh@primecreative.com.au JOURNALISTS NICKOLAS ZAKHARIA Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: nickolas.zakharia@primecreative.com.au

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER JANINE CLEMENTS Tel: (02) 9439 7227 Email: janine.clements@primecreative.com.au SALES MANAGER JONATHAN DUCKETT Mob: 0498 091 027 Email: jonathan.duckett@primecreative.com.au

Today’s guarding is much lighter, with manufacturers moving to HDPE (high-density polyethylene) plastic to develop a product that is also more robust and sustainable. Modern guarding products are also now produced with a modular design, making them easier to install and the task of changing them less strenuous. Maintaining conveyor guarding has historically involved considerable heavy lifting, which takes a toll on workers physically. With modern guards weighing up to 40 per cent less than their steel counterparts, the burden of this weight has been reduced while increasing uptime. Despite the value of these innovations, safety around material handling operations still depends greatly on training. A specialist like Martin Engineering maintains a handbook on conveyor safety that provides operators with the foundations for activities in these areas. Materials handling companies also offer side-by-side training for mining companies from their

ART DIRECTOR Blake Storey GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty SUBSCRIPTION RATES Australia (surface mail) $140.00 (incl GST) New Zealand A$148.00 Overseas A$156.00 For subscriptions enquiries please call 03 9690 8766

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experts to develop stronger safety education. In-person training is now complemented by online offerings that enable consistent learning for operators, even with border closures and other interruptions. This commitment is yet another example of why a safe operation is the key driver of a productive one. Ben Creagh Managing Editor

FRONT COVER Modern conveyor guarding. Image: Diacon Australia.

PRIME CREATIVE MEDIA 11-15 Buckhurst St South Melbourne, VIC 3205 Australia www.primecreative.com.au © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2016 All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the p ublisher.

In this issue Features

16 Finding truth in the ashes

Fire Forensics provides investigative skills for explosions

Safer, streamlined operations

Electric Mine Consortium encourages a safer, zero-emission future

22 The next generation of leaders

Gold Industry Group ramps up education efforts

24 Planting a sustainable tailings solution

Erizon delivers tailings solution for Newcrest Mining

26 Real-time dust monitoring on haul roads

Environmental monitoring system identifies dust hotspots

28 Delivering versatile conveyor guards

Diacon Australia offers alternative to steel conveyor guards

30 Dialling up workplace safety and culture

Fenner Dunlop’s Vicki Wust improves safety awareness and skills

32 Kinder delivers seal of

42 The safest place to find

K-Magna range enables easy repairs for worn-out steel equipment

MineARC Systems, ARMS Reliability outline how tech leads to zero harm

Rock solid conveyor guarding

44 Is a mining skills shortage

DYNA Engineering conveyor guards improve safety and reliability

Accenture’s David Burns provides insight on how to prevent a skills shortage

36 Unsafe work practices

48 Mobile cinema rolls into

Martin Engineering highlights conveyor belt hazards

Travelling cinema supports the mental health of workers

38 Safety foundation builds

51 Prospect Awards return to

REDARC grows manufacturing capability through technology

Awards night to take place in person during October

approval

around conveyors

success

Staying ahead of fire safety

JSG Industrial Systems upgrades Muster suppression system

solutions

looming?

communities

Brisbane

Event spotlight

AusIMM’S Mill Operators Conference to be held in June

REGULARS

3 COMMENT

6 NEWS

14 PRODUCTS

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 4 MAY-JUN 2021

54 EVENTS

News Moranbah North setback unlike Grosvenor incident Anglo American metallurgical coal business chief executive Tyler Mitchelson has revealed that no ignition occurred during a coal heating incident that impacted the Moranbah North coal mine in Queensland earlier this year. On February 20, a coal heating incident led to a site shutdown and worker evacuation at Moranbah North. The company’s investigation into the incident found the coal heating was not similar to the ignition incident that occurred at the Grosvenor mine in Queensland in May last year.

The methane levels on the longwall at Moranbah North were within regulatory levels. “Based on our review of the evidence, we do not believe an ignition has occurred, and the most likely cause of the incident was coal heating and a large goaf fall behind the longwall face. This was a completely different incident to the methane ignition at Grosvenor mine on May 6 2020,” Mitchelson said. “Our Moranbah North team immediately took a number of steps to manage the incident, and goaf

conditions normalised shortly after the incident occurred. “Expert technical advice is informing our risk assessment process, which is currently under way with a crosssection of the workforce, and includes a review of measures to prevent a reoccurrence.” Anglo American now uses proven industry methods to manage spontaneous combustion risk in its mines, and will continue to assess other methods that may provide a higher level of control, according to Mitchelson.

Credit: Liebherr.

Liebherr R 9600 exhibits highest safety standards

The Liebherr R 9600 hydraulic excavator.

Liebherr has launched the R 9600 hydraulic excavator off the back of the iconic R 996B and R 9800 machines, with safety an area that has received updates on the latest model. Operating in iron ore and coal sites in Australia, the R 9600 has received a stamp of approval from BHP and Thiess after a successful validation phase.

The 600-tonne excavator features ambient and low-level LED lights to make night operations safer and easier. With a brand-new cabin that puts operators’ safety at the centre, Liebherr has designed the cab to reduce vibrations and limits noise to 69 decibels. The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) also places

four cameras on the fatigueresistant and rotating uppercarriage to provide operators with 270-degree visibility around the excavator. Liebherr stated that the R 9600 was designed with respect to global safety standards for operators and maintenance personnel. This is evidenced by a hydraulically controlled ergonomic 45-degree stairway that provides maintenance personnel with easy access to the uppercarriage. It also comes with enlarged walkways with handrails and nonslip perforated steps to allow for safe and convenient inspections. Liebherr stated that all major parts had been designed and positioned to allow easy access and quicker maintenance. Eight units will be operating in Australia by the end of the year after going through a trial in Colmar, France, early last year. The R 9600 is built to last more than 80,000 machine operational hours.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 6 MAY-JUN 2021

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News Mineral Resources (MinRes) has commissioned 10 Komatsu HD15008 dump trucks at the Iron Valley mine in Western Australia, with safety a key reason behind the purchase. The HD1500-8 includes a collision awareness system, which features eight on-board radars and six cameras, creating a 360-degree view of the surrounding environment. Health and safety are enhanced by the truck’s intelligently-designed cabin that includes cooling systems, low vibration operations and noise attenuation that is capped at 72 decibels. MinRes commissioned the first Komatsu HD1500-8 in late 2020, with the remaining nine delivered during the first quarter of 2021. According to MinRes, the Komatsu HD1500-8 trucks are a faster alternative to previous dump trucks used at Iron Valley.

Credit: Komatsu.

MinRes deploys Komatsu trucks at Iron Valley

A Komatsu HD1500-8 dump truck at Iron Valley.

The company reported that the HD15008 could complete a haul journey from Iron Valley’s pit floor to the crushing facility and return in 21.63 minutes, compared with 23.84 from the older machines used. “Following the success of the HD1500-8, (MinRes) placed a milestone order for 10 of our machines,” Komatsu sales person Jason Lambert said. According to Lambert, cost effectiveness

was also a major consideration for MinRes. “In this instance, there was a consistent theme of 10 per cent improvement – in purchase cost, payload and operating efficiency – an additional 10 tonnes, 10 per cent faster and 10 per cent cheaper,” Lambert said. “But increasingly, there’s also the consideration of health and safety.”

Women in resources report greater inclusion An Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) survey for women in resources has found that on-site experience has improved this year compared with 2020. According to the survey, amenities and travel support have also improved, but a lack in development is still found in supporting women to manage inter-role conflict between work and home roles. This proves to be a challenge, especially to those who are working site-based and technical roles. The survey points to the need of better health and wellbeing support on site, while providing feedback relating to improving recreational options. Despite this, women in the resources

sector have labelled their workplaces more inclusive than the broader industry. More than half (55 per cent) of respondents see their workplace as “very diverse” or “average”, compared with only 35 per cent who perceive the same degree of diversity in the resources sector. This trend is replicated in the respondents’ view on inclusion, with 3.3 times as many women indicating their workplace has a “very inclusive” culture (24 per cent) compared with the resources sector as a whole (7 per cent). The annual survey shows that women’s participation in fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) and drive-in, drive-out (DIDO) roles remains stable, reflecting the

sector’s ability to accommodate for COVID-19 impacts on travel and border closures. AusIMM chief executive Stephen Durkin said that part of influencing change was being able to measure progress and develop focus areas. “Being able to share and track the experiences of women in the resources industry through our annual survey is an important part of (our commitment to being an agent of change in the area of diversity and inclusion),” he said. “It’s encouraging to see the industry making some progress in key areas, but there remains work to be done, particularly in the areas of workplace flexibility and perceptions around the inclusiveness of the entire sector.”

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 8 MAY-JUN 2021

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News NSW to increase surveillance over coal industry New South Wales plans to implement an independent review of health surveillance in the coal sector due to the re-emergence of dust diseases across other mining jurisdictions in Australia. The move has been recommended by mining companies, government, unions and independent experts through the state’s ministerially appointed council, the Mine Safety Advisory Council (MSAC). MSAC chair George Souris said New South Wales wanted to stay on the front foot to ensure the state’s coal workers continued to have the best possible protections. “We don’t want to wait until something goes wrong in (New South Wales) to act and this quality assurance review will focus on the coal industry health surveillance scheme to ensure it is continuing to provide robust and

effective health surveillance for coal workers,” Souris said. “The review will also provide assurance to the industry that the health surveillance system in (New South Wales) is effective in the early identification of health conditions that may affect workers and recommend any necessary changes to improve the scheme.” The scheme includes Australia’s “most rigorous” coal dust exposure limits, monitoring of airborne contaminants and prescribed health monitoring regimes for workers exposed to airborne dust. “Coal mine workers receive periodic health surveillance every three years,” New South Wales Resources Regulator director Anthony Keon said. “Outside of the placement, medical assessments are undertaken for all coal mine workers prior to commencing

employment and ongoing assessments are offered to workers after they leave the industry. “However, the recent re-emergence of dust diseases, particularly in neighbouring mining jurisdictions shows that we cannot rest on our laurels and we must continue to be vigilant and review the way we do things to ensure (New South Wales) mine workers continue to have the best protections possible.” Other recommendations previously slated by MSAC included bringing forward of the state’s reduced coal dust limits by nearly two years. The New South Wales coal dust respirable standard is now 1.5 milligrams per cubic metre, effective since February. This is a reduction from 2.5 milligrams per cubic metre, a limit that had been in place since 2004.

Credit: Fortescue Metals Group

Fortescue deploys autonomous light vehicles

The Ford Ranger autonomous vehicle.

Fortescue Metals Group and Ford Australia have partnered to retrofit four Ford Rangers with on-board vehicle automation systems at the Christmas Creek mine in Western Australia. The autonomous light vehicles feature a Lidar/Radar perception system, enabling obstacle detection and

avoidance for vehicle safety. The Ford Rangers also boast independent safety management and a fail-safe braking system to reduce the risk of crashes, as well as built-in monitoring and fault response capabilities. With the autonomous light vehicles now operational, Fortescue’s fitters will not be required to make 12,000 28-kilometre road trips per year to pick up mining equipment and parts. Fortescue plans to implement a similar system at other sites, joining its 100-plus fleet of autonomous haulage system trucks. “The autonomous light vehicle project is a significant advancement of our in-house automation capability,” Fortescue chief executive Elizabeth Gaines said.

“With the flexibility to introduce similar systems into other mobile assets, this project is fundamental to our future mobile equipment automation projects. “(Fortescue’s) focus on technology and innovation has driven our industry leading operational performance and cost position.” Ford Australia president and chief executive Andrew Birkic said the automobile company was proud to see its vehicles used as part of the autonomous light vehicle project. “Ford globally is at the forefront of research into autonomous vehicles,” Birkic said. “Working with companies like Fortescue is critical to gaining an insight into specific user applications.”

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 10 MAY-JUN 2021

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News Mining sector to strengthen sexual harassment response The Australian Government has declared a commitment to preventing sexual harassment at work by unveiling reforms that are aimed at creating a safer workplace. The government will form a taskforce dedicated to delivering regulatory reform and simplifying the legal framework. This comes on top of education and training programs across sectors and stronger research on prevention strategies. The move follows a national inquiry into sexual harassment at work that was commissioned in 2018, with 55 recommendations proposed and agreed to, if not noted, by the federal government. Among these recommendations are the proposal for stronger penalties; new dismissal laws; extended lifespan of sexual harassment

complaints; and amendment to the Sex Discrimination Act and Fair Work Act. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said sexual harassment was not only immoral and despicable, and even criminal, but it also denied Australians their personal and economic security by not being safe at work. “This is a culture that we all have to change for the better across our society, by changing our behaviour,” he said. Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable agreed that sexual harassment would not be tolerated in the workplace. “Earlier this year, the MCA announced the expansion of the scope of the minerals industry’s safety and health policy and released a strong and direct statement on the importance of eliminating sexual harassment in Australian mining workplaces,”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Constable said. Forty-seven per cent of respondents in the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy’s 2021 Women in Mining survey believed that disrespectful behaviour was quickly addressed in the workplace. The response was skewed towards women in managerial and executive roles.

Thiess, Glencore leverage real-time dust control Thiess has worked with Glencore to develop a range of controls to ensure that the impact of dust, noise and blasting at the Mt Owen coal mine in New South Wales is minimised. Dust and noise are two of the highest environment risks for Thiess’ projects in the Hunter Valley, according to Thiess senior environment advisor Linda Lunnon. The companies have developed noise and dust risk forecasting, sound power testing of operating equipment and real-time monitoring technology to manage the risks. Lunnon said the real-time data enabled its operational team to monitor dust and noise levels and respond swiftly to changing weather conditions. “Paired with regular visual

inspections, the technology provides further guidance throughout each shift, enabling our leaders to readily modify operations as needed,” Lunnon said. “The system also triggers SMS alerts to relevant personnel if dust or noise levels reach a defined threshold. “This provides a prompt for operational staff to reassess controls and implement further actions if required. “Our forecasting systems also allow us to plan for adverse weather conditions.” Lunnon said Thiess prioritised coaching its people to ensure correct understanding of the context of its environmental controls and how they could work optimally. Thiess environment and civil manager

James Anderson said the solutions were developed in a collaboration between the Mt Owen team and the company’s operational and technical teams in the Hunter Valley. “Each project leverages our global insight to provide local value, with our head office team offering industry-leading environmental insights across each of our operating countries,” Anderson said. “Our proven experience managing the full suite of environmental services on mine sites ensures we continually deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients.” Thiess has been operating Glencore’s Mt Owen coal mine since 1995. The mine processes up to 8.6 million tonnes of run-of-mine coal a year.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 12 MAY-JUN 2021

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Products BOOMER M20 BRINGS INTERNAL HYDRAULICS TO FACE DRILLING Epiroc has unveiled the Boomer M20 multi-role drill rig, which features an internal hydraulics system to prevent unplanned stops for hose repairs. The Boomer M20 also features on-board automation features, tele-remote capabilities and digital drill plans. The drill’s multi-functional joysticks also allow operators to keep their eyes on the task at all time. Adding to the list of the Boomer M20’s safety features is a cabin design that gives optimum visibility, with noise dampening materials to keep noise levels as low as 65 decibels. Mining companies can also opt for a battery-electric driveline option to bring additional savings on health and ventilation. With innovation at the forefront of the Boomer M20 design, Epiroc ensures high performance development options can be used to adjust and download drill plans directly at the face.

• epiroc.com

SEPURA DELIVERS SAFETY ADVANTAGE WITH TETRA RADIOS Sepura’s TETRA radios provide the coverage, security and reliability needed to ensure communications are available when needed. With over two million TETRA radios installed in 100 countries, the built-in safety features of the solution can be enhanced with AutoMate. This allows the radios to take pre-defined actions based on a chosen trigger related to the current condition or location. Therefore, when a miner enters a blast zone, the radio app will automatically switch to the correct talk group while the miner’s status and location are logged. An additional app can be used to link the radio to Wi-Fi to ensure voice and emergency communication are maintained. As a result, the burden of changing talk-group or confirming location status is omitted, allowing for faster and more efficient communications.

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SANDVIK DL422IE ELECTRIFIES DRILLING Sandvik’s fully automated DL422iE battery-electric top hammer longhole drill produces zero emissions through its electric driveline system, allowing for healthier underground mining operations. Fuel costs can be driven down significantly with the addition of an electric driveline, with the drill also taking advantage of automation and teleremote drilling capabilities through Sandvik’s Platinum drilling automation package. The package provides continuous and automated production drilling. Sandvik expects a 20 per cent improvement to productivity when the package is combined with Sandvik’s i-Class iSOLO drilling control system. Batteries can also be charged during drilling, while the drill is mounted on a C400E four-wheel-drive frame steered carrier, giving access to drill plan management at the user interface. The DL422iE is also equipped with MySandvik remote monitoring and can be integrated with Sandvik’s AutoMine and OptiMine systems.

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COOLVEST IDEAL FOR HARSH MINING CONDITIONS The CoolVest is a military grade heatstroke solution that provides a safe and effective way to lower a person’s body temperature. Ideal for hot conditions such as mining, the CoolVest prevents heatstroke which can lead to severe consequences including brain, heart, kidney and muscle damage, coma or death if untreated. Developed by its namesake company, CoolVest can lower a person’s fatal body core temperature of 42 degrees Celsius to 37.5. The CoolVest requires only three litres of water and will become instantly cold. It has been designed to be as lightweight and easy to transport as possible to ensure it can be available anywhere at any time. The CoolVest also does not impact protocols such as CPR if required.

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PACIFIC EARS LATEST EARPLUGS SOUND OFF Pacific Ears has launched its new ACS Pro31 earplugs, which are ideal for loud environments often associated with the mining industry. The Pro31 earplugs are the only Class 5 custom-made hearing production made in Australia. The product is design to be one of the most natural sounding earplugs available through its high-noise filtering. Pacific Ears has designed the filters to be removable for cleaning to maximise the life of the earplugs, while also being water resistant and suitable for high moisture environments. The ACS Pro31’s canal mould does not interfere with hard hats and other personal protective equipment. The earplugs are made from medical-grade silicone, available in several colours to withstand harsh mining conditions.

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PYRA LED SERIES AVAILABLE FROM CONTROL LOGIC Pfannenberg’s PYRA LED series is available to order from Control Logic and comes equipped with modern LED technology. The lights are available as RGB, single and traffic lights to offer flexible and versatile signalling options and operating modes for industrial applications in the field of information and warning. The range is available with or without sounder and can be set for brightness and time sequences for various combinations. The PYRA LED lights can also be flush-mounted, allowing it to be integrated into existing machine and plant design, while providing full 360-degree visibility. It is suitable for applications including machine and plant operation, in intralogistics and material handling, for status information of machines, rooms and/or areas for access control.

• pfannenberg.com

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 15 MAY-JUN 2021

Risk management

Fire Forensics brings truth from the ashes

FIRE FORENSICS APPLIES THE MOST ASTUTE INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS TO HELP COMPANIES GET TO THE BOTTOM OF A MYSTERIOUS FIRE OR EXPLOSION.

opular fictional detective Sherlock Holmes is armed by a profound knowledge of chemistry, anatomy, practical geology and politics that propels him to the uppermost tier of detectives in the pop culture world. His undoubted ability to solve mysteries and pick up hints when nobody else could is a talent that many of his audience would have a hard time forgetting. In the real world of fire investigations, the strength of Fire Forensics can be likened to that of Holmes. With almost all team members of the company possessing a qualification

in forensics science, instead of the popular criminal system background, Fire Forensics has been able to crack every mystery related to industrial fires and explosions that it has faced. This covers fires and explosions that occurred in a range of settings in Australia and overseas, from mines and mining equipment, residential, commercial and industrial buildings, to road vehicles and mobile, static and fixed equipment. The company was involved in an investigation of an underground explosion with the New South Wales Mines Inspectorate, before being appointed to assist the ongoing

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Queensland Board of Inquiry into a similar event this year. “A lot of the people who work in the industry come from either a practical firefighting or crime scene background, or they come from the engineering pathway,” Fire Forensics founder and senior fire investigator James Munday tells Safe to Work. “Our training in forensics science, however, teaches us to develop and test a number of alternative hypotheses, and we test those against the evidence. Hopefully we’ll end up with one hypothesis we can’t disprove. “That’s what we aim for in getting to the most probable explanation of a

The Fire Forensics team is backed by a qualification and/ or training in forensics science.

Fire Forensics carries out investigations across buildings, road vehicles and mobile, static and fixed equipment.

fire incident.” Although acknowledging that the team isn’t always lucky in this way, they must sometimes accept more than one mostprobable hypothesis as the underlying cause of an incident. The wealth of experience afforded by the team takes them closer to discovering this more expertly than most. Munday himself has been involved in fire investigations since 1979, when he entered the industry from a law enforcement pathway. It was in 1998 when he set up his own fire investigation consultancy in the United Kingdom that broadened his expertise across a diverse range of objects. Being exposed to incidents that mostly involved road vehicles, Munday’s

natural shift into larger equipment used in the agricultural and civil engineering sectors revealed that they had the same principles applicable to mining. “Mining equipment isn’t a big leap from harvesters, believe it or not,” Munday says. “And it is in this area that I found a niche in the industry, where there are only limited people who can assist with a big fire. “Maintenance or engineering crews can see what’s happened in a small fire in a small piece of equipment, understand it and deal with it – the evidence would be very obvious. “But when the fire has caused a lot of damage, it’s hard to see where it started. That’s one area of expertise we bring – fire dynamics. It affects the patterns which are formed by the fire and what’s left after the fire.” The Fire Forensics team also used this slightly different angle to investigate a fire involving a coal screener that was built into an elevator. Fire Forensics discovered that the fire was caused by a build-up of coal under the belt. And coupled with a lack of maintenance and cleaning, “to the extent that the coal under the belt was constantly rubbed,” frictional heating caused the coal to ignite. This is one of many cases where a fire or explosion was caused by simple decisions that didn’t seem to carry

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weight, but ended in a catastrophe. “We did an investigation involving a diesel-powered draining pump, which is a typical piece of equipment that everybody uses in the industry,” Munday says. “What happened was, the maintenance crew had for some reason fitted the wrong oil filter. It was perhaps an honest mistake – they picked up a wrong part or fitted in a cheaper part. “When the pump was running, the oil filter fitting failed, and hot oil was sprayed on the turbocharger, causing the entire pump to be lost and burnt down.” Munday underlines that the consequences of a genuine mistake, such as using a cheaper part to save a few dollars or varying the layout of machinery, are only apparent “when something goes horribly wrong.” Importantly, Fire Forensics’ investigation outcomes have empowered mining operations to prevent the same incident from recurring. With company plans to expand its Western Australian team this year, and backed by team members in New South Wales and Victoria, Fire Forensics can help more operators with prevention work. “Some of our clients run operations in several continents,” Munday says, “So if you encounter an incident on one site, you should get down to the bottom of it to prevent another fire from happening in another location.”

Technology Epiroc’s Batteries as a Service solution allows the OEM to control and manage all batteries on site.

Electrification drives safer, streamlined operations STATE OF PLAY’S ELECTRIC MINE CONSORTIUM HAS COALESCED SEVERAL FACETS OF MINING TO ENCOURAGE AN EMISSION-FREE AND SAFER FUTURE FOR THE INDUSTRY. NICKOLAS ZAKHARIA WRITES.

he old adage to not reinvent the wheel is something that rings true for parts of the mining sector. But as technology improves, worker safety risks are being reduced. Diesel engines in mining environments, particularly those in underground locations, can lead to the exposure of diesel particulate matter, which can have prolonged health effects for mine workers. This is one of several areas where the electrification of the mining industry can improve workplace safety, while also ramping up efficiencies and driving down emissions. According to State of Play’s electrification report, health and safety was one of the major reasons the industry would consider going electric at their

mining operation. The 2020 electrification report was funded by METS Ignited and outlined the importance of making the switch to electrification on mine sites. “Strict vehicle emissions regulations, specifically targeting diesel particulate matter in underground mines, has the capacity to drive significant change in mining operations,” the report states. “As health and safety continues to be a significant topic in mining, the management of exposure to carcinogens is something government should be considering and enforcing.” State of Play found that 61 per cent of next generation mines will be completely electric and 89 per cent of mines will switch to electric in the next 20 years. To achieve this, State of Play created the Electric Mine Consortium, which

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came to fruition from its electrification report. The Consortium was announced in March 2021 and includes IGO, OZ Minerals, Gold Fields, South32 and Barminco as member companies, with each pledging to collaborate and work on pushing electrification in mining while reducing emissions. IGO chief operating officer Matt Dusci says the Consortium will address global issues. “The Electric Mine Consortium offers IGO the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded companies focussed on accelerating this drive to electrification,” Dusci tells Safe to Work. “IGO will continue to have our own individual goals for emissions and electrification; however, the Consortium offers the platform for collaboration and

the sharing of learnings and ideas. “We are collaborating, through the Consortium, to assist and answer these questions, provide data from trials to research groups and influence designs to be user friendly. In this way we hope to accelerate the development of effective, robust and fit-for-purpose solutions faster.” Dusci also says there are significant safety benefits to electronic vehicles (EVs) at a mine site, something IGO is targeting at its Nova nickel-copper-cobalt operation in Western Australia. “Less carbon, health improvements to our people from elimination of diesel particulates in the underground environment and EVs are likely to drive the next automation revolution with better integration of electric drive vehicles for autonomous work,” Dusci says. The Consortium also partnered with METS (mining equipment, technology and services) companies Epiroc, Sandvik, Horizon Power, Safescape, 3ME Technology, Hahn, Dassault Systemes and Energy Vault to provide the technology needed to make the switch to electric. State of Play believes industry-wide collaboration and change is the key step to pushing the industry into a forwardthinking future. “Our data shows renewables, all electric systems and batteries will help fuel the change towards a healthier, economically viable future of mining,”

State of Play co-founder Graeme Stanway says. “But uncertainty remains when it comes to which area to invest in first, and how.” UNIFYING THE SECTOR Since funding the report, Brisbane-based industry growth centre METS Ignited is supporting the Electric Mine Consortium by helping develop deeper industry links between miners and vendors. “State of Play have been a thought leader in terms of what is possible of the industry,” METS Ignited chief executive officer Adrian Beer tells Safe to Work. “Graham and his team provide very clear, honest, pragmatic and transparent insights in the industry as a whole unlike many other researchers or analysts firms.” METS Ignited has already undertaken several Consortium meetings, advising and providing feedback to local and global vendors. “We initially funded the electrification report that State of Play did, which identified big challenges and opportunities for vendors and technology companies to serve those mining industry needs,” Beer says. “From that initial report, the Consortium was formed. “We provide insight into the vendor community’s priorities into this set of problems the industry faces and try to break down the challenges that the mining industry faces in bite-sized chunks that the industry can digest by

IGO is pushing for more sustainable, innovative and safer mining operations with the Electric Mine Consortium.

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METS Ignited CEO Adrian Beer.

categorising problems into groups or sets of solutions that we can then bring to vendors to address.” Beer says the Consortium will encourage industry collaboration, allowing for a new marketplace of solutions to address industry challenges. “By aggregating together with their mine needs, it creates a meaningful marketplace to attract new and existing vendors, more importantly investors,” Beer says. “The traditional approach in the mining sector around issues of safety and sustainability is often to work with research to find new ways to do things or try to improve processes, optimise or bring efficiency. They tend to be case-bycase solutions. “The Consortium has aggregated demands across the sector so that technology companies and investors can access a marketplace for a new set of solutions to address industry challenges.” Electrification will also reduce the harmful effects of diesel emissions. This also opens the door to smaller mining companies to be an attractive segment for investors from technology vendors. The Consortium tackles safety issues by dividing up its members into groups to tackle specific issues collaboratively. Beer says that a key aspect of driving up safety is the interoperability of EVs in a

Technology

IGO’s Nova operation in Western Australia.

mining operation. “Mining companies want agnostic charging from their EVs; if they have three Komatsus, two Volvos and one Caterpillar, they want to be able to charge them all off the same equipment,” he says. “They want the infrastructure to support it. Interoperability has become a significant additional benefit that probably wasn’t the first priority. “Most operators don’t like to have different methods in their operating environment. It creates a complex environment and is more different.” Electrification can also introduce more advanced technologies that provide insights into the systems and visibility of asset performance. From a skills perspective, the Consortium will help encourage collaborative training organisations, Beer continues. “Mining companies don’t want to be competing with each other for labour with the individual with unique skills,” he says. “The worst thing you can have is 10 mines with a piece of equipment and one person with the skills to support it and they’re all competing with each other to gain a monopoly share of that skillset. “Miners themselves are supporting things like collaborative training organisations so they can get common skills and not compete with each other.”

OEMS DRIVE CHANGE As partners of the Consortium, Sandvik and Epiroc are focussed on working together with the industry to advance their EV fleet for a carbon neutral future. “I’m pleasantly surprised about how quickly the global OEMs have embraced the change coming from the field and wanting to participate,” Beer says. “It was a question if the OEMs would come on board and they have and they’re really keen to get involved.” Sandvik’s EV fleet, including its 18-tonne LH518B battery loader and DL4222iE battery-electric top hammer longhole drill are designed to achieve zero emissions, cutting out harmful fumes from underground mining environments. The company has also targeted sustainability goals for 2030, including a 50 per cent decrease in carbon emissions. “Sandvik is ambitious in terms of our 2030 Sustainability Goals, which cover four key areas: climate, circularity, people and fair play,” Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions – sales area APAC, sustainable business, marketing and communications manager, Kate Bills says. “The biggest impact we can make to sustainability is through our offering, which helps our customers increase productivity, reduce their environmental impact and become safer.” Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions – sales area APAC, business line manager – load and haul, Andrew Dawson says

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the Consortium will also advance the company’s vision as a market leader for EVs. “The Consortium gathers like-minded companies with electrification goals and allows us to work collaboratively to develop road maps and together shape the future of the electrified mine,” Dawson says. Epiroc business line manager Shaiful Ali says the standardisation that the Consortium brings will simplify electric mining operations. This would also encourage safer operations, by allowing workers to easily understand safety standards and protocols associated with EVs. “We all need to understand a standardised way for how we do things. The goal is to make it simpler for a more consistent output,” he says. “With the Consortium, this is the main driver to ensure there is a standardised way of how we do things moving forward.” Epiroc also offers its Batteries as a Service solution to encourage simpler adoption of electric mining equipment. “The Batteries as a Service solution allows control and management of all batteries on site to be put into the hands of Epiroc, including maintenance and upgrades, allowing for a hassle-free approach towards electrifying a mine,” Shaiful says. Beer says electric underground mining equipment, like the options offered by Sandvik and Epiroc, have the potential to save lives. “You have over a million workers exposed to diesel equipment in operating environments in mines in Australia today, and we know diesel exhaust has 30 to 40 harmful different components to them no matter how well you filter them or how much you ventilate your underground,” Beer says. “Just by addressing that alone is a significant benefit to the industry as a whole.”

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Education & training

Investing in the next generation of leaders THE GOLD INDUSTRY GROUP IS SHARING THE GOLD MINING SECTOR’S STRONG FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY, STARTING FROM THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG STUDENTS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. school program in 2020 to reach the next generation of gold industry leaders in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania. Within one year, the national gold education program impacted more than 300 schools in Australia despite COVID-19 restrictions and hard border closures. The GIG delivered 300 gold resources kits containing gold and rock samples from gold mines to primary and secondary schools across all the Australian states and territories. The education program’s Gold Class sessions were delivered face to face in Western Australia by skilled professionals

who currently work for GIG member companies, reaching up to 32 students in every session. Northern Star Resources project resource geologist Michelle Forgette was one of the 14 Gold Class facilitators who delivered 21 Gold Class sessions at five primary and seven secondary schools across Perth, Kalgoorlie, Kambalda and Norseman last year. Telling Safe to Work about her experience as a facilitator, Forgette recalls how prepared she felt to deliver the program to the school children. “I haven’t done this before, but I did the training online with the GIG and it was pretty neat. The people at the college knew that I was coming so it was all nicely set up,” Forgette says. Credit: Gold Industry Group.

orkers have kept mining, the biggest economic contributor to Australia’s economy, a well-oiled machine. With mine sites sprawled across the remote regions of Australia, a skilled mining workforce cannot focus on just one state. The spread of mining talent has emphasised the importance of having a steady pipeline of workers across Australia. Creating an overarching reach in training and education isn’t easy, but the Gold Industry Group (GIG) is one industry body that has proven it is possible. With the support of the GIG’s member companies, the group expanded its

Students are taught to analyse gold ore formations as part of an exploration activity.

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Credit: Gold Industry Group.

Northern Star Resources project resource geologist, Michelle Forgette, is a program facilitator.

“The kids had really good attention. I didn’t realise how much eye contact they would give you. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was an absolute blast.” Her Gold Class session involved guiding grade eight students on the usage of geological and geophysical maps and modern technologies to find a gold mine. Importantly, the session highlights the applicability of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the gold mining sector. It was important for Forgette to underline to the students that they didn’t need to be a geologist like her, and they could pursue other career options in the gold mining sector, ranging from a surveyor and engineer to a metallurgist. This was the area that Forgette gauged the highest interest from her audience. “I wore my Northern Star polo shirt, which clearly represented my employment in the gold industry,” she says. “The students became especially interested when I started telling them about my role in the company and what I did as a geologist. “I wanted to open up the different avenues and career paths that the young people could take and might never have thought about. They didn’t realise you could be a person who studied chemistry

but still have an influence on a gold mine.” Forgette also used the Gold Class session to underline the criticality and evidence of gold mining in everyday lives. Quizzing the students on the uses of gold beyond its popular appearance in jewellery, she pointed out its lesserknown presence in smart phones and spacesuit helmets. “I told them that gold was malleable. You can form different things with it, such as a sheet of paper or a brick, and the students were very impressed by that idea,” Forgette says. “To them, the idea of gold hunting was almost pirate-like, as in someone who’s looking for a hidden gold treasure.” AngloGold Ashanti Australia geologist at the Sunrise Dam gold mine, Craig Talbot, exposed students at Duncraig High School in Western Australia to the subject of geology. Talbot fulfilled his passion for rocks by including practical activities with theories as a facilitator for the GIG’s national gold education program. As someone who came into the gold mining sector through the earth science stream in high school, the GIG’s national gold education program provided Talbot a way to pay the opportunity forward – by lighting the fire in the next generation of mining industry recruits.

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“The fact it was a fun and handson activity really caught the attention of the students who asked some really good questions, and you could tell they had a genuine interest,” Talbot tells Safe to Work. “I could not miss the opportunity to become a facilitator in this education program as I thought it would be a good way to give back and share my enthusiasm for geology.” At other schools, primary school students learned how to create pulley systems for a range of scenarios. GIG executive officer Rebecca Johnston says the program was developed with support from Australian Earth Science Education. “In addition to the interactive Gold Class sessions, we provide a range of free gold resources including gold resources kits, lesson plans, student materials and the Heart of Gold Australia app to grow students’ interest in Australia’s gold industry,” Johnston says. “We are looking forward to commencing the sessions in Victoria in term two and New South Wales later in the year.” The GIG’s national gold education program will only expand from here. Its number of trained facilitators will grow to more than 80 in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales this year.

Tailings management

Planting a sustainable tailings solution ERIZON HAS IMPLEMENTED AN INNOVATIVE TAILINGS REVEGETATION SOLUTION FOR NEWCREST MINING AT THE CADIA GOLD MINE IN NEW SOUTH WALES. Grass growth on the tailings storage facility in Orange, NSW.

Erizon’s HydroRig on site.

s industry standards for sustainability and dust levels increase, it is important for mine operators to consider their dust suppression and tailings management solutions. By driving its innovative capabilities forward, dust suppression and environmental expert Erizon has a track record of bespoke solutions in the mining industry. The company has worked with major mining companies across Australia to deliver forward-thinking and costeffective dust suppression solutions for tailings. Erizon operations manager Tom Corkhill says the longevity of a dust suppression solution is a key issue faced by the mining industry. “Mine sites are always on the lookout for a solution that can resolve their dust concerns before they occur. When on site, there are numerous factors that can lead to dust creation, so taking a proactive approach to the management

will always lead to sustainable longevity.” Corkhill tells Safe to Work. Tailings are often a major source of dust on a mine site. This can lead to worker-related health issues and environmental concerns with both affecting the maximum capacity at which a mine site can operate. A traditional method of dealing with major dust concerns typically involves applying a polymer solution over a tailings storage facility (TSF). However, this is not always a viable long-term solution. Polymer products must be reapplied regularly to maintain their dust suppressing properties long-term, which can lead to costly outcomes for mine operators. Newcrest Mining’s Cadia gold mine in New South Wales encountered issues with the site’s 700-hectare tailings storage facility (TSF) when traditional polymer solutions failed to provide adequate dust suppression. After an independent review and trial period with other industry leaders,

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Erizon was selected as Newcrest’s preferred dust management partner for the Cadia mine. The size of the TSF to be treated at Cadia is significant and required some out-of-the-box thinking for the application method. Erizon’s solution used revegetation, which involves growing specific vegetation that is sustainable on the tailings substrate while preventing dust and complying to environmental protection authority (EPA) and community requirements. The revegetation solution is a specified blend developed with environmental scientists, with the mulch from the revegetation acting as a holding material to suppress dust and add moisture while it creates a perfect growing environment to germinate seedlings. To access the tailings dam, Erizon developed an option that could drive onto the surface of the TSF, considering the harsh environment and unpredictable weather. After significant

research and investment, they managed to modify equipment with a PSI (pound per square inch) that would be suitable for the delicate substrate. “We had to develop equipment that can be accessed directly via a tailings dam using our low-bearing capacity (LBC) options,” Corkhill explains. Erizon’s current iteration of an LBC has a PSI of just 5.8, lighter than the PSI of the average human walking. This LBC option eliminates availability and costs for pilots, air tractors and the increased safety requirements required for aircraft to operate. And while driving on tailings has previously been avoided due to safety concerns, the low PSI of the tyres enables safe operations. “The delicate substrate of a TSF is always a safety concern, so Erizon developed our load bearing capacity

equipment to access the tailings,” Corkhill says. According to Corkhill, the dust suppression method used at Cadia is leading to further innovations. “The biggest thing that’s going to change the industry is the method of being able to access TSF’s directly,” Corkhill says. “We can provide any solution via direct access to any TSFs. That’s a potential cost-effective improvement for any operator. However, more importantly, you’re also getting a betterquality application because you have more control over alternative methods.” Encouraged by the work with Newcrest, Erizon has progressed its equipment innovation even further and developed a new option with a PSI of less than one, which will be announced soon.

“We are developing equipment with a PSI under one – that’s where we are at, at the moment. It’s improving safety and accessibility on site,” Corkhill says. Erizon’s dust suppression solutions are developed by the company itself, which differs from the process used by competing companies. “There’s a lot of suppliers that will either provide the solution or the application,” he says. “We’ve found that this is typically where issues can arise. As a reseller of someone else’s products, if concerns are raised about the performance, then it can be difficult to resolve quickly, due to the double handling occurring. “We fill the gap and that’s where we have developed our own solutions. These solutions have developed over our extensive experience working across different projects.”

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Dust suppression

Real-time dust monitoring on haul roads ACOEM ECOTECH HAS LAUNCHED AN ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEM THAT PINPOINTS DUST HOTSPOTS ON HAUL ROADS. IT IS THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TO BOLSTER THE MINING INDUSTRY’S DUST SUPPRESSION SYSTEM. DustRover comprises a GPS, road surface temperature sensor, data logger, front and rear dust monitors and router.

he battle to control worker exposure to dust is impacted by the dynamic nature of dust that exists in mine transport routes and the variable weather conditions. Dust’s effect on health, when inhaled, is known. What is less known is the actual conditions or levels of dust along a specific location such as haul roads. Experts from environmental monitoring solutions provider Acoem Ecotech say that high levels of dust are present in at least two surface mining activities: blasting and material loading. Given the stretch of processes involved in material loading, haul road traffic is identified as a major generator of dust.

“There are many dust producing activities involved in the loading, haulage and unloading of haul trucks, particularly around the crushers. We know for certain that haul trucks make a significant contribution of dust on mine sites,” Acoem Ecotech business manager – Australia and New Zealand, Mark Brooks, tells Safe to Work. “It’s why we’ve combined multiple sensors and components in a system to capture dust data in all those activities.” Acoem Ecotech has developed a monitoring system called the DustRover to measure dust levels on haul trucks and other mobile vehicles, such as the dust sweeper. It is installed on the truck to capture the levels of dust from particles as

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 26 MAY-JUN 2021

small as 0.3 micrometres as the truck moves along the haul roads. All the while, it is feeding data on dust levels to the mine’s operations centre or a web-enabled device every second or every hour according to operator preferences. The web interface will show a haul truck or an entire fleet’s routes and their track conditions in respect of dust emission levels. “It shows a trail left behind by the truck in either green (for low dust levels), orange for (border line levels) or red (for potentially hazardous levels),” Brooks says. “If it goes red, it will stay on the screen for 15 minutes to show and turn the operators’ attention to the area that requires immediate intervention. “They can go through the statistics showing the actual dust measurements, the truck temperature and more.” The DustRover is not just an intelligent device, but its reliability has been tested across Australia’s mine sites, including at a bauxite operation and several major iron ore sites in Western Australia. According to Acoem Ecotech engineering manager Western Australia, Peter Stidwell, the DustRover has been travelling throughout the bauxite mine, taking samples, recording data and processing them for display on the interface. “Since last year, it’s been providing

continuous data for our clients in a consistent and robust manner. It’s been very reliable,” Stidwell says. A major iron ore operator has installed DustRover on its haul trucks for over 12 months and has requested 10 additional systems for further installation. In this instance, the DustRover played a big part in the mining company’s bid to minimise the mine’s total dust levels that can potentially travel to nearby communities. It stands out in its ability to display the levels of dust right in the mine’s remote operations centre in real-time. “Employees can see where the haul truck is at any point in time, the conditions of the truck and the dust being generated as it moves around the mine site, so they can take appropriate action, such as

sending out water trucks or applying suppression mechanisms to wherever they are needed immediately,” Brooks says. The DustRover comprises the entire solution that’s complete with a GPS, road surface temperature sensor, data logger, front and rear dust monitors and router. While the dust monitors show real-time dust concentration relative to the vehicle’s position to the pit, the temperature sensor identifies the fluctuations in dust levels in wet and dry road conditions every few seconds. Despite the comprehensive package, Stidwell elevated the DustRover offering by including an additional electronic device that can report the temperature of the road surface back to the dashboards, just

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like the DustRover shows the dust levels. It is integrated in the DustRover to help minimise tyre wear and tear, as well as their costs. Operators are free to reconfigure the system to their needs thanks to the flexibility of DustRover. An ambient temperature or humidity sensor can be added, just as a water flow sensor can be integrated to the DustRover. “The DustRover is flexible in its design. If an operator wants to track and minimise the amount of water produced from the water carts, they can add a group pack of systems to do that,” Stidwell says. “It’s not hard to complement the system with another sensor. It’s the display of all the data that’s most important to the mine.”

Materials handling

Diacon delivers versatile conveyor guards DIACON AUSTRALIA PIONEERED ITS PLASTIC CONVEYOR GUARDING SOLUTIONS MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO AND THE COMPANY CONTINUES TO OFFER A SAFER AND MORE CONVENIENT OPTION TO STEEL ALTERNATIVES.

Diacon’s plastic conveyor guards are made in Queensland.

acked by 30 years of experience in engineering plastics for industrial applications, Diacon Australia’s Queensland-made plastic conveyor guards provide a simple yet effective solution that solves a number of common conveyor guarding issues. Traditional steel conveyor guards are notorious for being heavy to lift and timely to dismantle, not to mention they are often forced to be removed and placed on the site’s catwalk, posing serious hazards for workers. Diacon Australia managing director Brendan Refalo says there are many standout benefits to plastic conveyor guarding over steel counterparts. “Diacon guarding is lightweight,

corrosion free and never needs to be painted,” Refalo tells Safe to Work. “Our guarding system also has a hook and hang mounting system and a lockable slide lock that meets Australian standards for connection of conveyor guards.” This hook and hang mounting system is a unique feature to Diacon guarding, and is able to store the guards when they are removed for maintenance work. For Refalo, this not only provides an easier conveyor maintenance process, but also prevents any unwanted trips or falls on a catwalk. “It’s common in the mining industry that when conveyors are dismantled for conducting maintenance work – things

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 28 MAY-JUN 2021

like doing belt splicing and changing rollers – the guards are removed and discarded on the floor or placed onto the catwalk,” Refalo continues. “Our guards are designed to eliminate this problem.” Designed for materials handling applications, the Diacon conveyor guard uses a custom, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic guard panel with holes for ventilation and visibility, and customised panel sizes up to 3000 millimetres long. “Every guarding system we provide is bespoke,” Refalo says. “We utilise the latest in laser scanning technology to go and measure an existing conveying structure using 3D modelling CAD systems to design the guards to perfectly suit the on-site conveyor. Diacon’s customised guarding is able to fit around any obstacle.” Diacon Australia’s conveyor guards also prevent ‘creeping’ – a common issue with plastics – by including a reinforced stainless-steel frame that keeps the guard in shape. “All materials creep to some degree,” Refalo says. “With plastic, creep is a significant design consideration. With our guards we control the creep in the plastics by reinforcing the plastic with stainless steel.” Diacon is the only company that includes an in-built handrail hanging feature, a reinforced frame and a 15year UV (ultraviolet) guarantee for its conveyor guards. This is a testament to Diacon’s

20-year history in supplying conveyor guards, which have continued to improve safety and maintenance processes at mine sites, ports and other process industry sites. Prior to Diacon’s market inception in the mining industry, steel conveyor guards were the only option available. In Australia’s harsh mining landscapes, steel often faces rust and corrosion problems, but plastic is able to prevent this from occurring. “We have been working with plastics for over 30 years,” Refalo says. “Our knowledge and experience with using these materials has afforded us the ability to be the only conveyor guarding specialists that are able to guarantee a 15-year lifespan for our product.” The local manufacturing of Diacon Australia’s conveyor guards presents customers with confidence in supply and liberation that they’re supporting

Australian workers, keeping work on local shores. “We manufacture our guards in Queensland using modern CNC cutting and processing equipment to manufacture Australian-made guards,” Refalo says. Unlike traditional conveyor guarding, Diacon’s conveyor guarding also meets Australian standards for load/deflection requirements, including AS4024.16012006. “Australia has some of the highest mine site safety standards, and Australians take safety very seriously,” Refalo says. “For us to sell a guarding system into the Australian industry, it is paramount that we meet all Australian standards. No shortcut will be taken to eliminate the need to meet the standard.” Compared with its competitors,

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Materials handling Vicki Wust has helped Fenner Dunlop reduce its number of workplace injuries.

Dialling up workplace safety and culture FENNER DUNLOP GENERAL MANAGER OF SAFETY, TRAINING & TECHNICAL VICKI WUST HAS ENJOYED A FULFILLING CAREER HIGHLIGHTED BY HOW SHE HAS ACCELERATED GREATER SAFETY AWARENESS AND SKILLS AT THE COMPANY.

he 2021 Deloitte Tracking the Trends report established that many mining companies have switched their focus to intensive training to ensure workplace safety requirements are met. Deloitte’s report found that COVID-19 increased the industry’s focus on safety, bringing with it a more attuned awareness of worker actions and movement. This approach reinforces the importance of stringent safety practices across all fields of mining

as a key pillar driving the industry forward. To achieve zero harm in a miningrelated workplace, Deloitte encourages the industry to improve its internal controls and act on early warning signs for potential hazards. “This underscores the very real need for some companies to improve their internal controls,” Deloitte Peru mining & metals partner Karla Velasquez says. Fenner Dunlop, a company closely tied to the mining industry

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by its materials handling solutions, has demonstrated this focus by significantly reducing its workplacerelated injuries through an increase in skills and safety education and training. This achievement has been guided by the ethos brought forth by Fenner Dunlop general manager of safety, training & technical Vicki Wust. “My main motivation is making sure that all our employees get home safe and enjoy their family life outside of work,” Wust tells Safe to Work.

“It’s really important when bringing in new entrants we make sure they go out into the field with basic concepts to keep themselves safe and those around them.” In 2006, Wust started her journey at Fenner Dunlop as the company’s human resources (HR) and safety coordinator in both Mackay and Emerald, Queensland. Wust then headed Fenner Dunlop’s RTO (registered training organisation) while working as the company’s QLD HR manager. She was then transferred to Western Australia to become the national training manager and Fenner Dunlop’s Western Australia HR business partner. After transitioning to her current role in January 2019, Wust overhauled much of Fenner Dunlop’s safety culture, impacting it in a positive manner that has led to improvements right through to the chain of command. Under Wust’s guidance, Fenner Dunlop has reduced its number of workplace injuries, far exceeding the company’s targets over the past two years. “We’ve had a 58 per cent decline in the total recordable injury frequency rate and a 64.7 per cent in our severity rates, which is an extraordinary collective team effort and you couldn’t do it if everybody wasn’t on board,” Wust says. The backbone to Wust’s safety strategy is to adopt a universal approach that spans throughout the company’s workforce and is designed to encourage everyone to play a part. “We need to keep safety simple so that everyone understands, and they can adopt safe systems to work at all level – don’t overcomplicate it,” Wust explains. “I find that sometimes senior management will understand it but when it gets to floor level, there’s

Fenner Dunlop general manager of safety, training & technical Vicki Wust.

no way they’re going to know how to actually put it into practice if we overcomplicate it.” Backed by the support of Fenner Dunlop’s management team, Wust says it’s important to build a safety culture from the ground up. In 2018, Wust established a Fenner Dunlop mechanical practical training facility in Western Australia that provides hands-on experience to encourage risk reduction among the company’s mechanical technicians. Wust says the facility focusses on identifying hazards and learning how to manage risks. “For many years, there has never been any industry specific formal training programs for mechanical technicians,” she says. “We’re utilising a live conveyor system that provides hands on experience and they’re able to increase their risk perception around the conveyor while being mentored by a qualified trainer/assessor. “The program focusses on identifying hazards and risk reduction when carrying out conveyor maintenance.”

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Fenner Dunlop’s belt splicing traineeship was trade recognised in Western Australia in 2019, after first being recognised in Queensland in 2009. According to Wust, the apprenticeship is significant for the entire industry, as it provides experience in the field. “Through our enterprise RTO we provide a pathway for new entrants to become skilled workers and an integral part of that is to instil safety conscious attitudes amongst them right from the start,” Wust says. “We start with safe work practice foundation building, and as they go through their career journey they embed hazard identification and risk management skills to safely undertake their belt splicing duties. “They just don’t get a procedural knowledge, they actually get a practical hands-on experience of what they’re actually doing in the field and an awareness and familiarisation of the tools and equipment required to perform the job.” Wust has also bolstered Fenner Dunlop’s safety procedures by collaborating with SafetyCircle, using direct language and simple ideas that can improve safety culture in an easyto-understand process. While it’s important for any company to improve safety, it is vital for Fenner Dunlop’s personnel, who work alongside large conveyor systems. “It’s high-risk work and without basic fundamental skills and building safe behaviours, we’re putting not only our new entrants at risk but those who are experienced as well,” Wust says. “Making sure we have that built from the ground up and making sure our people are supported and have the framework to administer safe systems – that is fundamental in being able to provide a safe workforce.”

Materials handling

Kinder delivers seal of approval

The Kinder K-Magnaseal, drain cover.

TO PREVENT HAZARDOUS LIQUID AND BULK SOLID LEAKAGES, KINDER AUSTRALIA’S K-MAGNA RANGE PROVIDES EXCEPTIONAL, QUICK AND EASY REPAIR FOR WORN-OUT STEEL EQUIPMENT IN A MINING PLANT.

n a minerals processing plant, corrosive materials are a significant hazard that operators are required to control. Often these plants produce millions of tonnes per annum of material, making it inevitable that wear and tear is going to occur with plant and equipment. When this is combined with Australia’s intense environmental conditions, holes, punctures and abrasion can appear on ferrous metal equipment While this may be part of a site’s predictive maintenance schedule, it is often a timely and laborious process to

repair or replace the equipment with a permanent solution. To avoid any potential risks, mine operators are often required to perform a plant shutdown until a permanent fix is provided. Kinder Australia, however, has provided a solution that can fill in the gap between the wait time of a permanent repair, without having to commence a plant shutdown. This is achieved through the company’s K-Magnaseal and K-Magnaplug solutions. The K-Magnaseal, Leak Patch and Drain Cover solution is capable of preventing a number of hazards on a

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mine site that have significant risks to an operation if not addressed, Pratt continues. K-Magnaseal, Drain Cover is made to be flexible, ultra-thin, highly chemical resistant and available in four sizes. “If a leakage is not patched up on a site, the number one risk would be the risk to the staff being exposed to a hazardous material,” Kinder operations manager Charles Pratt tells Safe to Work. “You also have environmental concerns, loss of production and downtime.” According to Pratt, the K-Magnaseal can prevent up to 100 per cent of the risks associated with

“You also have environmental concerns, loss of production and downtime.” ferrous metal equipment abrasion on a mine site. K-Magnaseal, Leak Patch can hold 25 PSI of pressure at temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius. It is available in five sizes, from 8x8 inches up to 36x36 inches. No tools are required to fit the K-Magnaseal, Leak Patch, allowing for it to be magnetically ‘snapped’ on and off. “For example, if you have a tank filled with acid that suffers from a leak, and you wanted to weld something over the hole that’s leaking, you have to drain the tank and you have to wait for that to happen,” Pratt says. Applying the K-Magnaseal, Leak Patch has also been developed with safety in mind. Rather than applying the seal by hand, rods and poles can be used to apply the leak patch. “We have enabled the K-Magnaseal, Leak Patch to be applied from distance – you can even use a broom handle. The patches have got straps so you can hook them onto a broom handle if required,” Pratt says. “If you have a hazardous toxic chemical leaking from a pipe or a tank you don’t want to be near it for any period of time.” Patented rare earth magnets and urethane material is used for the K-Magnaseal, which protects the magnet from direct heat, cracking, rusting and sparking that may cause additional risks. The K-Magnaseal has been “welcomed with open arms” by the industry, Pratt adds. “The uptake has been incredible it’s been a bit of a gamechanger,” he says. “Some of our biggest customers

have jumped onboard and bought them just by review and video demonstration on YouTube, while we have had many customers use them when responding to emergencies on site.” The K-Magnaplug solution implements a reusable wear repairing magnetic patch that can provide a temporary fix for a wornout area on ferrous metal equipment. Pratt says the K-Magnaplug can prevent common causes for wear on a processing plant. The K-Magnaplug is effective against bulk solid leakages and suitable for a wide range of ferrous metal equipment, including steel pipes, elbows, silos, chutes, bins and hoppers. “In a tank, it might be corrosion, or it might be wear on an elbow in a pipe or pressure when the pipe changes the direction,” Pratt says. “These situations all lead to accelerated wear and potential spills.” With its high chemical resistance, flexibility and high magnetic strength, the seal remains locked into place, allowing a site to continue operations as usual. For Pratt, installation is a key advantage of the K-Magnaplug. “With the K-Magnaplug, you don’t have to wait – you just apply the magnetic patch,” he says. “It means that you don’t need to use straps or bolts or welding to secure the patch. It’s much faster to apply.” While the K-Magnaplug is not advised as a permanent solution, the

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Kinder’s K-Magnaseal features a high strength patch.

The K-Magnaplug features a reusable wear repairing magnetic patch.

high magnetic pressure allows it to withstand regular operations. By preventing hazardous and production-impacting leakages, the K-Magna Range provides a safer and more immediate solution to keep mine sites up and running. “Due to the high pressures the K-Magnaseal and K-Magnaplug can withstand, it means that potentially the piece of equipment can remain online and operational,” Pratt says. “It doesn’t necessarily mean in all cases the site needs to be shut down in the short term. “Most people would put it on until they can schedule more permanent repairs to the pipe or tank structures.”

Materials handling

DYNA delivers rock-solid conveyor guarding DYNA ENGINEERING’S HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC CONVEYOR GUARDS PROVIDE ALL THE BENEFITS AND MORE OF THE OLDER STEEL ALTERNATIVES, BUT IN A MORE ROBUST, LIGHTER AND SUSTAINABLE PACKAGE.

ine site maintenance is often a laborious task that requires strenuous activities, which can pose significant safety risks and hazards to workers. For example, the replacement or repair of steel conveyor guards for a

materials handling application can be a challenging exercise. While the role of a conveyor guard is to keep personnel safe from a conveyor’s line of fire, the traditional steel variations are associated with costly and timeconsuming maintenance that potentially leads to safety hazards.

DYNA Engineering general manager Thomas Greaves.

Conveyor guards at mines are now being supplied in HDPE rather than steel.

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This is further amplified by the potential risk workers face from heavy lifting. However, DYNA Engineering’s HDPE (high-density polyethylene) plastic conveyor guards take the burden out of heavy lifting, providing a lightweight and low maintenance alternative that meets all required Australian standards. The HDPE panels can be removed or installed within minutes to save valuable uptime, offering a product that is up to 40 per cent lighter than traditional steel conveyor guards. It is versatile enough to incorporate metal detectors, belt change stations, access platforms, conveyor pull wires and retractable idler roller frames, while also being resistant to most common chemicals. DYNA Engineering general manager Thomas Greaves says the HDPE conveyor guards have significant advantages over their steel counterparts. “The mining industry has a focus on reducing heavy lifting. Taking 100 steel guards off is quite a heavy job to do,” Greaves tells Safe to Work. “The HDPE conveyor guards lower the risk of heavy lifting by reducing a twoman job to a one-man job.” Maintenance for steel conveyor guards is costly and time consuming, but since the plastic conveyor guards are resistant to corrosion and rust, low maintenance is made possible. “The main cause of rust on the steel

“The HDPE conveyor guards lower the risk of heavy lifting by reducing a two-man job to a one-man job.” conveyor guards is scratches and chips that expose unpainted metal to harsh elements,” Greaves says. “When a metal conveyor guard is delivered to site and someone scratches it by taking it out of the package, immediately those guards will deteriorate with rust and corrosion. “Because the surface is quite easy to damage, deterioration happens faster than expected. “Maintaining steel mesh is costly, repaints take a lot of time and money. Ordering a new guard has the same problem of being scratched or breaks the paint. It’s a constant cycle of the damaged surface treatment.” This is not the case with HDPE, which is a highly robust alternative to steel for conveyor guarding. The HDPE guards can be scratched or heavily handled without suffering deterioration like metal alternatives. For Greaves, HDPE is a tried and tested material on mine sites, with customers already familiar with its capabilities. DYNA’s HDPE conveyor guards are manufactured locally in Australia from recycled materials. “Manufacturing our HDPE guards locally means more jobs for Australians through direct employment opportunities with DYNA,” Greaves says. “Using recycled plastic is a benefit for the recycling industry itself and creates more employment opportunities.” From a sustainability perspective, the company hopes to encourage a circular economy by using Australia’s

recycled materials to produce the HDPE conveyor guards. “We believe recycled material is the future and is a goal of ours,” Greaves says. “We’ve always been focussed on sustainability and the environment, but when we invented this product, we identified that plastic is something everyone is trying to cut down on, where our guards provide a good use for recycled material.” DYNA has also seen an influx in local demand for its HDPE conveyor guards and decided to invest in new workshops. The company recently opened its latest workshop and is looking to create additional jobs by encouraging a circular economy. “Since October 2019, we’ve seen serious demand for HDPE guards, so we’ve invested in a new workshop to facilitate future demand for what we

believe is a strong growth area in the industry,” Greaves says. “COVID-19 has accelerated the need to sure up supply chains, it’s no longer as simple as shipping things from overseas. Local industry ensures customers are choosing a product that meets the relevant quality and safety standards.” DYNA is also undertaking accreditation for ISO 9001, IS 14001 and ISO 45001, which will further prove its safety and environmental capabilities. “We believe gaining accreditation will help us maintain higher standards of customer services and maximise environmental improvements,” Greaves says. While DYNA’s HDPE conveyor guards offer the obvious benefits of a lightweight, safe and durable product, Greaves says the company has also paid attention to the smaller features. “It really comes down to the simple aspects like how the weights of the guards have been machined onto the panel for risk assessments and how the material is easy to handle without any sharp edges,” he says. “You’ve got your big selling tickets and also these small things that are really good bonuses and prove to be handy on site.”

This technology vacuum machine will enable the conveyor engineering firm to double production.

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Materials handling

Unsafe work practices around conveyors MARTIN ENGINEERING OUTLINES THE SAFETY HAZARDS INVOLVED IN WORKING WITH A CONVEYOR BELT, INCLUDING ANY UNSAFE PRACTICES THAT EMPLOYEES SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR.

ecause of their size, speed and high-horsepower drive motors, conveyors pose a number of risks to personnel working on or near them. In addition to all of the physical danger zones, when an injury occurs, ‘fault’ is often attributed to injured workers’ actions or inactions. However, safety experts point out that injuries generally occur due to a series of factors. “Accidents are typically a result of a complex combination of probabilities, rather than a single unsafe act,” Martin

Engineering process engineer Daniel Marshall observes. “Except for the unsafe act, it can be said that the accident would not have occurred if there was a safer design, better maintenance or less pressure for production.” ASSESSING THE RISK OF A CONVEYOR A thorough risk assessment by trained professionals is the ideal way to bridge the gap between workers and managers when the rules need review, to identify hazards and implement

controls to reduce risks. A typical conveyor belt moves at a relatively constant speed, commonly running between 0.5-10 metres per second (almost equal to 100-2000 feet per minute). At the very minimum, a worker who inadvertently touches a running conveyor belt, even with world-class reaction time and total focus on the danger of a conveyor, will come in contact with at least one carrying idler, and the potential is there to hit return idlers, chute uprights, stringer supports, pulleys and drives. The results are often disastrous. Conveyor service should be performed only when the belt is properly locked, tagged, blocked and tested.

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WORKING AROUND A MOVING CONVEYOR It’s been estimated that two out of three of the fatalities involving conveyor belts take place while the belt is moving, usually as a result of a worker becoming entangled or crushed by moving equipment. The majority of these take place when maintenance or housekeeping is being done on or around an energised conveyor. These fatalities are generally caused by two compounding practices. The first is performing maintenance without thoroughly locking, tagging, blocking and testing the conveyor. Another unsafe practice is touching a moving conveyor belt with a tool or implement of any kind. When these two choices are combined, the results are usually severe and often fatal. Even working on a conveyor that is turned off, but not locked out, can lead to tragedy. WORKAROUND AND SHORTCUTS “An intelligent and creative worker will often invent or discover ways to expedite certain functions or make work easier,” Marshall says. “Unfortunately, some of these shortcuts bypass safety hardware and/ or best practices, putting the worker in harm’s way.” The most common of these workarounds involves the improper locking out of a conveyor system. The purpose of a lockout is to deenergise all sources of energy, whether latent or active. Failure to properly lockout can exist in many forms, from disregarding lockout requirements, to working on a moving conveyor, to improperly stopping the conveyor. Another common workaround involves entering a confined space without following established procedures.

A confined space is any enclosure that is large enough and configured so that an employee can enter and perform assigned work, has limited or restricted means for entry or exit and is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. Very specific rules apply to workers when dealing with confined spaces, and failure to follow those rules can result in increased danger or death. Other potentially unsafe behaviours include crossing a conveyor in a risky manner. Conveyor belts are often lengthy systems bisecting a production facility. Workers may be required to cross a conveyor line to get to an area that is in need of service or maintenance. To save time, a worker is likely to step over or cross under a conveyor. Crossing under offers multiple hazards. If any of the worker’s body parts come in contact with the moving conveyor, it will either act like a grinder and abrade the skin or pull the worker toward rolling components. Crossing under also places the worker at risk from falling objects. Crossing over a conveyor without using a designed and designated crossover structure offers dangers as well. There is a high potential for a slip and fall. If lucky, the worker may fall on the ground; if not, the worker will fall onto the conveyor belt. If the conveyor is in operation, the worker can be carried downstream. This may result in contact with the conveyor structure and rolling components or being thrown off the conveyor at the discharge. The safe approach to crossing a conveyor is to use a designated crossover or cross-under point engineered for that purpose. THE MULTIPLYING EFFECT OF UNSAFE PRACTICES In a 2003 study, ConocoPhillips Marine

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Taking a shortcut by crossing over or under a conveyor can lead to injury.

found a correlation between fatalities and unsafe practices. The study showed that for every fatality there are an estimated 300,000 unsafe behaviours. The research also quantified losttime accidents, recordable injuries and near misses. These are independent variables, so the numbers do not mean that lost day incident number 31 will be a fatality. But they do indicate that there is a statistical probability of a fatality for every 30 lost workday incidents. As a result, statistically speaking, the most effective way to reduce fatalities is to reduce unsafe behaviours. “While even one unsafe practice has the statistical potential to lead to serious repercussions, conveyor accidents are rarely the result of a single action,” Marshall says. “More often, they result from a combination of company culture and unwise decisions. “If workers can eliminate these unsafe practices and minimise their presence in danger zones, their chances of avoiding an accident will improve considerably.”

Technology

Safety foundation builds on REDARC’s success THE GROWTH OF REDARC HAS DEFIED THE DIFFICULTIES OF 2020. THE COMPANY’S TEAM, FACILITY AND MANUFACTURING EXPANSION TELLS OF A BUSINESS THAT NEVER SLEEPS. The REDARC electromagnetic compatibility chamber ensures all products meet international standards.

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ased in South Australia, REDARC Group is an Australian-owned company that manufactures power management and vehicle safety products for the mining, defence and automotive sectors via its two primary brands, REDARC and Hummingbird. The company was selected as a finalist in the 27th Annual National Safety Awards in 2019. Run by the National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA) Foundation, REDARC was a nominee for the Best Health and Wellbeing Program category. It recognised workplace initiatives that delivered a positive impact on employees through changes in workplace behaviour, performance and processes. “Our work health and safety committee work together with our health and wellbeing champions team to make sure our program is continually improving and contributing to positive workplace culture,” REDARC group managing director Anthony Kittel tells Safe to Work. Such attention on individual employees, and the company’s penchant to go above and beyond in every aspect of the business, translates to the quality of its products. REDARC group mining and industrial sales manager Scott Montgomery says the company manufactures a range of products, from inclinometers and audio alert systems, to monitoring devices and battery master isolation switches, as well as hand brake alarms and brake controllers.

The company is also a manufacturer of electronics that power sensitive equipment, as well as devices that deliver safety alerts to the operator. “If any of those fail, you’d have catastrophic consequences. That’s why we manufacture everything to the highest quality,” Montgomery says. “Our philosophy is, if they can survive in a defence vehicle, then it can survive in a caravan or dump truck.” REDARC’s advanced electronics manufacturing and testing facility includes leading technology to ensure the REDARC and Hummingbird branded products are built tough, reliable and efficient. Its electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) chamber tests products based on their noise radiation and performance against international standards. This ensures that the products do not interfere with other electronics and vice versa. Montgomery describes the chamber as a world-class facility that also helps decrease the company’s time to release a product to the market. “By having our own testing facility, we

“Our philosophy is, if they can survive in a defence vehicle, then it can survive in a caravan or dump truck.” can speed up our product development process, and that’s the biggest benefit from having our own facility,” he says. In this way, REDARC has set itself apart as one of the few companies to own an EMC facility and be certified to undertake testing on behalf of other companies. Products also go through accelerated lifetime and environmental testing to determine their lifecycle and point of failure. The highly accelerated life testing and highly accelerated stress screening (HALT/HASS) accelerates 10 years of product life over two days. It cools products to -100 degrees Celsius and heats to 200 degrees Celsius. The vibration and climatic chamber combination or AGREE (advisory group on reliability of

REDARC products go through accelerated life testing to determine their life cycle and robustness in harsh conditions.

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electronic equipment) machine simulates driving conditions and temperature and humidity extremes. “We put them on a vibration table at a certain temperature because we won’t be satisfied until our products are suitable for use in the harshest conditions in the world,” Montgomery says. REDARC is also committed to reinvesting up to 15 per cent of every dollar of sales generated into research and development. “REDARC has a long-term vision. If you talk to anyone, you’ll find that most companies will set aside 5 per cent,” Montgomery says. The surface mount technology (SMT) line has extremely high specifications, making it only one of the few SMTs in the world. This makes REDARC’s circuit boards remarkably tougher and longer lasting. The SMT line is one of two at REDARC’s facility and has given the company the ability to increase its production capacity by 250 per cent. It’s hard at work being fuelled by an unprecedented demand for REDARC’s products. The production floor is running almost 24 hours a day, taking advantage of its capacity. “In the space that we’re in, we’ve been kept very busy, putting on three shifts running 24/7 most days a week – the first time in the history of the business,” Montgomery says. “We have gained the trust of the mining, defence and emergency services industries. We have a good reputation in the market due to our product integrity and our commitment to safety.”

Risk management

Staying ahead in the fire safety game JSG INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS HAS UPGRADED ITS MUSTER FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM, PROVING THAT FIRE SUPPRESSION TECHNOLOGIES ARE A PROGRESSIVE PART OF KEEPING PEOPLE AND ASSETS SAFE.

uster has emerged a forerunner to the introduction of technology that is advancing the fire suppression industry. Operating in a sector that can be slow to change, the brand has delivered new technologies that help make mine operations safer. It has overcome the high standards subjected to vehicles and assets protection segments within the fire industry, proving itself as a reputable brand offered by John Sample Group subsidiary, JSG Industrial Systems. Muster, known for its automatic detection and actuation technology, performs up to the standards and legislations that protect the fire suppression industry. JSG’s Muster engineering manager Sara Venu says the market for vehicle fire, although not legislated yet, still requires compliance to Australian Standard (AS) 5062-2016, as well as various certifications which create barriers to entry. “Not every company can get into

The Muster fire suppression system features forward-looking technologies that defy industry customs.

the manufacture of fire suppression products. This makes companies slower to change or introduce new technologies,” Venu tells Safe to Work. Muster’s leadership in fire safety technologies is evident as it delivers new technologies which help make mobile equipment on mining operations safer against fire. MUSTER360 Muster is the first fire suppression provider to use a cloud-based design program called Muster360. This program streamlines the process of risk assessment, designs a fire suppression system and creates a report for the installer and the customer for future reference. Venu says the webbased program represents a great leap ahead in the market for JSG. With the design process taking place between JSG distributors and mining companies, Muster360 helps both parties make sure that the fire

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suppression system complies with AS5062-2016. “We tell our distributors that the AS5062-2016 certification requires you to do your risk assessment along with the customer or mining company, not by yourself,” Venu says. “This is important because Muster360 requires the customer to accept and approve the risk assessment and identify which areas of the machine are going to be more prone to fire and require fire suppression.” With Muster360, the proposed fire suppression system is laid out in a diagram that clearly shows the location of its major components. A majority of fires on mobile plants from September 2014 to May 2017 were diesel engine-related, according to the In-service Fires on Mobile Plant report released by the New South Wales Resources Regulator. Sixty-nine per cent of all fires during that period started from the high

temperature diesel engine exhaust and turbo surfaces. Only 21 per cent of these fires were ignited following battery and starter motor events. Planning of the design and installation of the fire suppression system from the get-go is, therefore, critical to ensuring fire safety on mobile and fixed assets on a mine site. Working out the details from the beginning to end, Muster360 provides document commissioning details, including the final costs and parts that are required to bring the installation to fruition. “Muster360 will then keep this record online and operators can access the information from any computer – it’s quite an innovative approach. Our competitors still use Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to perform this work,” Venu says. “Because Muster360 is a cloud-based app, it does not have to be installed on the computer nor have to be updated by the customer.” CONVENIENT CYLINDER FILLING OF WATER AND AGENTS Muster’s innovation extends beyond the Muster360 program to the inclusion of a small filling tube that delivers benefits beyond its size. The Muster Fire Suppression system uses a premixed solution of foam and water. First, the cylinder is filled with a predetermined quantity of water and then topped with foam concentrate. “If the cylinder has a capacity of 88 litres, then you have to fill 88 litres of water and then add 1 per cent of the water quantity as foam agent. You can’t fill a rough guesstimate of water into the cylinder – it has to be exact,” Venu explains. To save the installer time and not make them measure the quantity of water, Muster supplies a filling tube marked with all the different cylinders.

The user moves the locking seal and fills the cylinder using a hose. “With Muster’s new filling tube, water will overflow once it reaches the bottom of the tube, turning cylinder filling into a much easier task,” Venu explains. The Muster filling tube has demonstrated that major benefits can be produced by even the smallest of innovations. MUSTER DIAGNOSTIC MODULE UPGRADES This trend continues with the upgrade of Muster’s diagnostic module, which is a small, handy and compact maintenance device compared with its bulkier counterparts. “The Muster Team has retained the compact design but made it more robust to withstand tough conditions on a mine site,” Venu says. Regardless of its size, the upgraded diagnostic module can withstand the toughest conditions on mine sites. “We listened to our customers feedback and reflected the changes in version two of the diagnostic module, which now comes with a bigger screen, longer battery life, USB cable

for charging and data transfer to a computer,” Venu says. The diagnostic module helps customers with fault finding, viewing relay settings, activation delay timer setting and checking system pressure as well as battery capacity. Above all, it can download event history from the alarm panel, making it much easier for technicians to find faults and conduct repair works. “This small module can keep a record of history for up to 120 alarm panels. Technicians can easily find out what has happened, why and where,” Venu says. Such are the forward-looking technologies found in the Muster fire suppression system. Its reliability and robustness have earned widespread use in more than 30 countries globally. The mining, on-road transport, construction equipment and agriculture sectors in Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, China, Laos, Philippines and Africa have experienced success in keeping their assets and people safe using the Muster innovative system. While the risk of fire events is real on mine sites, so is the protection capabilities of Muster. Muster filling tube is marked with different cylinders.

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Industry comment

Australian METS: The safest place to find solutions MINING EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES COMPANIES SUCH AS MINEARC SYSTEMS AND ARMS RELIABILITY UNDERLINE THE IMPORTANCE OF ASSET RELIABILITY AND PLANT MAINTENANCE AS THE SECTOR EMBARKS ON A JOURNEY TOWARDS ZERO HARM. AUSTMINE 2021 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION WILL HIGHLIGHT THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN ASSIST WITH THIS.

MineARC chief innovation officer Brent Pearce says safety must adapt to the new workforce environment.

ining is characterised by harsh terrain, remote locations and difficult working environments kilometres above and below the surface. Coupled with heavy machinery, workers at the coal face and complex operations, it is unsurprising that the industry presents unique risks to its

workforce. However, the industry’s commitment to zero harm has led to substantial progress in safety. Employees are leaving the mine site safely at the end of the day, largely due to solutions provided by innovative mining equipment, technology and services (METS) companies.

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PROVIDING SOLUTIONS The Australian METS sector is leading the world in mining technology innovation. Austmine captured some of the new options available to industry in its Mine Safety e-book. METS companies MineARC Systems, Henkel and ARMS Reliability provided insights into technology entering the

market and effective and optimal asset management across sites. Bluefield and Banlaw tackled the critical topic of fire prevention when operating mobile equipment and during the refuelling process. Eco-Road Hero provided a case study on preventing collisions during haul road maintenance. PLANNING AND INTEGRATION ARE ESSENTIAL MineARC chief innovation officer Brent Pearce says safety must adapt to the new workforce environment. “Technology presents an opportunity to manage protection unique to the individual,” Pearce says. “Developments in technology can now pre-empt health concerns. Wearable technology is becoming smarter and more advanced, with the ability to potentially identify unknown health risks.” Henkel Australia key account application engineer David Greig says optimised plant maintenance is a recognised pathway to zero harm. “The results of unplanned equipment failure on safety can be extreme. Failure can result in misalignment of equipment, which can cause spillage and corrosive chemical contamination, creating additional, unnecessary and avoidable hazards in workplaces,” Greig says. “From a safety perspective, all incidents can be prevented if proper systems are in place.” ARMS Reliability chief executive Jason Apps says 60-90 per cent of all safety incidents occur during unplanned work. “Unplanned work comes with associated time pressure and it is not hard to imagine that shortcuts are taken,” Apps says. “Tasks are performed with less planning and analysis, leading to higher risks. Asset reliability is quite simply focussed on reducing costly unplanned failures. Fewer failures equate to less

Australia’s METS sector is at the forefront of global mining technology innovation.

“From a safety perspective, all incidents can be prevented if proper systems are in place.” risky actions and lowers the frequency of safety incidents. “While there is not much new in the concept of improving reliability to improve safety, creating a hard connection and ongoing improvement has proven elusive for almost all organisations. “To effectively impact safety, the approach to asset reliability has to be process driven, not project-based, and has to be built upon a connected reliability data set such that content improvement can be leveraged across an entire organisation.” LOOKING OVER THE HORIZON The future of the mining industry is being shaped by automation and robotics. The world’s leading mining innovation conference, Austmine 2021: Harnessing Intelligence conference

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and exhibition, will be exploring the intersection of humans and machines that will ultimately lead to improvements in safety. Austmine chief executive Chris Gibbs Stewart says the conference will focus on the workforce of tomorrow and how we can leverage digital knowledge to have safer, more efficient and more productive operations. “Austmine 2021 is an opportunity for industry to examine the latest innovation in mining safety. Our exhibition floor has an exciting array of technologies, and our program and speakers will be offering insights that will enable industry to reach a sustainable future,” Gibbs Stewart says. The conference and exhibition will be held at the Perth Conference and Exhibition Centre from May 25-27 2021. For more information visit austmineconference.com.au.

Workforce management

Is a mining skills shortage looming? ACCENTURE HEAD OF RESOURCES DAVID BURNS BELIEVES THE RISK OF A MINING SKILLS SHORTAGE MUST BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID ANY MATERIAL IMPACT.

ustralia’s mining sector employs more than 250,000 people as of February 2021, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data. More than one million other jobs are also supported by the resources sector. The mining industry has remained prosperous in recent years, with employment growth in the five years to February 2021 growing by 15.7 per cent. This increase isn’t expected to slow down, with the ABS expecting mining to need another 21,700 workers from 2020 to 2025. Even with the onset of COVID-19, employment in the resources sector grew by 8.5 per cent between February 2020 and November 2020. With employment high, mining’s future looks promising in Australia, however a skills shortage crisis is feared. THE PERFECT STORM Accenture head of resources David Burns says employment strategies must be revised before it’s too late. “Mining is benefitting from a perfect storm: unprecedented stimulus measures in China and elsewhere have increased demand for almost all commodities, from iron ore to gold to battery metals,” Burns says. “Even coal prices are starting to turn and once mothballed development projects are now deemed economic. “The capital markets have returned, providing funds for exploration and

Accenture head of resources David Burns.

development. However, skilled labour has struggled to keep up in the midst of COVID-related travel restrictions.” A key issue has been the lack of international workforces due to travel restrictions, with less restrictive fly-in flyout (FIFO) travel being key to amplifying worker skills, Burns continues. “State and international border restrictions have made mining companies more dependent on a smaller pool of local workforces,” he says. “Being able to support these pools with less restrictive FIFO travel would open a welcome avenue of relief.” Amid interstate travel restrictions, the Australian Government announced a national resources workforce strategy as part of its Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow package. The strategy is planning for job

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creation and skills demand, supporting local employment and increasing the availability of resources-related training. Federal Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt reinforces that skills are a vital ingredient in the sector’s mixing pot of growth potential. “The sector relies on certain skills to unlock new resources potential and productivity and to maintain our status as a world-leading supplier of resources and energy,” Pitt says. “This new strategy aims to help the sector meet its needs for skills and to promote resources job opportunities and training to Australian workers.” Burns, however, says the removal of local hiring quotas will benefit the number of skilled workers entering the industry. “Removal of the quotas would cast the recruitment net wider during a time of intense need for skilled workers,” Burns says. “Companies are yet to hit the panic button on staffing, but it is only a matter of time before industry recruiters dust off their tried-and-tested strategy from a decade ago, namely, trying to poach flyin fly-out (FIFO) workers at airports. “This does little to solve the staffing challenges for the sector as a whole, especially when foreign and interstate travel is restricted.” Without the right skillset and training, mine workers are more prone to putting themselves in danger on site. Burns says it’s a given that increasing

worker skillsets will improve the risks associated. “Thanks to the industry’s ‘essential’ status in Australia, miners are established as key workers and the industry never shut down for COVID restrictions during 2020,” he says. “Whilst being essential, the work undertaken is also safety-critical and the roles and responsibilities that any individual can have significantly impacts on the wider team; it’s therefore vitally important to have the right skills in the right places.” For Burns, automated equipment would open doors for a ‘gig economy’ in the mining workforce. He also suggests that automation could assist with industry diversity, attracting more women to resources sector jobs. “Automated equipment presents the opportunity to access talent pools that may not normally be available for, or interested in, FIFO work or specifically experienced in mining,” Burns says.

“Operators, many of whom could be part-time, could simply work in the head offices or remote operations centres (ROCs). “Increased automation ultimately opens up the opportunity for a ‘gig economy’ of mine workers, with operators able to swap between different machines and sites within the span of a single day. “This would effectively spread the skills pool among various projects, lowering the impact of the skills shortage.” FLYING HIGH To increase mining skills, Burns encourages vaccine prioritisation for FIFO workers to allow for less restrictive FIFO travel. In February, the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) mapped out its COVID-19 strategy for prioritising vaccines to workers in the resources industry, in conjunction with the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association.

FIFO workers were one of the groups considered a priority in the strategy. “Two-thirds of the 243,000 people directly employed in resources and many of the 1.1 million direct and indirect jobs in the METS (mining equipment, technology and services) sector work in regional and remote Australia,” MCA chief executive officer Tania Constable tells Safe to Work. “FIFO workers are employed across the resources sector providing specific skills in demand which can’t be found locally. “FIFO workers enhance the industry’s ability to maintain the best workforce and drive prosperity in Australia, making substantial contributions to investment, exports, wages, jobs and government revenue. “During the COVID-19 pandemic workers have largely moved within the states they are working temporarily and the MCA acknowledges the substantial sacrifices that workers have made and continue to make, including long periods

Less FIFO travel restrictions can alleviate a mining skills shortage.

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Workforce management The MCA’s Mining Skills Organisation Pilot aims to encourage more jobs.

away from their families, friends and home during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.” Constable says FIFO workers have faced impacts to their mental health due to hard border closures from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Border closures in 2020 resulted in workers rostered on extended shifts. Some workers were also unable to return to family when off shift, therefore spending significant periods of time separated from families,” Constable says. “This contributed to a range of additional pressures on individuals and families and increased the risks of mental health impacts. “It is hoped that as vaccines are rolled out and a significant portion of the population is vaccinated, the likelihood of borders closures will be drastically reduced.” According to Burns, the industry requires less restrictive FIFO travel to keep up with mining’s forecast growth. “State and international border restrictions have made mining companies more dependent on a smaller pool of

local workforces,” he says. “Being able to support these pools with less restrictive FIFO travel would open a welcome avenue of relief.” A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE The MCA’s Mining Skills Organisation Pilot (MSOP), launched in 2019, also aims to address the potential skills shortage on the horizon. “Australia’s minerals industry already has a highly-skilled, highlypaid workforce that is very well trained,” Constable says. “However, the combination of technology adoption, industry and learner expectations and skills availability pressures will test how tradespeople are trained and inducted into the mining industry. “New project hubs in digital transformation, apprenticeships and attraction and retention – part of the industry-led MSOP being co-ordinated by the MCA with partners across the mining industry and supported by the Australian Government – will deliver training faster to accelerate skills development and make Australia’s

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apprenticeship system even more relevant to industry and learners.” The MSOP also aims to attract workers from other industries, Constable continues. “They will also boost opportunities for new talent entering the Australian minerals industry and allow existing mining workers – as well as workers from other industries – to access new skills, enabling them to move into mining or shift to new types of jobs if already working in the sector,” she says. Burns says if the skills shortage is not addressed, a major challenge will be inadequate skills pools. “Safety is the first priority and guiding consideration for any industry operation. As such, the skills shortage will be factored and mitigated into operational planning processes to maintain safety protocols and safeguard project timeframes,” he says. “It’s without a doubt a challenge to resource a less than optimal skills pool across a booming industry, but that is exactly why the imperative should now be set towards investing in these short-term and long-term solutions that cast the net wider, ease restrictions and streamline onboarding processes.” Adapting to the skills required for maintaining safety and productivity will continue to remain necessary in the mining industry, Constable adds. “The skill to keep yourself and your workmates safe is central to culture and practice in the Australian mining industry,” she says. “With increasing technology adoption, workers are right to expect that VET (vocational education and training) sector qualifications will make them job-ready or allow them to move between jobs in the mining industry. “Upskilling and reskilling is constant and as technology continues to evolve, it is critical that our workforce keeps pace with the skills required to boost safety and productivity.”

2021

AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS

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Mobile cinema rolls into isolated communities SUPPORT HAS COME TO SEVERAL HARD-TO-REACH COMMUNITIES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA IN THE FORM OF A TRAVELLING CINEMA THAT IS STRENGTHENING SOCIAL BONDS. VANESSA ZHOU WRITES.

converted 1978 Toyota Coaster bus has cruised through remote rural communities in the Mid West region of Western Australia, bringing hope for stronger social networks where isolation is deeply rooted. The region was targeted for its male population aged between 25 and 54, including those working in the mining, fisheries, agriculture and building industries. The bus, which is now known as the Shinema (Shed + Cinema), has been brandished with a capacity to carry films. It took a year’s worth of Saturdays for Chapman Valley Menshed members and filmmaker Ralf Mulks to transform the old bus into a portable cinema. Little did one know that film – a simple form of entertainment that’s known to nurture a social atmosphere – would be the solution many needed to break away from loneliness. A quality open air cinema is created whenever the Shinema bus stops, sometimes without the presence of a power generator. With a screen pulled off the bus’ roof and mounted on its side, the projection and sound equipment bring all of the visual elements to life. “(Film) is an over 100-year-old (form) of entertainment,” Mulks tells Safe to Work. “And like (a circus coming) into town, the Shinema will get people off their devices to enjoy a little bit of culture and companionship.”

Within a year, the Shinema project attracted more than 800 people who were battling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. The bus also travelled through the towns of Yalgoo, Yuna, Morawa and Mingenew, with the townspeople of Gascoyne Junction, Nabawa and Mullewa also requesting a visit. In Mt Magnet, the Shinema bus was welcomed by 268 people in November last year. Home to mining operations such as Ramelius Resources’ Mt Magnet gold mine, the Shinema project brought an afternoon/evening attraction that was accompanied by food stalls and games. “We introduced Shinema as a free community event with live music, movies and popcorn, to provide a reason for people to get together, have a chat and reconnect,” Mulks says. The project plays the Inside My Mind movie series produced by Shinema sponsor, Western Australian Primary Health Alliance (WAPH), as an introduction to cinema screening. The series addresses depression and suicidal tendencies by providing professional information about where and how to get help – the appropriate mental health services and networks. “The Inside My Mind videos showcase different forms of depression and stories about how it can happen to everyone and ways to get help out there,” Mulks says. The Black Dog Institute states that many of these towns are seeing their

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populations dwindle, often leading to a loss of social spaces and events. “This lack of social connection is a community-wide challenge, but for the men who live there it can be particularly difficult, with many fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers among them, who may struggle to put down roots and make real connections,” the institute states. “The project brought men from the community together, and highlighted unknown skills, as well as bringing the broader community out in support.” In addition to the Mid West region of

FIFO workers queue at Perth Airport before heading out to site.

The portable cinema is a converted 1978 Toyota Coaster bus.

A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Health says that Mates in Mining training is delivered to mine sites. “This training raises suicide prevention awareness among workers and recruits volunteers within the workforce to lead and sustain suicide prevention training and awareness in their workplace,” the spokesperson says.

Credit: Chapman Valley Menshed.

Western Australia, western New South Wales is another of the 12 sites chosen for the government’s national suicide prevention trial. In this region, the trial targets mining workers focussed on the Cobar region as it is home to a number of local mines such as Glencore’s CSA copper mine and Aurelia Metals’ Peak gold mine.

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“The training also aims to increase service literacy and creates pathways for referral to mental health services and psychological intervention for workers where needed.” The final year of the trial finally honed in on providing all trial sites with additional time, resources and flexibility to focus on the transition and sustainability of trial activity, the spokesperson says. But the efforts don’t stop there. The government is continuing to provide funding to Primary Health Networks (PHN) to plan and commission regionally appropriate mental health and suicide prevention activity. “(PHN) may choose to continue commissioning activities started under the trial, where this best suits the needs of their region,” the Department of Health spokesperson says. The Shinema project itself will receive funding from PHN in the 202021 financial year. But with the project falling under the ownership of the Chapman Valley Menshed, Mulks says the next thing on their agenda is to look for other funding sources. The team hopes that they can create a yearly tour and return to the communities they’ve previously visited from this October. “There is only so much time you can spend on such projects before you run out of steam, or money,” Mulks says. “There might be room for expansion, but not on a volunteering level.” What’s next on the horizon depends on the government’s consideration of the trial evaluation report prepared by the University of Melbourne. In the meantime, it is supporting a range of national suicide prevention activities, including those by Mates in Construction, as well as OzHelp Foundation to specifically target Australian men who may be at high risk of suicide.

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Event spotlight

Prospect Awards return to Brisbane in 2021

2021

AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS

THE PROSPECT AWARDS HAVE BEEN A MAINSTAY IN AUSTRALIA’S RESOURCES INDUSTRY FOR CLOSE TO TWO DECADES, SHOWCASING LOCAL MINING AND METS COMPANIES THAT ARE PUSHING TOWARDS A MORE FORWARD-THINKING AND EFFICIENT FUTURE.

he COVID-19 pandemic caught a lot of businesses by surprise, however the mining industry earned its stripes as a resilient force, as outlined by last year’s Prospect Awards. Since 2004, the Australian Mining Prospect Awards have continued to play a role in acknowledging the achievements of Australia’s mining industry. Even when the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly emerged last year, the Prospect Awards continued, with the 2020 winners presented across Australian Mining’s print and digital platforms. This year’s event will return as an inperson event on October 14 in Brisbane. The pandemic continues to present significant challenges to the entire mining industry through a string of global supply chain issues, ongoing interstate and international travel bans and adjustments to working arrangements. But the mining industry showed it could respond, delivering innovation, strategy and commitment towards achieving a successful outcome. Records were set for 2020 in iron ore, gold and copper exports, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). A total of $270 billion was injected into the Australian economy last year from the resources sector, 62 per cent of the nation’s export revenue. Iron ore broke the $100 billion mark for the first time in a boom year for commodity exports, while also

breaking its monthly export record in December 2020. The Prospect Awards ensure that the efforts of mining and METS (mining equipment, technology and services) companies do not go unnoticed, with last year’s awards showcasing the innovation and prowess of the industry at a time of reflection on the pandemic. As the world manages the impact of the pandemic, the industry must look at ways to apply its experience over the past year to ramp up efficiency through the means of new technologies and electrification. “As we look towards a post-COVID world, the mining industry has emerged with a focus on ensuring operations are as reliable as possible even with fewer workers on site,” Australian Mining managing editor Ben Creagh says. “The industry has shown it is capable of coming together at a time of significant challenges.” The sponsors returning for this year’s awards night include National Group, Liebherr, Epiroc, SEW Eurodrive, Flexco, CRC and Austmine. Outside of technology, the Prospect Awards also focusses on individuals and companies who have made a difference to their organisations and the industry at large. Prospect Awards events manager Lauren Winterbottom says the Prospect Awards aim to amplify those who have made a difference.

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The Prospect Awards return in October.

“After the challenges of last year, we’re looking forward to celebrating the achievements of the industry,” she says. With nominations opening soon, the categories for this year’s awards include: • A ustralian Mine of the Year (sponsored by National Group) • C oal Mine of the Year (sponsored by SEW Eurodrive) • C ontract Miner of the Year (sponsored by Epiroc) • H ard Rock Mine of the Year (sponsored by Epiroc) • I nnovative Mining Solution (sponsored by Austmine) • S afety Advocate award (sponsored by Flexco) • M ine Manager of the Year (sponsored by CRC) • L ifetime Achievement award (sponsored by Liebherr) • Indigenous Engagement Award • Excellence in IIoT Application • E xcellence in Environmental Management • Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S • M inerals Processing of the Year. For more information, visit https://prospectawards.com.au

Event spotlight

Modern mines from exploration to rehabilitation FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, THE AUSTRALASIAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGY (AUSIMM) MILL OPERATORS CONFERENCE HAS BEEN A KEY EVENT FOR THOSE IN THE MINING AND WIDER RESOURCES INDUSTRY.

hen the Mill Operators Conference was established in 1978, it started as a humble event held in regional mining towns that provided a gathering point for operational employees. Over the past four decades, the event has grown to a level that regional towns can no longer accommodate its size, and in 2021 will be held in Brisbane, Queensland (and online) on June 23-25. Despite the growth of the event, its focus remains humble, providing a conference that discusses operational rather than academic topics for miners from all aspects of mill operation. This includes reviewing mining operations from the exploration and

development stage, right up to the rehabilitation of mines at the end of their operating life. Newcrest Mining principal metallurgist David Seaman says the event is also about providing a consistent opportunity for networking with peers about conference content. “The Mill Operators Conference really brings the minerals processing community together,” Seaman tells Safe to Work. “The event is first and foremost a conference about mill operators and not academically or design focussed, it actively encourages operational speakers from the industry to make it relevant to those working in process plants and those supporting the industry, including

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suppliers and applied researchers.” This includes topics such as how plant operations are running within the modern mine, the flotation method within minerals processing and the management of tailings waste. “Majority of the papers are on plant improvements, which is a big drawcard for a lot of mill operators and suppliers coming to the event to pick up ideas on improving,” Seaman explains. Mineralis principal consulting engineer Katie Barns says the event is an opportunity for the mining industry to show its progression to internal and external stakeholders. “Typically, attendees discuss existing operations and how they are operating, whether they have expanded or changed

Mill Operators Conference 2021 is expected to attract more than 600 attendees.

anything and where they have made improvements,” Barns says. “Mill Operators really shows that the industry is always progressing. People who don’t know a lot about the industry can think it’s quite a stagnant industry but really, it is one that is constantly developing. “For younger metallurgists or operators and those new to the industry, seeing the technology that’s out there, how plants progress and how operations are changing and growing gives them really good insight. “Geographically, mining is very spread out, so Mill Operators gives a good opportunity to get a snapshot of what is going on when you cannot physically go out there to see (it) for yourself.” A diverse range of keynote speakers will again headline this year’s event, including Ausenco chief technical officer Greg Lane, BHP Nickel West principal – business development James McQuie and Curtin University’s Teresa McGrath. The speakers will present on topics from their area of expertise over a range of commodities, which cover minerals processing and applied research. “If we look at the balance of our

keynotes, it is very interesting,” Seaman explains. “Lane is a longstanding comminution and minerals processing expert, who has designed and commissioned a lot of big and small mines within and outside Australia. “Our second keynote McQuie has been in the nickel industry for at least 25 years. You don’t hear from the nickel industry all that often within Mill Operators Conference so it will be fascinating to hear his take on the journey. “The final keynote McGrath comes from a research background, but very much applied research. She supports a lot of gold operations worldwide and is responsible for holding a large database of information and expertise across operations, helping them (to optimise) their plants.” Mill Operators also provides a platform for operators to review the latest technology and equipment. In the past, the conference has featured equipment launches from some of the industry’s biggest original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). With the 2020 conference delayed due to COVID-19, AusIMM had reached 80 per cent capacity for attending suppliers Katie Barns (left), 2021 Mill Operators Conference co-chair, with the 2018 award recipients.

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that will show off their latest equipment and work, as of February 2021. “We get amazing support from industry suppliers at this conference, it gives us an opportunity to see what has been developed by suppliers, where their technology is going and we can question them and find out how it can help us in future,” Barns says. As with AusIMM’s other 2021 conferences, Mill Operators will be held in a hybrid format, with the opportunity to attend in-person in Brisbane, or online from the comfort of any home or office in the world. Whether attending in-person or online, conference delegates will have the opportunity to tune into keynote speeches, attend networking events and view the latest equipment, technology and research papers. “Even after having to postpone, Mill Operators still has the support of exhibitors and sponsors, even some new ones which is fantastic,” Barns says. “It’s nice to see people know this conference has such a great reputation and that they want to be involved despite the challenges we might face ahead.” To find out more on AusIMM’s Mill Operators Conference 2021, visit: www.ausimm.com/mill-operators.

Events CONFERENCES, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS EVENT SUBMISSIONS CAN BE EMAILED TO EDITOR@SAFETOWORK.COM.AU

AUSTMINE 2021: HARNESSING INTELLIGENCE | PERTH | MAY 25-27 Austmine’s Mining Innovation Conference and Exhibition returns in 2021, creating a key gathering point for industry leaders, change makers and innovative thinkers. The 2021 theme of harnessing intelligence will provide the opportunity to reflect, discuss and consider the future of the mining industry following a period of significant disruption. Austmine 2021 will explore the importance of the interaction between people, processes and technology over two days of keynote speeches, interactive sessions and panel discussions. The event has welcomed BHP onboard as its principal sponsor for 2021, highlighting the company’s continued commitment to technological excellence in the Australian mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector. • austmineconference.com.au

MINE WASTE AND TAILINGS CONFERENCE 2021 | BRISBANE AND ONLINE | JULY 1-2 The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and the University of Queensland have joined forces to host the Mine Waste and Tailings Conference as a hybrid event this year. Building off the success of the previous conferences in 2015 and 2018, the 2021 conference aims to set the benchmark for sharing knowledge and insights on mine waste and tailings management, sustainable practice and facility closures on a global scale. Over two days, the conference will feature selected technical papers with a strong operational focus, an exhibition showcasing the latest innovations, as well as networking functions. There will also be a pre-conference workshop that provides professional development opportunities. • tailings.ausimm.com

QUEENSLAND MINING INDUSTRY HEALTH AND SAFETY CONFERENCE | GOLD COAST | AUGUST 22-25 Representing an initiative to promote health and safety in the Queensland

mining industry, the conference provides attendees with the opportunity to exchange information, network and foster proactive health and safety management techniques. This year, the event returns with the theme, “Together we collaborate, innovate and educate”. The conference will retain presentations planned for 2020 and promote the ingenuity of home-grown safety. It follows a bumper year for conference attendance, with almost 1000 people joining the event when it featured seven keynote presentations, 50 concurrent presentations and 60 trade displays in 2019. Held at The Star Gold Coast this year, the Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference will conclude with a Safety Innovation Health Awards and gala dinner. • qmihsconference.org.au

BULK 2021: AUSTRALIAN BULK HANDLING EXPO | MELBOURNE | SEPTEMBER 8-10 The Australian Bulk Handling Expo, conference and awards will take place in 2021 to bring together the bulk handling industry into a standalone exhibition that shares the same location as MEGATRANS, which integrates intrinsically with the logistics and multimodal freight sector. It is supported by the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling (ASBSH), which will host an industry conference, while the trade expo will showcase the latest in bulk materials handling equipment and technologies. Exhibitors include VEGA, SEW-Eurodrive, Mideco, Bonfiglioli, Minprovise and ESS Engineering. BULK2021 will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre over a period of three days. BULK2020 ticketholders will be able to use their tickets to join the rescheduled expo. • bulkhandlingexpo.com.au

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MINERS MEMORIAL DAY | LOCATION TBA | SEPTEMBER 19 The Miners Memorial Day service is held on September 19 each year by the Queensland Department of Resources to honour the memory of Queenslanders who have lost their lives working on mine sites. September 19 marks the anniversary of the state’s worst mining disaster, when 75 miners lost their lives at the Mount Mulligan coal mine in 1921. The service allows a time to formally pause and honour the memory of lives lost in the Queensland resources industry and reflect on the lessons it has learned. Rotating around mining towns in Queensland, including Moura, Charters Towers, Redbank, Moranbah, Mount Morgan and Townsville, the 2021 event location is to be announced soon. • dnrme.qld.gov.au

SAFETY IN ACTION | SYDNEY | SEPTEMBER 29-30 Safety in Action has been the meeting place for the Australian health and safety industry for more than 20 years. In September 2021, Safety in Action will come to the Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, allowing the industry to meet, connect, learn and explore the latest mine safety innovations. The event will feature a large-scale exhibition, allowing people to browse the newest products, technologies and services. It will also have a thought-provoking conference and seminar series across two days. These series will examine the regulatory landscape, showcasing the latest research findings from the sector’s most critical thinkers, and provide insight and focus for safety professionals in the context of the post COVID-19 pandemic workplace. • safetyinaction.net.au

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