STW Jul 2021 by Prime Creative Media

THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR AUSTRALIA’S MINING INDUSTRY

ISSUE 14 - JULY/AUG 2021

Strengthening safety culture A united workforce approach

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Technology

Austmine 2021

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Comment A bigger picture definition of health and safety SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS HAVE BROADENED THE MEANING OF HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR MODERN MINING COMPANIES. BEN CREAGH

PUBLISHER CHRISTINE CLANCY MANAGING EDITOR BEN CREAGH Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: ben.creagh@primecreative.com.au ASSISTANT EDITOR MICHAEL PHILIPPS Tel: 0439 341 033 Email: michael.philipps@primecreative.com.au

SG (environmental, social and governance) is on everyone’s lips in mining, and health and safety are underlying factors driving high ratings in this area for the industry. Mining companies are being scrutinised like never before, not only for their operational performance but also for the impact they have on external stakeholders such as the communities in which they operate. Mine workers aren’t the only people that need to go home safely each day. Companies must increasingly be socially aware and consider the wellbeing of those who live near their operations. These considerations also extend beyond mining regions, even to the end of the supply chain where mined products end up. To decarbonise operations and ensure our environmental health, the outlook of mining companies today includes Scope 3 emissions (those generated as a result of activities undertaken either upstream or

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downstream of operations). How are the minerals companies produce affecting the wellbeing of people and communities after they are manufactured into goods or consumed? A modern consideration such as this is a far cry from the strategies mining companies had in the past. And the industry has moved rapidly in this direction. At the Austmine 2021 Conference during May, speakers from mining and METS companies reflected on their safety and ESG goals, and how they link together in the modern environment. A focus on combining the power of people and technology was a common theme across the event, one that improves safety and ESG ratings. BHP Western Australia Iron Ore asset president Brandon Craig emphasised the importance of culture in the business and how it strengthens an unrelenting focus on safety. At BHP, this culture comprises engineering, technology, innovation and

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creative thinking, pushing the company towards its goal of eliminating fatalities. Evidently, a culture with similar values has emerged from an ESG perspective, as highlevel decisions are made that impact society beyond mining. With investors demanding more from companies, they are strengthening this culture to protect the environmental and social health of who they impact. Ben Creagh Managing Editor

FRONT COVER Image: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions.

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 Facing up to adversity

A Liebherr-Australia story about the risks of driver fatigue

Worker welfare a major focus

Austmine 2021 Conference highlights leading safety trends

24 Bollé Safety targets smaller end of market

Silex+ Small range allows for maximum eye protection

28 QLD mine trial encourages safer practices

Chief inspector discusses learnings from Moranbah North

Conveying a safer approach

Diacon Australia pioneers plastic conveyor guards in Australia

34 Safety with a dash of

42 Pushing mining to next

50 More than ‘spray and

thyssenkrupp maintains a strong foothold in the mining industry

Real time monitoring detects and prevents mine site fires

Erizon’s six-step process to rehabilitation of mine sites

36 Helping hand for hands-on

44 Technology saves more

53 Fighting cancer with

Nivek Industries unleashes the Hytorc attachment tool

LSM Technologies leads the way with innovative solutions

Evolution Mining partners with The University of Queensland

38 Heart tech on the pulse

46 Maximising performance

CardioScan is enabling access to cardiology technologies

Sepura’s AutoMate improve safety and operations in the workplace

40 In-cabin monitoring

48 Suspicious fire under

Sy-klone’s latest products and air-quality trends

Fire Forensics investigates fires at Mozambique coal mine

innovation

maintenance

of miners

and filtration

safety level

than lives

from existing networks

pray’ solutions

Aussie gold

PPE Showcase for mining

Suppliers of the latest PPE products for mining

the microscope

REGULARS

3 COMMENT

6 NEWS

14 PRODUCTS

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 4 JUL-AUG 2021

62 EVENTS

Proven design. New format.

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Liebherr-Australia Pty Ltd. • 1 Dr. Willi Liebherr Drive • Para Hills West, South Australia 5096• Phone (08) 8344 0200 info.las@liebherr.com • www.facebook.com/LiebherrMining • www.liebherr.com.au

News ICMM fatality rates drop in 2020 International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) company members recorded 44 occupational deaths in 2020, according to its latest industry safety publication. According to the Safety Performance: Benchmarking Progress of ICMM Company Members In 2020 report, this compares to 287 deaths in 2019, which included the 250 lives lost in the Brumadinho tailings dam collapse, and 50 deaths in 2018. The report analyses fatalities based on the cause and provides safety performance metrics by country and company. In 2020, 12 fatalities were caused by ‘fall of ground’ incidents while eight were related to mobile

equipment and transportation. Company member operations in South Africa had the highest fatality rate of 0.052, recording 22 fatalities from 422.1 million hours worked. Operations in Indonesia recorded six fatalities and Brazil four, where 80.6 and 353.3 million hours were worked, respectively. According to the publication’s figures, 12 members reported zero fatalities including Antofagasta Minerals, BHP, Hydro, JX Nippon, Minera San Cristobal, Minsur, MMG, Newcrest, Newmont, Rio Tinto, Sumitomo Metal Mining and Teck Resources. ICMM chief executive officer Rohitesh Dhawan said the industry must do better.

“Forty-four people lost their lives whilst at work in 2020 which is a stark reminder of the relentless efforts required to eliminate fatalities and achieve our goal of zero harm,” he said. According to the report, in 2020 there was a 2 per cent decrease in the total hours worked compared to 2019, and a 17 per cent increase in the number of incidents that resulted in a fatality. There were three incidents which resulted in more than one fatality, which was half the number of multiple fatality incidents in 2019. The report focuses on safety incidents rather than health-related impacts. It does not contain data relating to the rate of COVID-19 infections within the ICMM membership.

Glencore enlists Epiroc STI4 battery loader at CSA mine Glencore has purchased an Epiroc STI4 battery loader for operation at the CSA copper mine in New South Wales, helping the company to reduce emissions and improve safety at the site. The STI4 delivers enhanced safety for operators, while producing zero emissions compared to dieselpowered underground loaders. CSA mine general manager Peter Christen said the loader would allow Glencore to enhance its sustainability. He said the copper produced at CSA is vital for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technology. “The copper we produce at CSA mine is a key enabler of the low-carbon economy, and is an essential commodity that goes into electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies like

The STI4 delivers enhanced safety for operators, while producing zero emissions.

wind turbines and solar panels,” Christen said. Glencore has targeted a 40 per cent reduction to its emissions by 2035, with the electric loader able to prevent workers from inhaling harmful chemicals from diesel emissions. The ST14 battery loader will operate at a depth of almost two kilometres underground. “We are committed to reducing

emissions across our own operations and our investment in the ST14 battery loader is an important step in the broader transformation of mining in a lowercarbon future,” Christen said. “I’m pleased to see the loader has already generated significant interest from our operators.” According to Glencore, the STI14 is one of the first of its kind to be deployed globally.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 6 JUL-AUG 2021

Intelligent. Connected. Proven. Sepura’s SCG22 mobile TETRA radio with advanced connectivity keeps your teams safe, whatever the task

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News Dyno Nobel completes first underground wireless blast Dyno Nobel has fired its first wireless detonator blast at the Big Bell gold mine in Western Australia using its CyberDet I technology, which keeps workers out of the firing line. According to Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific president Greg Hayne, the wireless blasting will provide improved safety for Westgold. “We are so pleased to be able to partner with Westgold on the first underground wireless blast ever in Western Australia,” he said. “The blast was a great success and it’s been really pleasing to hear Westgold’s feedback that it believes CyberDet I will deliver improved safety and efficiency.” CyberDet I allows miners to work in safer environments during blasting while also providing a shorter blast cycle to increase material mined. “CyberDet I is Dyno Nobel’s throughthe-earth wireless detonator offering, developed on the back of customers

Dyno Nobel has fired a wireless underground blast at Big Bell.

telling us it’s technology they need,” Hayne said. Dyno Nobel is a subsidiary of Incitec Pivot. Robert Rounsley, Incitec Pivot chief technology officer, said one of the key advantages of its wireless offering is its focus on delivering safe and innovative products with its customers. “The flexible nature of our communications antenna provides

significant operational advantages for our users,” he said. “We’re looking forward to showing more of our customers the benefits of CyberDet I. It is just one of our premium technology offerings focused on meeting the needs of our customers.” The wireless blasting required approval from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.

Fortescue unveils remote dozing capability Fortescue Metals Group has demonstrated the first remote operation of a dozer in Australia at its Christmas Creek operations in Western Australia. The remote operation was demonstrated at the Resources Technology Showcase in Perth and used Cat MineStar Command to achieve long-range remote operations. Fortescue has collaborated with Cat to trial the dozing technology since October 2019 to expand the company’s foothold on autonomous operations. According to Fortescue chief executive officer Elizabeth Gaines, the remote operation of its machines

has improved safety outcomes. “Western Australia’s mining sector is the most innovative in the world, and Fortescue is pleased to be able to showcase some of the cuttingedge technology that is utilised in the sector to students and members of the public at the Resources Technology Showcase,” she said. “Underpinned by our value of generating ideas, Fortescue has been at the forefront of innovation in the mining industry. We were the first in WA to control a railway from outside a region of operation and the first company in the world to deploy Caterpillar autonomous haulage on a commercial scale. “This demonstration of remote dozing

capability builds on our reputation as a leader in autonomous solutions, which not only improves productivity but importantly will continue to improve safety for our team members.” Fortescue converted over 180 haul trucks at its Solomon and Chichester Hub mines to autonomous operations in October 2020. Cat SATS senior product service engineer Steve Dougherty said the company looked forward to pushing safety forward as it advanced its autonomous capabilities. “Cat is excited to witness our longtime customer putting our remotely operated dozing technology to work,” he said.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 8 JUL-AUG 2021

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News Anglo American pledges $5 million to underground research $5 million to fund underground mining research, in partnership with our industry research and technology partners, to improve the industry’s knowledge in certain technical areas,” he said. “We have been clear from the outset that the incident on 6 May 2020 in which five of our colleagues were badly injured was unacceptable. The safety of our workforce is always our first priority. “Over the past 12 months, we have put in place a range of measures to address issues that have come to light through detailed investigations and evidence before the Board of Inquiry. “Over this period, we have already committed more than $60 million in technology pilots, additional gas drainage infrastructure, expert reviews and further improvements to a range of processes and controls.” The company is confident it has or will address all recommendations from the board ahead of the restart.

The Anglo American funding follows an incident at the Grosvenor mine.

Anglo American has responded to Queensland Coal Mining Board of Inquiry’s second report on last year’s Grosvenor underground coal mine incident with $5 million to fund underground mine research. The research is hoped to improve the industry’s knowledge across technical areas to deliver a safer mining environment This follows the board’s report into Anglo American’s Grosvenor underground coal mine gas leak incident last year that injured five people, which

was tabled in Queensland Parliament by the state’s Minister for Resources, Scott Stewart. The board found Anglo American did not take proper action to control the gas at Grosvenor, which led to combustion. Anglo American chief executive officer Tyler Mitchelson said the company had already begun to deliver the recommendations provided by the board and highlighted that the safety of the company’s workforce is always its main priority. “We are today committing a further

University of Queensland to improve blasting safety The University of Queensland has installed an experimental chamber to improve the safety of underground mining applications. The enclosed chamber uses hydrostatic pressure to simulate underground rock blasting, enabling researchers to gain a stronger understanding of how rock fractures underground. It is hoped that the project will validate advanced modelling tools to deliver safer and more sustainable mining methods. The project is backed by BHP with SRI International donating the experimental chamber to the University of Queensland

research team, led by University of Queensland associate professor Italo Onederra and Christopher Leonardi. According to Onederra, the chamber will show how rocks react under specific blasting conditions. “We can place a rock in the enclosed chamber, apply hydrostatic pressure, then set off a blast to simulate a deep underground rock blasting scenario,” he said. “It allows us to see how rocks react under these very specific conditions, filling knowledge gaps in the fundamental science of rock fragmentation, which will ultimately

improve outcomes on mine sites and beyond. “We are able to combine this new capability with our rock characterisation process that uses specialised digital imaging techniques and advanced numerical algorithms for blasting and fluid flow modelling, positioning us perfectly to tackle some of the big challenges facing the mining sector as it transitions to net-zero emissions.” BHP conducted an international search to seek the best team to conduct the research. Onederra said the research would also prevent the need for waste rock and tailings dams.

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STOP

News BHP commits to zero-harm tailings approach BHP has supported demands for more transparency with tailings storage facilities to ensure they are more safely and sustainably managed. In 2019, BHP contributed to the global tailing review, which was led by a panel of experts appointed by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), Principles for Responsible Investment and United Nations Environment Program. This resulted in the global industry standard on tailings management, a universal framework for safer tailings management with a goal to achieve zero harm.

BHP stated it is “proactively ensuring” it meets all requirements in the standard. According to BHP chief executive officer Mike Henry, the standard will raise the bar for tailings storage facilities management. “As an industry, we must constantly challenge the standards we set for safety, to protect our people, the environment and the communities in which we operate. The management of tailings is no exception,” he said. “BHP is committed to meet or exceed the requirements of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management by the dates outlined by ICMM.

“With a critical mass of participants within the ICMM, we are able to better define minimum requirements in a common language across the industry, and generate the urgency and action required to make a sustained difference. “This global standard will help raise the bar for tailings storage facilities management across the industry, and allow us to share learnings with our peers for the safety of people and the environment.” BHP flagged its tailings management will use a top-down approach that starts with a “corporate level self-assessment” in line with the global standard.

Cancer Council urges reduction in silica dust exposure A campaign to highlight the dangers of exposure to silica dust has been launched by Cancer Council Australia to raise awareness for those working in high-risk industries. Long-term exposure to silica dust has the potential to cause fatal lung disease, including silicosis and lung cancer. Occupations with the greatest risk of exposure include miners, construction workers, farmers and engineers. Cancer Council Australia chief executive officer Tanya Buchanan said 600,000 Australians are exposed to silica dust in the workplace. “Silica dust can be 100 times smaller than a grain of sand, meaning workers can breathe it in without even knowing,” she said. “Over time this causes serious lung damage and can lead to lung cancer, silicosis, chronic pulmonary disease, and kidney disease. “We want to make sure any

Australians working in environments in which they may be exposed to silica dust are aware of both the health risks and the work health and safety processes they need to follow to protect themselves. “Following these processes can help to reduce the number of Australians developing lung cancer and other serious health problems from exposure to silica dust.” According to Buchanan, those health and safety processes include

substituting products containing high levels of silica for less hazardous materials and ensuring effective personal protective equipment is worn, including a respirator to filter the silica out from air that is breathed in. People exposed to silica dust in the workplace should also ensure they use water-based cutting methods and have proper ventilation to remove silica that becomes airborne.

Silica dust is prevalent in underground mining.

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LA-40

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Products NIVEK’S LATEST ATTACHMENT A PLUS FOR OPERATORS Nivek Industries has taken the safety and manoeuvrability capabilities of its LA-40 arm a step further with the Hytorc attachment tool, which can be mounted directly on the LA-40 arm to support the hydraulically driven tools in almost any orientation. The Hytorc tools are capable of achieving extremely high torque, which is essential for tightening and loosening various nuts/bolts of mining plant and machinery. The tools have traditionally needed to be held in place by one operator while a second operator drives the hydraulic tool. To alleviate this potential danger, Nivek has developed the Hytorc attachment tool, which is now available in Australia. Nivek developed the tool in response to customer demand for a product that allows operators to stand clear while using the Hytorc tools during maintenance for heavy earthmoving equipment.

• nivekindustries.com.au

RGR-VELOX MONITORING AND ALARMING SYSTEM GroundProbe has launched the industry’s most advanced doppler radar for reactive geohazard monitoring, the RGR-Velox. RGR-Velox (Reactive Geohazard Radar) is a military-precision reactive monitoring and alarming system for tailings dam breaches, large slope failures, landslides and avalanches. It detects, tracks and alarms on moving geohazards in real-time, keeping people, assets and communities safe by giving warning of a breach or collapse. The RGR-Velox is the latest technology to be born from GroundProbe’s industry-leading research and development and product development programs. It is also the most recent innovation to be added to the company’s already extensive fleet of technologies and services. The company has grown to become a global innovation powerhouse and a trusted partner of companies around the world. The RGR-Velox is the highest precision, fastest scanning and longest range doppler radar in the market.

• groundprobe.com

BUCKET WHEEL STACKER BRINGS STABILITY TO OPERATIONS thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions is strengthening its portfolio of digitalised solutions for bulk materials handling. Identifying the challenges faced by customers seeking better operating performance, less wear on equipment and more safety, the company has developed solutions that integrate software and hardware, allowing insights through data analysis to improve the operation and maintenance of machines and systems. To specifically address bulk materials handling challenges, thyssenkrupp has developed smart stockyard and smart port solutions that bring very specific benefits to customers. The thyssenkrupp autonomous Bucket Wheel Stacker Reclaimer improves the use of dry bulk yards, optimising the material handling with a productivity gain of around 20 per cent – when compared to conventional operations – and a 25 per cent longer equipment life, due to the stability of the operation provided by advanced automation.

• thyssenkrupp-industrial-solutions.com

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 14 JUL-AUG 2021

ABILITY CONDITION MONITORING IMPROVES RELIABILITY ABB has launched its Ability Condition Monitoring for belts, an advanced digital service to enable mine operators to track speed, misalignment, damage, thickness and wear, slippage and temperature of conveyor belts in real time, and therefore anticipate maintenance, avoid unplanned downtime, and improve belt reliability and lifetime. Belt damage can cause significant production time loss in mines and processing plants with in-person inspections typically carried out to determine the condition of conveyor belts. The new ABB Ability Condition Monitoring for belts offers a complete overview of the assets’ condition through continuous monitoring of belt health, generating alarms and warnings in the event of deterioration. By moving from preventative to predictive maintenance, it enables operators to avoid the costly failures that can occur between physical inspections and personnel can be removed from dangerous areas.

• global.abb/group/en

NEW IDRILL PLATFORM ENABLES FULL AUTOMATION Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is evolving its Leopard DI650i down-the-hole (DTH) drill rig to support fully autonomous operation. The new iDrill automation platform expands the existing on-board automated drilling cycle and matches seamlessly with AutoMine Surface Drilling to enable fully autonomous Leopard DI650i fleet operation from a control room. The iDrill drilling cycle starts with automated positioning, where the TIM3D drill navigation system guides the rig to the correct spot according to the drill plan. Feed beam and boom are automatically positioned to the correct drilling angle. The drill rig is automatically stabilised and the feed beam is accurately aligned to match the drill plan to ensure high-quality holes. The iDrill drilling cycle allows manual intervention and can be activated or deactivated at any stage of the cycle.

• rocktechnology.sandvik

LIEBHERR’S T 274 MEETS MINE SITE DEMANDS Liebherr has released the T 274 haul truck with a class-leading 305-tonne payload capacity. The truck is powered by a 2720-kilowatt (3650-horsepower) engine and Liebherr Litronic Plus AC Drive system allowing the machine to move material in shorter times. It also features 4500-kilowatt (6035-horsepower) dynamic braking power which allows the truck to operate efficiently and safely on downhill hauls. Liebherr has designed the T 274 to work across harsh environmental conditions with a wide range of options available to suit bespoke applications and demands of mine sites. Based on the 400-tonne T 284, which has achieved more than 20 million operating hours, the new mining truck brings reliability and a long history of field experience. Liebherr has designed the T 274’s cab with an ergonomic design to provide maximum comfort and safety for operators, enabling high levels of visibility through tinted safety glass windows.

• liebherr.com

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Profile

Resolve in the face of adversity DRIVER FATIGUE IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS RISKS TO WORKER SAFETY ON OUR ROADS. LIEBHERR-AUSTRALIA’S BRANDON ROBINSONSMITH TELLS SAFE TO WORK ABOUT HOW HE TURNED A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE INTO AN INSPIRING LESSON FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY.

he Japanese proverb Nana korobi, ya oki (fall down seven times, stand up eight) suggests that we should never give up and to continue to push forward in life. While this could be attributed to many challenges we face every day, Brandon Robinson-Smith has embodied what it means to be persistent when faced with adversity. In October 2018, he fell asleep at the wheel of his Ford Ranger ute, causing it to lose control and roll off the road just four kilometres from his house. Robinson-Smith, who was 22 at the time, survived the crash but lost his right arm and suffered a broken pelvis. “I first started with Liebherr-Australia in February 2018 and worked as a permanent site-based technician at a local coal mine in the Hunter Valley,” Robinson-Smith tells Safe to Work. “What motivated me to work in the mining industry was that I had a bit of a soft spot for working on the diggers. “It was something that really interested me and being a site technician allowed me to get a bit more experience out of it.” Robinson-Smith started working with Liebherr-Australia shortly after completing his apprenticeship and, like many young technicians, he was keen to get on the tools when the opportunity was available. “It was rewarding to learn how to diagnose the machines and point everyone in the right direction through a lot of problem solving,”

Lyndia Wombold (left) and Brandon Robinson-Smith.

Robinson-Smith says. “It was my first night shift of the swing (a block of five nights); I woke up in the afternoon, drove in to start shift at 7pm, worked through to around 7:30am the next morning – all pretty normal stuff. “After I got home though, I picked up my partner and dropped her off at work, had some breakfast, grabbed some fuel for the car, and started my journey home. I was only four kilometres from my front gate when I fell asleep and lost control. “I was actually thinking about pulling over to have a rest, as there was a safe spot just after a bridge where I wouldn’t be a hazard to other road users.

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Unfortunately the sleep came earlier than I would have liked.” Driver fatigue is one of the three major causes of death on New South Wales roads. The NSW Centre for Road Safety states that fatigue-related crashes are almost three times more likely to be fatal than crashes not related to fatigue, with on average 67 people dying and 645 seriously injured each year due to fatigue. Being awake for too long has a similar impact on driving to a blood alcohol content of 0.05 per cent. Following the accident, RobinsonSmith mustered the willpower to dial 000.

“At the time, I remembered thinking if you nick the artery in your arm, you only have two to three minutes before you can die. As far as I’m concerned, I shouldn’t be here,” he recalls. Robinson-Smith’s right arm was completely severed during the accident; however, in a macabre but fortunate twist of fate, the artery being severed allowed it to retract in on itself to stop major blood loss. Despite surviving the incident, Robinson-Smith had a long road to recovery ahead. He was meant to spend 10 weeks in hospital but managed to be discharged after just three, thanks to his determination to recover. “For the first two weeks in hospital, I was a bit touch and go and being in and out of surgery,” Robinson-Smith says. “I had a total of two surgeries on my hip and two on my shoulder.” To stop himself from being stuck in a dark place, Robinson-Smith maintained a keen level of mindfulness following the operation.

Brandon Robinson-Smith in hospital with Brittany after the accident.

“While in hospital, I was in a bad spot, but I realised there were people way worse,” he says. “I always felt that regardless of how bad I was, there was always someone doing it harder than me.” Robinson-Smith found inspiration for his recovery in a friend who had an accident a few months before his own accident and is permanently in a wheelchair. “His drive inspired me – I took little bits out of what he did. I’m not much older than he is, and his life was changed far more than mine,” Robinson-Smith says. “So, I pushed myself, I just wanted to get home, get back into it and move on.” With a fresh perspective, RobinsonSmith accepted the hard truth that his life was going to change drastically and he would need to re-learn the basics. Being right-handed meant that he was forced to develop skills with his left hand – from writing to cooking. “It took a bit of time to adjust. I ended up buying a kid’s book, tracing letters to get hand-eye coordination. I’m a lot more comfortable than when I started but it’s not legible,” Robinson-Smith says. “I couldn’t cook with one arm – things like going to peel potatoes and then realising you can’t even hold the potato to peel it.” Robinson-Smith says the little things led to frustration with himself. When camping, for example, he couldn’t hold pegs to set up the tent anymore. “I’d get really angry. Something that I could do by myself so easily after 22 years was gone,” he says. A big part of Robinson-Smith’s recovery process was taking rehabilitation courses to learn to walk again due to the broken pelvis. Robinson-Smith married Brittany just a couple of months after the accident. He credits his wife and her brother as the two major support pillars in his life after hospital. “Brittany stuck by me and told me

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 17 JUL-AUG 2021

Prosthetics are helping with tasks such as cooking.

that everything was going to be all right,” Robinson-Smith says. “My wife really helped me with pushing me to do things myself rather than relying on her or someone else to do it for me. “If I complained that something was too hard, she’d encourage me to do it and be there to calm me down if I was getting frustrated. “I’ve got my support network now and I’m happy to sit and talk about it, but something might hit me. For example, I have a niece and nephew, but I can’t hold them both at once anymore.” Since the accident, RobinsonSmith has purchased two prosthetics for his right arm, with one being a $200,000 mechanical arm and the other purely aesthetic. Robinson-Smith says he doesn’t use the mechanical one too often as he has learnt to adapt to using one arm, adding that his motor skills will improve even further as he learns to use the prosthetic. The emotional pain of losing an arm has also changed Robinson-Smith’s perspective on how disability is perceived in the wider community. “It was a challenge to get comfortable with how I look now,” he says. “People stare because you look different – and I had to get used to the fact that people are going to stare.

Profile

Brandon and wife Brittany married months after the accident.

“I dress in a Hawaiian shirt sometimes, just to give them something else to stare at. These days it doesn’t annoy me anywhere near as much, but it still does hurt from time to time.” The physical pain from the accident is also still present, with ongoing pain remaining. Robinson-Smith says there’s always going to be a phantom pain sensation from where the arm was. “I might have a pain attack where it feels like the muscles cramping – like touching an electric fence,” he says. “There’s little things I can do to alleviate the pain, like visualising moving the hand to try and push through it in a virtual sense. Otherwise, I just have to grit my teeth and bear it. “I was pretty fortunate and strongwilled, I wanted to prove people wrong; this wasn’t going to stop me.” Workers can struggle to find jobs after suffering a debilitating injury, but this wasn’t a struggle Robinson-Smith had to deal with as an employee of LiebherrAustralia. A role was created addressing business needs to support his return to the workforce. Liebherr-Australia regional manager NSW customer support, mining, Lyndia Wombold says the priority was to support Robinson-Smith in his recovery, physically and emotionally, and see him return to the team. “It was important to get him back into his high-vis and back into his work

environment. Brandon’s accident affected all of us, especially those colleagues who worked closest with him,” Wombold says. A counselling service was provided for all employees to access: both at LiebherrAustralia’s Mt Thorley branch, and on the site Robinson-Smith worked at. “We are a pretty close group and it rattled us, with everyone reflecting on their own and family experiences. Employees visited Brandon providing support, and others kept close to the updates on his recovery,” Wombold says. While he misses working on diggers, Robinson-Smith says the new role is enjoyable and a good challenge. “Of course, I find it difficult some days, but I like to keep myself busy and I’m always willing to challenge myself,” Robinson-Smith says. Wombold says Robinson-Smith has an important and busy role within the service department and is the first to nominate for any extra projects that crop up. “With his mechanical background, understanding mine site requirements and his ‘get it done’ approach to work, we are fortunate to have an employee of Brandon’s calibre,” Wombold says. An experience as traumatic as Robinson-Smith’s accident could have left him unwilling to talk about it, but he is instead keen to educate people about the dangers of sleep deprivation. “I’ve been really passionate about getting the message out, especially to the

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 18 JUL-AUG 2021

mining industry,” he says. “Liebherr-Australia has been a big help to work alongside to deliver these speeches. I just want to use my voice to make sure no one else has to go through what I did.” Once Hunter Valley mining customers were aware of Robinson-Smith’s story and how hearing it impacted the Liebherr-Australia employees at Mt Thorley, he was invited to speak at customer safety meetings. Senior site managers and superintendents attended, along with the workforce, all of which have thanked Robinson-Smith and Liebherr-Australia for sharing his story. Raising awareness about sleep deprivation is something Robinson-Smith hopes will make a difference by teaching workers about the subtle signs that show they’re too tired to drive. “Prior to the accident, the danger of sleep deprivation was there but it wasn’t always obvious,” Robinson-Smith says. “We’ve all sat through sleep deprivation talks but it’s always someone from outside the industry – you find that you don’t really pay attention that much as our experiences are so different. My experience is so typical of our workers that they can easily imagine themselves in my position.” Almost three years after the accident, Robinson-Smith continues to move forward. He feels fortunate that he has been able to mentally let go of the incident and not hold on to what happened. “I just keep resetting and start going again. The six months I had off work gave me time to think and I was pretty down for a fair while,” Robinson-Smith says. “Life will throw you a hurdle but it doesn’t matter how big that hurdle is. As long as you’ve got a positive mindset and a supportive network anything is possible.”

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Austmine 2021

Austmine 2021 celebrated the latest technologies and innovations.

Worker welfare a focus for mining leaders IN WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST MAJOR MINING CONFERENCE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF COVID-19, THE AUSTMINE 2021 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION HAS BROUGHT MINING AND INDUSTRY DELEGATES TOGETHER TO DISCUSS INNOVATION AND SAFETY.

diverse workforce and industry collaboration are increasingly being emphasised by industry leaders as essential parts of improving safety in the mining and resources industry. This year’s Austmine 2021 Conference featured a focus on workforce safety and welfare, especially emphasising the importance of innovation to improve technology and improve safety on site. Whether it is a move towards autonomy to enable workers to work from home, or a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) to keep miners out of the line of fire, safety has become a major issue for companies involved in the mining

and resources sector. Workforce diversity, collaboration and technology advances have been identified as important steps in ensuring safety remains a key to the mining and resources industry. BHP group health safety and environment officer Rob Telford says the company has not had a fatality at its operations for more than two years. “That was a milestone that we didn’t meet with celebration but more with sombre reflection that we were doing something right,” Telford says. “Safety has been at the core of us for a very long time. We measure and monitor all incidents as they happen in real time and we use that data to assess how we

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 20 JUL-AUG 2021

can prevent any possible incidents.” BHP’s Western Australian iron ore South Flank maintenance manager Lorraine Sabbouh says the company has worked to get frontline information from its machines in the field. “We looked really hard to find something that could do that in the marketplace and we couldn’t find anything that would tick all the boxes,” she says. “So we went from a whiteboard to a red-box prototype in about six weeks. It then took us about eight weeks to get the red-box prototype onto our equipment at South Flank. “That allowed our workers to get that data into their hands remotely.

Komatsu senior mining engineer Melinda Court says the OEM’s Tune Safe technology is enabling the company to collect data remotely. “Tune safe allows our workers to safely collect raw data from the work site remotely and allows us to use that data to maximise safety in the workplace,” Court says. “This way we can protect our workers while maximising our output and collecting the relevant data.” Data analysis has become a focus for industry leaders, as it allows a greater depth of research into best mining practices, as well as health and safety regulations. As one of the most successful organisations in the resources sphere, BHP has moved towards a greater focus on autonomy and an off-site workforce. BHP Western Australian Iron Ore (WAIO) asset president Brandon Craig says the major miner aims to run a safe iron ore business through a focus on workforce diversity. He says a diverse workforce is critical to the advancement of innovation in the workplace. “We also believe that a diverse culture sits at the centre of a safe and highly productive workplace,” Craig says.

Lynas Rare Earths managing director Amanda Lacaze highlights the importance of on-site safety.

“That’s critically important, because the analysis we’ve done shows that our more diverse teams have substantially less injuries, are more willing to speak up on safety, are more likely to follow safe work practices and are more likely to adhere to planned maintenance work.” According to BHP analysis, a diverse workforce also rates their job and their leader more favourably and are more likely to meet their production plans.

Austmine is believed to be one of the largest gatherings of the industry since COVID-19 began.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 21 JUL-AUG 2021

Craig says to continue this trend there is a need to redesign work to make it more accessible to everyone. BHP’s Dash Maintainer Tools won the Austmine Innovation for Miners award, with Anglo American Digitisation of Work Orders and BHP’s TROC Human Machine Interface recognised as finalists. Dash Maintainer Tools is a hardware and software platform which allows maintenance technicians to undertake diagnostic testing tasks on mobile mining equipment without being within the footprint of the machine, removing them from the line of fire. “Engineering, technology, innovation and creative thinking will give rise to an industry that will look different, feel different and operate differently. But a far better industry to work in, one that is fundamentally safer, more dynamic, more creative and better connected,” Craig explains. “Our Fatality Elimination Program, launched last year with Austmine, is part of a bigger global focus we have on permanently eliminating fatalities across our operations. “Across industry we have seen

Austmine 2021

BHP WA Iron Ore asset president Brandon Craig says innovation is the key to a safe workplace.

significant improvements in safety performance as we have deployed greater levels of process automation. “This has typically taken the form of automating industrial processes and more recently load-and-haul fleets across mining operations. In this way, our operational processes have become intrinsically safer, year on year.” Maptek founder Bob Johnson, who received the Austmine Champion of Innovation award, says the Austmine conference has welcomed innovation in the industry since its inception. “Under the chairmanship of Eric Garner, we shared a vision of our collective strength … and the power of this team approach to the delivery of mining services has clearly been established by the sheer size of the Austmine membership today,” Johnson says. “Today, Austmine members are the right hand of the mining industry, pioneering change and ever improving the efficiency and safety in mines around the world. “We did not envisage some of these great outcomes. That is exactly what happens when you make that extra effort.” Lynas Rare Earths managing director

Amanda Lacaze says getting workers home safely is the most important thing a mining company can do, especially in the current COVID-19 climate. Like many organisations in the mining industry, Lynas works across multiple jurisdictions, meaning its approach to safety across these regions has to be the same and different. “It has to be the same because human bodies are broken in the same way all over the world. It has to be different because people live in different cultures and have different approaches to risk,” Lacaze says.

Tech talks allowed companies the chance to explain their latest innovations.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 22 JUL-AUG 2021

Lacaze says dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way companies run their business, including Lynas. The company’s COVID-19 response team in Malaysia, for example, has needed to innovate every day in new ways to keep its people safe in this environment. “Today we have significant testing done before anyone is allowed on site,” Lacaze says. “It is vital that we continue to look after the welfare of our workers and their families to grow as an industry.” BHP WAIO’s Craig says improvements in mining technology and a focus on the safety and wellbeing of the workforce will have a huge impact on the industry. “Imagine the results, across industry, if we all focused on the goal of eliminating live energy and high-risk work from mining equipment, and what this could do for eliminating the risk of fatalities in our industry and pushing our productivity envelopes harder,” Craig says. “None of us here in this room want to see fatalities occurring in our industry. This is a shared goal we can all work towards, and one that is truly meaningful.”

Eye safety

Bollé Safety targets ‘smaller’ market with latest range AS EYE SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE BECOMES AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ISSUE, BOLLÉ SAFETY’S SILEX+ SMALL ALLOWS FOR MAXIMUM PROTECTION WITH A FOCUS ON COMFORT AND FASHION.

afety glasses have traditionally come in one size fits all. However, with so many different face shapes, it can be difficult to find a perfect pair. If the safety eyewear does not fit your face correctly, leaving larger gaps between your face and the glasses, it may allow debris to enter the eye or distort the vision which can lead to an injury. In fact, according to Prevent

Developed for smaller and narrower faces, this model adopts all the feature of the Silex+, just in a smaller fit.

Smoked lenses are preferred for outdoor use.

Blindness, 90 per cent of eye injuries could be avoided by wearing the correct eye protection. That’s why Bollé Safety has produced the Silex+ Small range. Specifically developed for smaller and narrower faces, this model adopts all the features of the Silex+ model, just in a smaller fit. Suitable for all industries, this model combines superior protection with style. Bollé Safety Australia national business development manager Craig Yuile says Silex+ Small is designed to fit those with smaller-sized heads and faces. “People’s heads can come in a million different sizes, so we have added the Small version to the range to fit a number of different face shapes and sizes, particularly for ladies and even for kids,” Yuile says. “Silex+ has been around now for a few years and the Small is an extension to that range.” Yuile says the Small range will

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provide additional eye safety to those in the industry with smaller or leaner face sizes. “If the glasses are too big for a face you will get exposed across the top of the frame, underneath and around the side. With the smaller frame it will give a better fit to smaller or narrower face sizes,” he says. “Therefore, people won’t have to remove the eyewear exposing themselves to a risk.” Yuile says the importance of protecting our eyes is paramount and emphasises that if you lose your eyesight, you don’t get it back. “With the likes of your hearing you can get aids to assist you as you get older, but with eyes you only get two and if you do any damage to them in any way, shape or form, you can effectively lose your sight for life,” Yuile says. “But over the years we, as a dedicated manufacturer of eyewear, have seen the importance of having a

myriad of different options, whether it be specs, goggles, face shields or accessories, and that is why we try to introduce new products on a regular basis and that is why the Silex+ Small has come onto the market.” “We have worked to make our products as comfortable as possible for all shapes and sizes because the last thing you want to do is take your glasses off and expose yourself to risk.” According to Bollé Safety, the main reasons cited by those injured by not wearing the correct eye protection are: DISCOMFORT Pressure, pinching and falling off can be a nightmare for workers, resulting in headaches and localised pain and risks caused by rearranging eyewear instead of focusing on the job.

The latest range comes in a variety of lens colours.

VISIBILITY Distorted view, heavy scratching and fogging are all common occurrences in standard eyewear. Poor visibility is a risk, so wearers tend to take off the offending eyewear to see what they’re doing. FIT AND STYLE Another factor that influences the use of PPE, especially noted among the younger audience, is the style of the

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eyewear as well as having choices of a particular style at the workplace. Safety glasses can be large and unattractive and make the wearer self-conscious. As a result, wearers are reluctant to wear such unattractive eyewear and will forget or simply refuse to wear it when needed. As a result, many workers argue that eye protection is simply unnecessary at that moment, and the risk of injury increases.

Eye safety

CSP lenses allow for working indoors and out.

Bollé Safety focuses on reducing these objections by manufacturing high-quality eyewear that is comfortable, attractive, and treated with anti-scratch and anti-fog coatings for prolonged visibility. “In my time with Bollé, which is just over eight years, there are three things that people consistently ask: do they scratch, do they fog and what do they look like?” Yuile says. “If they don’t look good or if they don’t look attractive then people don’t want to wear them, or they will remove the glasses. “One of the things that Bollé prides itself on is making sure we produce an attractive and comfortable product that people will want to wear.” Yuile says the latest offering from Bollé Safety features a range of benefits that both protects the wearer and makes the eyewear as comfortable and practical as possible, which includes: TECHNICAL BENEFITS The Silex+ premium model guarantees its users comfort thanks to its bimaterial FLEX 160-degree PC/TPR temples, which adapts perfectly

to most head size and ensures a pressure-free perfect fit. It allows for advanced protection from flying particles, dust and dirt, while an optional retainer strap is also available. PLATINUM LENS COATING Coated with its exclusive PLATINUM coating on both sides of the lens, Silex+ ensures optimum vision, protected from fogging and scratches, even in extreme environments. Furthermore, Silex+’s panoramic field of vision and its frameless design allow for greater peripheral vision and enhanced safety. LENS COLOUR OPTIONS When choosing eye protection one of the first questions to consider is whether they are for indoor or outdoor use, as this helps to determine which lens is best: tinted or clear. Available in three different colours: clear for indoors, smoke for outdoors and comfort sensitivity perception (CSP) for both, Silex+ offers versatility, as well as optimal protection in all environments.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 26 JUL-AUG 2021

COMFORT SENSITIVITY PERCEPTION CSP (comfort sensitivity perception) is a revolutionary lens coating that provides maximum protection against UVA and UVB rays as well as blue light. This innovative coating is an effective solution for all activities that alternate exposure to bright light and low light, while also being suitable for extreme hot and cold temperature environments. Silex+ Small comes in a variety of temple colours and lens options. With clear, smoke and CSP lenses, the latest product meets all company needs for eye protection at work under various lighting conditions: indoors, outdoors or with alternate exposure to bright and low light. “All Bollé products are tested and approved to the Australian standard and we are really excited about adding the Silex+ Small to that range,” Yuile says. “What we want to do at Bollé for those that wear our products is to make sure their eyes are protected and they have them for life.”

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Q&A

QLD coal mine trial encourages safer practices EACH YEAR, RESOURCES SAFETY AND HEALTH QUEENSLAND CONDUCTS A SIMULATED EMERGENCY EXERCISE AT ONE OF THE STATE’S MINES. QUEENSLAND CHIEF INSPECTOR OF COAL MINES PETER NEWMAN REVIEWS THE LEARNINGS FROM THE SIMULATION AT ANGLO AMERICAN’S MORANBAH NORTH MINE IN 2020.

nowing what to do during a hazardous situation is crucial to avoiding disaster. In the mining industry, hands-on learning approaches are being encouraged to ensure workers are prepared to follow the correct procedures and protocol. Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ), the state’s independent regulator of worker safety and health in the mining, quarrying, petroleum, gas and explosives industries, has recognised the importance of trialling disaster situations at mine sites. RSHQ organises simulated emergency exercises at a Queensland underground coal mine site each year, bringing its findings to the rest of the industry to encourage improvements to the health and safety protocol that are followed by mine operators and coal mine workers. In 2020, a simulation at the Moranbah North coal mine involved an underground loader fire, followed by a fan stoppage that led to a mine evacuation. A coal mine worker remained missing underground when the evacuation was completed, prompting a mine re-entry by Queensland Mines Rescue. RSHQ Chief Inspector of Coal Mines Peter Newman tells Safe to Work about the purpose and learnings of the exercise.

What benefits do emergency mine exercises have over other methods of establishing safety-related industry learnings?  One of the key learnings out of the Moura No.2 1994 disaster was that level one exercises were to be run in underground mines each year with level two exercises being run across surface and underground mines each year. As with level one exercises, the learnings from those other level two exercises are to be shared with the industry. So why is it different to other safety related industry learnings? It’s validating the learnings being implemented at one underground coal mine each year, through a coordinated external agency validating the mine’s emergency response and management capability. It’s use of an independent party to test the emergency response capabilities of an organisation as close as possible to an actual disaster condition, providing real-life testing of the mine’s capacity and capability to respond and ensure there is no further loss of life with the incident. There are safety alert bulletins, seminars and conferences that cover industry learnings, but the level one emergency exercise validates whether learnings from past exercises have been implemented. The cross-industry stakeholders that

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 28 JUL-AUG 2021

Queensland chief inspector of coal mines Peter Newman.

we use in the planning and assessment of the exercise, which are people outside of the mine being tested, take their learnings back through to their respective organisations. One of the recommendations in the December 2020 report is to enhance communication protocols for mine workers. Could advancements in wearable technology make this easier for mine workers to adopt? I suppose there’s several new technologies when it comes to communications that have been introduced into mines to enhance those communications protocols. For a long time in the industry, Wi-Fi and fibre has been available in surface

mines, but now it’s very much being used in underground mines and that certainly enhances the communication networks now available. It has the ability to introduce more advanced wearable technologies where previously those other technologies weren’t able to be used because the communication platform wasn’t there. What sort of safety improvements are being encouraged across Queensland’s coal mines? There are obviously numerous safety improvements being organisationally based or mine-site based. There are those resulting from the learnings from incidents and near misses, reinforcing the importance of HPI reporting to the regulator so that those learnings can be shared across the industry. The Brady Report in December 2019 reviewed the learnings from the last 20 years of fatalities and high-potential incidents (HPI) in the industry. It recommended that the mining industry in Queensland – both coal and mines and quarries – adopt the high reliability organisation philosophy that has been adopted in other high hazard industries. This change in behaviour of organisations will have a significant impact on the safety performance within the industry. The industry is in its infancy in terms of adopting that philosophy, but that is one of the significant safety improvements being encouraged across the Queensland resources sector. The other one is automation in open cut and underground operations, which will ultimately improve predictability in performance, but the human factor is always going to be present there. So, a continued focus on effective supervision will be critical. The third one is improvement of risk management in the industry.

The simulation involved an underground loader fire and a fan stoppage that led to an evacuation. Image: Anglo American.

Twenty-two years ago, the regulator introduced risk-based legislation into Queensland. There is a requirement for a refocus of the adequacy of risk management processes, including the cross section of participants, the skills of facilitators and the attention of the identification of hazards and risks and the controls required to prevent harm to mine workers. Automation is becoming a greater part of the Queensland resources sector, but this does not distract from the requirement for operations to be underpinned by robust risk management processes and effective safety and health management systems. The exercise at Moranbah North involved a missing underground coal mine worker. Why was this specific scenario chosen? It wasn’t chosen specific to a recent incident that’s occurred in the industry. It’s more along the lines that each

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 29 JUL-AUG 2021

year a new scenario is developed to test the effectiveness of the mine’s emergency response. The scenario needs to be unpredictable, involve multiple agencies, provide a level of complexity and really all the components that a real mine incident will present to the mine’s incident management and emergency response teams. People can become injured, disoriented or overcome by smoke, in a mine disaster scenario. The missing worker was just one part of an incident that may play out in the scenario. Invariably the underground incident will revolve around a combination of a failure of strata, ventilation, gas and/ or water management, or equipment failure, resulting in falls of ground or a change in the mine environment, fire explosions, flooding or operator injury. Any one of these events may present an instant response to be managed by the mine. Each year, one or more of these

Q&A events is presented in the level one exercise so that it does very much test the mine’s capability and capacity to respond. The level one exercises are only undertaken in underground coal mines. The level two exercises in open cut and underground are run by the mine itself rather than an independent body. However, the learnings and experience gained by the mine are as critical for continued industry learnings. The exercise also found that staff were not adequately trained to use selfcontained self-rescue devices (SCSR). How vital is this training? There were certain mine workers where there were some failings in terms of the donning of their SCSR. It has in past years been a common learning that comes across from these exercises – in particular, the transferring from the belt worn to the cache unit. The training of coal mine workers in emergency response and self-escape is a critical component of the mine safety and health management system. The level one exercise tests that effectiveness in that training. In the underground scenarios which are also run at level two, those also involve mine workers having to don their selfrescuers, so they get further training in an emergency situations. The SCSR are a coal mine worker’s means of self-escape. So, at the start of each shift, it’s critical that they check that unit physically, ensuring that it’s ready for use. The refresher training undertaken by mine workers on an annual basis in terms of donning the SCRS is a critical component of the mine’s safety and health management system. One of the benefits of the level one and level two exercises is that mine workers get tested in the donning of

Moranbah North was used in RSHQ’s simulated emergency exercise. Image: Anglo American.

those rescuer devices. The learnings demonstrate the importance of refresher training undertaken by mine workers that use emergency response equipment and never take it for granted that it will not be used. It’s akin to it being a bit too late when you’re in a car crash to check if your seatbelt works. One area of improvement from the exercise was the briefing of ISHR and mines inspectors. What needs to improve in this space? The role of the mines inspectors and ISHR is that they play an important role in providing oversight to an emergency situation and an emergency response, while not being involved directly in the incident management team. They are there to ensure that there is an acceptable level of risk management achieved in all aspects of the response. In order to do this, it’s important that

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 30 JUL-AUG 2021

they are fully briefed on the incident and the response. When both parties reach the mine at a similar time, these briefings can be undertaken together so that a single, consistent briefing is provided. In the scenario that occurred, there was some delay between the various parties arriving so there were separate briefing sessions done by separate individuals at the mine. The briefing certainly needs to be provided by one of the senior mine officials through the mines duty system contained within their incident management team – someone who is informed of the emergency and the response. The IMT (incident management team) at the mine needs to be left to manage the incident, but the mine also needs to have a dedicated, informed official to brief both the ISHR and mines inspector with accurate and timely information. To answer what needs to improve in

the space, it is that there is a fully briefed senior official who is briefing the ISHR and the mines inspectors on not only the emergency but also the proposed response. How has safety protocol improved in Queensland’s resources sector? What still needs to change?   There’s been a number of areas that safety protocols have been improved over the last decade. However, as an industry, there tends to be variability across operations and organisations, and that continues to be a concern and the subject of chronic unease within the regulator. There are some best practice operations in certain aspects, while others certainly have other areas of improvement. In terms of what needs to change, the areas of improvement that the industry is being encouraged to improve, and adopt, include effective supervision, HRO (high reliability organsiation) philosophy and effective risk management. Advancements in mining technology are often associated with improvements to safety outcomes. However, many technologically advanced solutions require specific training. Is this something RSHQ has to consider? RSHQ has to consider them with respect to mines achieving an acceptable level of risk. The inspectors within RSHQ need to understand the new technology, so they are informed in terms of the way in which the technology will result in improved health and safety outcomes, and any potential risks that the technology may introduce, and the additional controls required for the implementation of such technology. A good example is the recent introduction of autonomous trucks into the Queensland coal industry and the use of autonomous longwall operations. These changes see equipment being automated, eliminating the requirement for mine workers to operate the controls. This has the advantage of removing operators from hazardous areas, improving the predictability of equipment operation and movement and hence reducing the risk of operator error, exposure to noise dust, vibration and other hazards. However, the introduction of new technology does not prevent operator interaction with the equipment. In the surface area, you still need to operate light vehicles, graders and excavators in and around autonomous haulage. Operating those other pieces of equipment requires a new set of skills and knowledge no different than the longwall where operators will still be working in and around the longwal during certain activities. These skills and knowledge apply to both operators and the regulator.

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Materials handling

Conveying a safer approach DIACON AUSTRALIA IS A PIONEER OF PLASTIC CONVEYOR GUARDS IN AUSTRALIA AND HAS CONTINUED TO REMAIN A CUT ABOVE COMPETING PRODUCTS FOR CONVEYOR SYSTEMS.

or any conveying application at a mine site, steel conveyor guards have long been accepted as the go-to standard for guarding. Diacon Australia has shifted the status quo for conveyor guarding by developing a high-quality plastic alternative that delivers significant benefits over the traditional steel offering. The Diacon conveyor guard uses a light-weight plastic mesh to provide corrosion-free guarding, while offering safer installation and storage. This is one of a range of products that make up Diacon’s system to deliver higher productivity and safety standards for conveying. Other parts of the system include the Diacon Conveyor Hungry Board, which is a stainless-steel reinforced plastic panel that prevents spillage on conveyor belts, and the Diacon Conveyor Cover, which completely encloses the product on the conveyor belt. With the conveyor guard its key product, Diacon business development manager Brad Tibbits says the idea emerged from the sugar industry despite the mining industry now being its largest customer. “Diacon established plastic guarding in 1988 and it was then developed into the complete conveyor guarding system approximately 10 years ago,” Tibbits tells Safe to Work. “Customers had issues with the manual handling of steel guarding as they were too heavy and created too

The conveyor guards are designed and manufactured in Australia.

many issues when it would come time for guard removal for conveyor maintenance, so Diacon was the first to introduce the custom engineered plastic conveyor guarding system in response.” The switch to plastic came from the sugar industry’s demand for a noncorrosive conveyor guard. “Steel guarding was prominent in the sugar industry at the time and there was a real call from industry leaders to find a guarding solution that would last longer than steel, and Diacon was able to deliver this and more,” Diacon general manager Matt Kennett says. “There’s a lot of issues with corrosion for steel guarding because of the hazardous environments the guarding systems are exposed to.” Diacon’s conveyor guards feature an impressive 15-year UV exposure guarantee, proof that they can withstand these harsh mining environments across Australia.

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Typically weighing between 12 and 16 kilograms, the plastic conveyor guards weigh significantly less than their steel alternatives, which allows for installation and maintenance to be a one-person job. And with most guarding installed on catwalks, the lighter footprint prevents any potential drops from occurring, stopping the guards from falling and striking workers. Diacon’s conveyor guards also feature a locking mechanism to ensure it is stored safely to avoid any trips or collisions with other workers. With Diacon specialising in conveyor guarding for a decade, this proven track record has benefitted its reputation, which has led to consistent work with all the major mining companies throughout Australia. Outside of Australia, the company has received customer enquiries across Europe, South America, Africa,

Mongolia, Russia, the United States, Canada and New Zealand. Diacon has also secured distribution of its conveyor guards in the United Kingdom, as well as Papua New Guinea. The company’s plastic conveyor guards guarantee a 15-year lifespan, which is triple of what is offered with regular steel conveyor guarding. According to Tibbits, educating the industry that there is an alternative to steel conveyor guards is a key goal for the company. “Our guarding prevents customers from the need to replace their conveyor guards so frequently, which leads to lower lifetime costs. Our biggest hurdle is that people just don’t know that this alternative exists, yet,” he says. Diacon offers bespoke solutions for its customers, delivering a custom in-house design. Rather than dealing with multiple companies, Diacon handles the entire end-to-end process from the initial site measure right through to the installation of its products. “You can come to one company (Diacon) to get a start to finish package

The Diacon plastic guards weigh significantly less than steel alternatives.

from site measure, laser scanning, design, engineering, manufacture and installation,” Kennett says. “We also have that above our competitors – to have just one contractor rather than multiple.” Diacon’s products are designed and manufactured in Australia, which is a

Diacon’s plastic conveyor guards guarantee a 15-year lifespan.

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significant aspect for the company. “When you buy Diacon, you’re supporting local Australian industry and helping to provide local jobs,” Kennett continues. “It also helps it be seen across the world as a quality Australian-made product that can be exported. It highlights what can be made here in our backyard.” With Diacon’s conveyor guards highly praised in Australia, the company has earned positive feedback from its customers, who credit the company as being a one-stop-shop solution. “Our customers tell us that they value Diacon, as we are able to provide a premium yet cost effective solution when you consider the overall project and lifespan of the product,” Tibbits says. For Kennett, the conveyor guards represent an Australian-engineered safety solution that can service the largest processing applications. “We are proudly Australian owned, operated and manufactured,” he says. “Our guarding is born and bred out of safety issues, to prevent hazards and manual handling. It’s custom created with safety at the forefront.”

Mining equipment

Safety with a dash of innovation THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS HAS MAINTAINED A STRONG FOOTHOLD IN THE MINING INDUSTRY BACKED BY A TRACK RECORD OF DELIVERING SAFE AND FORWARD-THINKING PRODUCTS THAT STEM FROM THE CULTURE OF ITS EMPLOYEES.

here are many ways that original equipment manufacturers can claim to develop safer products. However, thyssenkrupp’s proven method of creating mining machinery under the baton of its strong safety culture has cemented the company’s long lineage of safe, productive and reliable equipment. thyssenkrupp health, safety, environmental and quality (HSEQ) manager Jeremy Walden says there is no single method for achieving this. “There is no one silver bullet. At thyssenkrupp, it is a combination of factors,” Walden tells Safe to Work. This includes design review and feedback during the engineering phase of a project, implementing feedback learnt from previous projects, adopting client initiatives, reviewing market and product safety information, communication and thyssenkrupp retains high safety standards across all countries it operates in.

collaboration between thyssenkrupp (local and global) and its customers, and drawing on internal talent, experience and knowledge from the company. Accidents at a mine site can often lead to significant production losses – or at the very worst, fatality – so thyssenkrupp ensures its range of equipment and services match the stringent guidelines enforced across Australia. thyssenkrupp matches Australia’s high safety standards for workplaces, which Walden says is another important factor of the company’s success in the country. “We definitely put in a lot of effort to maintain that,” he says. “thyssenkrupp replicates the same high standard even if the safety expectations of another country that we operate in are different. That doesn’t mean we drop our standard – we conduct global, internal meetings so the same standard is rolled out no matter where in the world we operate.” thyssenkrupp employs 104,000 people across 140 countries. Walden says the company’s safety culture is constantly evolving, and it continually looks for ways to enhance and refine its practices. This has been achieved through the driving factors of hazard identification and controls, as well as safe work behaviours. “I would describe thyssenkrupp’s safety culture as positive and evolving, relying on the individual efforts to maintain the team performance,” Walden says. “Hazard identification and risk assessment has always been there as part of the company, and what

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thyssenkrupp has done more recently is that it has made it more of a focus as clients have made it more of a focus. “Globally, thyssenkrupp is quite active at communicating health, safety and environment topics, safety shares and promote initiatives such as the annual ‘we care’ event – a week-long event that promotes a particular nominated topic across the globe.” thyssenkrupp’s mining solutions, including its bucket wheel excavators, stackers, shiploaders, crushers and belt conveyors, all exhibit the company’s attention to detail. “We’re always trying to optimise the design in a cost-effective way,” Walden says. “You must always stick to good quality, and I think that’s an area that thyssenkrupp does well with its products. “For our teams and safety of personnel, we’ll keep communicating on safety, sharing and improving systems of work, while we identify our hazards and build on the positive safe work behaviours exhibited by our experienced teams.” thyssenkrupp believes that automation, regular maintenance and a rethinking of designs can mitigate error and prevent personnel from hurting themselves on site. “thyssenkrupp aims to mitigate these existing risks by improving and expanding its automation offerings, continue and expand its maintenance portfolio and follow continual improvement as required by its ISO:9001 Quality System Certification,” Walden says.

As the use of automation ramps up on mine sites, Walden says that a stronger focus on this area is likely for the industry as it aims to manage potential hazards on site and deliver higher efficiency. “In thyssenkrupp, there’s a big push for automation. We’re just removing people from harm’s way or elements of the process,” Walden says. “Through automation, workers don’t need to be in certain environments because the machines are programmed to do certain things, so you can get the machines to run their program with little input from external people and take them out of that process.” Walden believes the industry is still a long way from fully automated machinery, however, self-diagnosis is on the horizon. He says the focus is to introduce automation on a lot of equipment so the machines are more efficient and run 24/7.

SILEX+ SMALL

thyssenkrupps expects the rapid uptake of automation to continue in mining.

“This will include developments in the coming years leading into machines that carry out basic maintenance within their own ecosystem, and reduced exposure to risk for the operators and personnel,” he says. “There will always be a need for people or humans. We’re a long way off

from removing people from involvement with these machines.” By delivering a focus on safety culture and continuing to innovate with its products, thyssenkrupp expresses the vigour of safety in the mining industry through its range of solutions.

Maintenance

A helping hand for hands-on maintenance NIVEK INDUSTRIES NOW OFFERS THE HYTORC ATTACHMENT TOOL FOR HYTORC’S HYDRAULIC BOLTING TOOLS, ENABLING SAFER MAINTENANCE WHILE KEEPING WORKERS’ HANDS OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE.

or safer maintenance practices, Nivek has already proven it can carry the weight of industry expectations with the company’s lift assist range. A staple in Nivek’s portfolio is the LA-40 tooling manipulator arm, which protects against hand injuries and fatigue by supporting the weight of rattle guns, impact drivers and torque tooling. By taking the weight out of maintenance, the LA-40 arm allows for easier tool use without the burden of hand and muscular skeletal injuries. Nivek has taken the safety and manoeuvrability capabilities of the LA-40 arm a step further with the Hytorc attachment tool, which can be mounted directly on the LA-40 arm to support the hydraulically driven tools in almost any orientation. The Hytorc tools are capable of achieving extremely high torque, which is essential for tightening and loosening the various nuts and bolts of mining plant and machinery. The tools have traditionally needed to be held in place by one operator, while a second operator drives the hydraulic tool. “The main cause of concern is that the person holding the tool is not the one controlling it. This can potentially lead to the operator powering on the tool whilst the other person has their hand in an unsafe position,” Nivek general manager Derrick Cant tells Safe To Work.

The Hytorc attachment tool can be mounted directly on the LA-40 tooling manipulator arm.

“If the person holding it has their finger between the reaction arm and the plate when the operator turns on the tool, the tool will easily crush their finger.” To alleviate this potential danger, Nivek has developed the Hytorc attachment tool, which is now available in Australia. Cant says Nivek developed the tool in response to customer demand for a product that allows operators to stand clear while using the Hytorc tools during maintenance for heavy earthmoving equipment. “A couple of customers approached us at different times asking for something that could hold the Hytorc tool to allow the operator to stand back and operate it instead of having to actually hold it in place,” Cant says.

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“It is mounted on our LA-40 arm and supports the weight of the Hytorc tool so it can be put in place without workers suffering from fatigue by holding up the heavy tool during operation. There is also less chance of people’s fingers getting trapped as the operation is now a one-person job.” Workers in the mining sector have long suffered the impact of hand injuries due to the demands of heavy equipment and maintenance activities. These injuries can be extremely detrimental to mine workers, forcing them to leave their jobs as they usually never function the same once injured. According to a 2013 bulletin from the Queensland Mine Inspectorate, the largest proportion of miners suffering serious hand injuries from 2007-2012

occurred while working on equipment. Cant says injuries can also occur from the fatigue of holding the hydraulic tools, which is another area that is prevented with the Hytorc attachment tool. “One lady we spoke to from a major mining company strained her back while holding a 20-kilogram tool above her shoulders,” he says. “The Hytorc attachment tool was created to stop people from holding these heavy hydraulic tools, particularly above their shoulders. They become quite dangerous during operation.” Cant says the Hytorc attachment tool allows maintenance activities using hydraulic tools to become a oneman job by removing the need for the person who is required to hold the tool. As the majority of these nuts and bolts are not in easy reach and can be in any direction, the manoeuvrability of the Hytorc attachment tool is vital to a successful operation. “The one we’ve built provides full freedom of movement allowing the tool to be positioned in any orientation,” Cant says. “You’re not just putting these on one dimension so manoeuvrability is important.”

Nivek developed the tool after customers demanded a solution to hold the LA-40 arm in place.

Cant says the Hytorc attachment tool solves a key issue in the worker safety area of mining operations. “Crushed finger injuries and muscle-skeletal injuries have always been an issue at mine sites,” Cant explains. “And I think the Hytorc attachment tool is going to be received well by the mining industry.” Long-term or permanent injuries are a serious factor that mine workers must consider each day they carry out maintenance tasks, and the Hytorc attachment tool removes a significant portion of this risk.

The Hytorc attachment tool can prevent hand and muscular skeletal injuries when using hydraulic tools.

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Technology

Heart tech on the pulse of mine workers CARDIOSCAN’S SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGY ARE ENABLING REMOTE MINING OPERATIONS TO ACCESS STATEOF-THE-ART CARDIOLOGY SOLUTIONS.

ine workers are required to operate in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Thousands of mine employees work in isolated areas such as the Pilbara, which means mine sites are generally on their own to provide facilities for their workforce. With safety as a key priority for the industry, on-site medical services are vital to ensuring workers are cared for. Many of Australia’s mining operations are hours away from the nearest medical clinic. This means miners operating on a fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) basis can work remotely for weeks or months at a time without access to healthcare services. CardioScan’s technology and solutions provide fast and accurate cardiac reporting services that can be used directly on site. This includes Cardioscan’s devices,

reporting software, technical set up, training, clinical resources and support, which are all provided at no upfront cost. You only pay for the service when you complete a test. “CardioScan is a technologyenabled healthcare company focusing on cardiac diagnostics,” CardioScan chief operating officer Josh Casey tells Safe to Work. “We use a range of medical devices, proprietary software and cardiac specialists to provide customers and patients an outcome that is efficient, accurate and of high quality.” Its services come in the form of ECG (electrocardiogram) reporting, extended (ambulatory) blood pressure monitoring, 24-hour Holter testing and BeatBox cloud technology, which can be deployed straight to mine sites. CardioScan’s services are securely cloud-based, meaning that workers can receive accurate cardiac reports

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CardioScan chief operating officer Josh Casey.

in under 24 hours from the time of their test via CardioScan’s portal, called BeatBox. The company has implemented its technology across Australian pathology companies, general practitioner clinics and private hospitals. It has also delivered its services to offshore drill rigs in Australia and New Zealand, demonstrating its remote capabilities. “The technology we’ve built over the past five years has allowed us to give the same level of healthcare to all patients, whether they are in a remote

mining location in Western Australia or the CBD in Melbourne,” Casey says. “Cardiac disease is prevalent amongst all societies, but even more so amongst those who complete physical manual labour consistently,” he continues. “Often in areas of remote operations, their access to care is limited. “Our solution helps to overcome those barriers by providing regular access to the latest technology and keeping patients informed of their health.” Casey says mining companies should consider CardioScan’s services due to their affordability, focus on patient outcomes and deployment of the best technology to ensure workers have access to lifesaving technology. By having ECG, Holter and blood pressure services on site, mine sites will not experience timedelay related impacts that could hinder production. It also provides immediate care for those showing symptoms of illness. “The mine experiences no upfront capital expenditure and the test can be paid for by Medicare if certain parameters are met,” Casey says. CardioScan also allows for mine worker health standards to be

CardioScan provides fast and accurate cardiac reports on mine sites.

managed more effectively by ensuring all workers receive annual cardiorelated check-ups. The company offers free trials of its services and technologies Australia wide and operates across 10 different countries. “Having check-ups on site at a single location allows the health obligations of the mine operator to be completed in a consistent manner,” Casey says. “It comes down to meeting regulatory requirements on measuring and managing the workers’ health and wellbeing. “Doing so with no upfront capital costs and full access to a suite of technology not previously available is a real benefit.” Other key advantages to the onsite testing platform includes its ease

Free trials of CardioScan’s technology are available.

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of access. This prevents workers from driving hours away to the closest clinic, while also streamlining data to CardioScan rather than multiple health providers. “We maintain a quality procedure when people are on site such that there is no variance in reporting standard,” Casey says. “Most importantly, it’s the consistency of our service and availability that’s 24 hours, seven days a week.” CardioScan’s services are set up remotely through a plug-and-play approach. “All of our tools are plug and play,” Casey says. “We have account managers available and if further assistance is needed someone can be organised to come to site.” CardioScan’s vision to provide timely healthcare services is backed by its fast turnaround of results. “We don’t think that in a time of need where a patient is having a cardiac diagnostic or blood pressure diagnostic that time delay should be of concern,” Casey says. “No matter where you are or what you’re doing if you have a requirement for a health check-up, we can ensure it will be with you within 24 hours.”

Technology

Meet safety goals with in-cabin monitoring and filtration innovations SAFE TO WORK EXAMINES THE LANDSCAPE OF NEW PRODUCTS AND IDENTIFIES THREE AIR-QUALITY TRENDS THAT HAVE EMERGED TO HELP MINE SITES PROTECT MACHINE OPERATORS.

eeting exposure reduction targets is a primary health and safety initiative, as well as an overall industry goal, for mining companies. Exposure to respirable dust may cause short-term health issues, increased incidences of long-term chronic lower lung disease, and even death. Reducing occupational exposure has the ability to improve worker health, increase company productivity and reduce employer healthcare costs. Environmental health and safety officers are partnering with maintenance, repair and operations teams to update new machine tenders, as well as retrofit existing fleets of heavy-equipment cabins, with engineering controls that comply with standards designed to reduce exposure to respirable particulate. New clean air innovations are providing additional engineering control options that isolate workers from hazards and are more effective than administrative controls, which focus on changing the way people work and/or personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition, a new standard – ISO 23875 cabin air quality standard – provides practical steps for mine sites to improve engineering controls and operational integration of machine cabs, in support of reducing occupational

The RESPA PURE is an in-cabin filtration system that does not require adaptation or plumbing.

exposure and improving worker health. ISO 23875 seeks to “address the fundamental design requirements that will allow for operator enclosures to perform at a level that provides sustained air quality, reducing concentrations of respirable particulate matter and carbon dioxide that are harmful to human health.” Safe to Work examines the landscape of new products and identifies three air-quality trends that have emerged to help sites protect machine operators. The trends include cabin pressurisation impact on exposure reduction, the hidden dangers of CO2 and the importance of recirculation on maintaining air quality in cabins.

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CABIN PRESSURISATION REDUCES EXPOSURE New machines and existing fleets of equipment need a properly sealed cabin that can maintain pressurisation. A properly sealed cabin is the first step to maintaining good air quality, as loss of cabin pressure can allow harmful respirable particulate to enter the cabin. Monitoring cabin pressure can be achieved through in-cabin monitoring devices. The in-cabin monitor provides machine operators real-time visibility into pressurisation levels, which can be a good indicator of both cabin air quality and filter life.

THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF CO2 Operator fatigue is a major contributor to near misses and accidents on industrial job sites. Unsafe levels of CO2 in confined spaces, such as a machine cabin, are a contributor to operator fatigue and may lead to drowsiness and loss of concentration or mental acuity. Implementing safety controls to alert machine operators to unsafe conditions is important to maintaining a safe working environment. Safety controls should include both audible and visual alarms to notify operators when conditions are outside defined limits. New generations of in-cabin monitors alert a machine operator when CO2 levels increase beyond safe limits. When selecting an in-cabin monitor for CO2 monitoring, it is important to choose a device that includes a highquality CO2 sensor to ensure accuracy, real-time visibility to air-quality conditions and compliance with industry standards, such as ISO 23875. The latest standout in-cabin monitor for heavy machinery and fixed plant cabins is his company’s RESPA Advisor+. The RESPA Advisor+ is the only ISO 23875-compliant in-cabin pressure and CO2 monitor on the market. Sy-Klone International sales and marketing vice president Austin Browne recommends that “every cabin airquality system include a monitor to ensure machine operators have visibility to the condition of the air quality inside of their cabin.” “Monitors provide fact-based datapoints for machine operators, health and hygiene officers, and maintenance leaders to better manage cabin air quality systems, resulting in improved operator air quality, reduced occupational exposure, compliance with industry standards, and more consistently meeting defined maintenance intervals,” Browne says. “We are proud to partner with mine operators on achieving ISO

The RESPA Advisor+ is the only ISO 23875-compliant in-cabin pressure and CO2 monitor on the market.

23875 compliance by delivering the first compliant in-cabin CO2 and pressure monitor.” REFRESHING AIR INSIDE THE CABIN Maintaining good air quality inside a machine cabin is one of the most effective, as well as cost-effective, methods for addressing exposure levels on a job site. Many recirculation filters are not efficient enough to adequately recover air quality back to healthy levels following temporary spikes in respirable particulate caused when dust enters the cabin, such as when an operator opens the cabin door. Ensuring a cabin air-quality system can meet a specified time (decay rate) required to recover the cabin air quality below a defined particulate limit, is an important part of exposure reduction efforts and achieving compliance under ISO 23875. To properly address these spikes and achieve ISO 23875 compliance, a recirculation system with a high-efficiency filter, such as a ISO 15 E or HEPA ISO 35 H, is required. A traditional challenge in installing an aftermarket recirculation system is space constraints or having to plumb the system into the air conditioning system. New entrants into the market have reduced the size of recirculation system offerings, making it feasible to integrate

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high-efficiency filtration into a wider variety of cabins. A new, innovative solution is the Sy-Klone RESPA PURE, an in-cabin filtration system that does not require adaptation or plumbing into a machine’s air conditioning system. Sy-Klone is leading the market in providing a full suite of products needed for ISO 23875 compliance across a range of applications, supporting early adopters of the standard. “The RESPA PURE is a stand-alone, compact air purifier that complements existing OEM recirculation systems. The purifier runs independently from the air conditioning system, making it easy to install and service,” Browne says. The RESPA PURE features a HEPA ISO 35 H filter, which enables machine owners to meet the decay rate requirement as specified in ISO 23875. The PURE has two installation configurations, including an in-cabin option, as well as a flangemounted version accessible from the exterior of the machine. INNOVATIONS ADVANCE ENGINEERING CONTROLS Clean air innovations and new standards are making mine sites a safer place to work. New products and engineering controls, such as the RESPA Advisor+ and RESPA PURE, are helping mine sites meet safety goals as well as exposure reduction targets.

Technology

Fibre optics take mining to next safety level REAL-TIME MONITORING ALLOWS MINING COMPANIES TO NOT ONLY DETECT FIRES BUT PREVENT THEM IN ALIGNMENT WITH 2021 TRENDS OF ZERO HARM.

ires and explosions continue to be one of the biggest threats to mining industry personnel, operations and the environment. A report from the Western Australia Government reveals that fires were the biggest cause of mining incidents, accounting for more than one third of accidents (34 per cent) from September until December of 2020. Fibre optics technology has emerged to offer a more comprehensive and safer solution to the mining industry’s safety needs, aligning with the latest mining trends as stated in Deloitte’s 2021 Tracking the Trends report. “Safety, always central to mining, can be enhanced by new technologies and data…An integrated approach to their use is needed. Safety analytics can predict potential harm and offer the means to prevent it,” the report stated. The conventional solutions for fire safety send alarms and activate fire suppression systems only after a fire has started, becoming hard to control once it is already happening. A better outcome would be to detect an emerging fire event before it takes hold to minimise the risk to life, damage to equipment, production loss, heavy fines, loss of operating license or even the shutdown of the whole operation. The technology has evolved and is now available to prevent all these risks with higher accuracy, real-time monitoring and no other field devices required rather than the fibre cable. Latest research reveals that fibre-

optic technology detects a smouldering event ahead of any conventional gas or infrared detectors with a single cable, offering the lowest total cost of ownership in the long run with no maintenance needed. In the diagram below there is a comparison of the timing involved to detect a fire among different fire safety systems.

This precision is unaffected by wind and other environmental effects, because not only convective (air), but also conductive (surfaces) and radiant (infrared flame) heat is detected by the cable.   The system sets early warning of potential fires which allows mining companies to prevent and detect accidents.

Timing involved to detect a fire in different fire safety systems.

FIBRE OPTICS TECHNOLOGY TO DETECT AND PREVENT ACCIDENTS Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) technology uses a laser source through a single fibre optic core measuring four millimetres in diameter and has been successfully tested and deployed in both surface and underground mines.  The ruggedised stainless steel fibre optic-based system has the capacity to detect heat build-up quickly and localise the source to within 0.5 metres of accuracy.

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The system can also be fully integrated into the mine site PLC (programmable logic controller), SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) or DCS (distributed control systems), providing a complete set of real-time data for analysis for a reliable, safe and practical solution. The system can utilise new fibre cable or existing fibre optic cables already installed on mining sites. Temperature readings with precise location are transmitted to the site’s system which provides a full temperature profile along the entire

length of the fibre cable. This assists in identifying abnormal hot spots along the route through its SCADA operator displays. Alarms and historical trends are also available and are an insightful source of information to report or even prevent future incidents. A typical overall system layout diagram is shown below. The fibre optics-based system performs all of that with a single cable that has a long-life span and the highest levels of accuracy in the industry. All of these aspects, when compared, reveal that the total cost of ownership is significantly lower for the fibre optics system in the long run as it does not require multiple devices, intrusive installation or regular maintenance. As a result of a safer system, mining companies may also achieve a lower insurance premium resulting in significant savings over time. The system is totally integrated to the plant SCADA system for a faster decision-making process and better user experience. The system goes in line with 2021 mining industry trends of zero harm, risk management and integrated operations as detailed below.

MINING INDUSTRY TRENDS According to the Deloitte Mining Insights Report, the industry is experiencing an increase in deployment of new technologies adapted to tackle safety, data integration and environmental challenges. Among the overall trends, there are three that align with fibre optics technology: •O n the road to zero harm: Creating the next generation of integrated predictive safety systems Miners are on the path to zero harm so that the workplace can be safer for their employees, nearby communities and the environment. Adopting new systems and technologies can prevent incidents and increase overall safety standards. • C orporate governance adding to competitive advantage: Emerging risks mandate greater oversight Corporate governance is emerging as a powerful way to manage risks: cyber security, environmental and technological compliance are on the agenda. Companies are stepping up to comply with higher levels of safety not only on site but also on data and information, minimising any potential risks. • The path towards integrated operations: Positioning miners to

Ruggedised stainless steel fibre optic-based system layout.

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DTS technology uses a laser source through a fibre optic core.

pivot in the face of change The rapid pace of technological advancement has provided an increase in the amount of information available to support decision-making in the mining industry. This trend is expected to accelerate over time and companies are going towards integrated operations and systems, like the fibre optics fully integrated system, rather than isolated systems. For all these reasons fibre optics technology is emerging as one the best technical and cost-effective solutions to ensure safer level of operations. The total mine coverage with a single cable and early warning of abnormal heat build-up in real time are a taking the industry to the next safety level, protecting lives and safeguarding operations.

Fatigue management

Driver fatigue / distraction / behavioural technology can save more than lives WITH INDUSTRIES EMBRACING AUSTRALIA’S DRIVER FATIGUE / DISTRACTION / BEHAVIOURAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, LSM TECHNOLOGIES IS LEADING THE WAY WITH ITS AUSTRALIAN DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AND SOLUTIONS.

river fatigue and distraction is implicated in approximately 60 per cent of mining accidents involving haul trucks and up to 30 per cent of on-road transport haulage crashes. Because of this, in-cabin fatigue and distraction monitoring are now recognised by the mining and resources industry as a critical component of its Driver Fatigue Management strategy for ensuring safer drivers. Safe Work Australia defines fatigue as more than feeling tired or drowsy. In a work context, fatigue is mental and/ or physical exhaustion that reduces the ability to perform work safely and effectively. Fatigue (distraction)-related crashes remain a major concern for the Australian Government and other road safety authorities across the country. In 2008, the Western Australian Government released its 12-year road safety strategy, Towards Zero, which set out a target of 11,000 fewer people killed or seriously injured (KSI) by 2020, which is a 40 per cent reduction from the baseline period of 2005-2007. The baseline figure for fatigue-related KSI was 264. Using a 40 per cent reduction, a figure of 158 was the government’s target for 2020. However, the estimated figure for fatigue-related KSI in Western Australia for 2016 was 319. This statistic

The device incorporates a range of innovative features.

exceeds the 2020 KSI reduction target by 161 people on WA roads. According to the Road Safety Commission website, driver fatigue (and distraction) accounts for more than 20-30 per cent of all fatal crashes and serious injuries on Australian roads. It is believed that this number is below the actual figure due to the difficulty of accurately measuring fatigue and the potential for fatigue to be masked by other factors, such as drugs and alcohol. Research shows that workers are more at risk of these fatal incidents because of irregular work schedules and longer distances driven, compared to non-commercial drivers. It is estimated that fatigue-related road incidents cost workers, families and the Australian economy $3 billion each year out of an estimated $27 billion per year in road incidents.

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In order to accurately measure the impact of driver fatigue (and distraction) in real-time, and to collect data for health and safety analysis, LSM Technologies has developed its LSM CabSense device. LSM CabSense is a driver and occupant fatigue, distraction and behavioural monitoring camera designed for mobile or stationary vehicle fleet. The device uses a unique inward facing IR camera that detects driver events such as drowsiness, distraction, identity and dangerous actions, providing real-time driver alerts, as well as tailored fleet manager alerts and insights sent to LSM FSM Fleet Safety Manager telematics system. The underlaying technology is based on proprietary driver / occupant monitoring software which, thanks to the solution’s high quality, robustness and compliance, meets with the demands of heavy mobile fleets. The detection of driver state,

CabSense uses an inward facing IR camera to detect driver events.

behaviour, driver ID and camera status enable life-saving and cost-saving features to the fleet and its drivers. In addition to the real-time alerts, further unique features were designed to serve fleets’ needs, and includes camera tamper proofing, high-level driver ID, workforce management enhancement, driver scoring information, and realtime transfer of data to LSM FSM Fleet Safety Manager telematics system for compliance and ongoing safety management. The device is equipped with selfmonitoring capabilities to detect tampering and other malfunctions which may have an adverse effect on its operation. LSM Technologies engineering manager Peter Woodford says the underlying technology of the LSM CabSense is designed to not just meet but surpass Australian safety standards and regulations. “Through working with industry, occupational health and safety professionals, legislators, regulators and our clients we endeavour to surpass Australian and international standards compliance and reduce our clients’ risk and best protect their human and equipment assets,” he says. “The built-in video analytics are selfconfiguring and work by tracking drivers’ eye lids and pupil dilation for fatigue related events, as well as monitoring the distraction and other potential unsafe

behaviours using proprietary algorithms. “The system warns the driver with real-time audible alerts when symptoms of fatigue or distracted driving or other unsafe behaviours are recognised. LSM Technologies CabSense camera is designed to be a proactive monitoring and warning tool built on our nearly two decades of experience and engineering expertise in and with fleet safety mitigation control systems. “The autonomous LSM CabSense Camera System can be combined with our LSM FSM Fleet Safety Manager web-based telemetry monitoring system to provide real-time alerts, reporting, analysis, as well as other data back to base / despatch. This powerful combination of driver and fleet safety manager alerts ensure a proactive approach to fleet operator, as well as public safety.” Woodford says the LSM Technologies CabSense camera unit provides simple driver alerts when suspected distraction or fatigue occurs as well as unsafe behaviour of both the driver and other occupants that may occur within the vehicle cabin. “It is very important that there are adequate visual and audible alerts provided to the driver so if an event occurs then they are aware and can take corrective action,” Woodford says. “The LSM CabSense camera is permanently located inside the vehicle and usually mounted on the vehicle dashboard so as to clearly capture and map the drivers face, body and internals of vehicle cabin. “LSM CabSense is positioned remotely from the driver, it does not require interaction with the driver.” Woodford says there are multiple advantages for using its LSM CabSense camera in the mining and resources, as well as the heavy haulage and transport industry. “The DFM cameras are not wearable – they are positioned remotely from the

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driver, it does not require interaction with the driver and so will not be subjected to damage due to handling or be lost or misplaced,” Woodford says. “They can monitor for driver distraction so should the driver move from view of the camera an alert is sounded. If an incident or accident occurs the driver’s face is also recorded.” Woodford says the importance of understanding the dangers of driver fatigue and distraction cannot be underestimated. “Australia relies on drivers staying safe and the prevention of serious driving accidents in the workforce,” Woodford explains. “That is why we have developed these products to not only provide safety features in real-time, but to also provide data that can be analysed so we get a greater understanding of the issues relating to driver fatigue / distraction and adverse behaviour whilst driving. “LSM Technologies are evolving as leader in Australia with an in- house engineering design team to develop the latest in safety mitigation controls. “We are also developing additional vehicle safety mitigation solutions that will be released to heavy industry by Q12021 using our LSM Sentinel System that integrates our LSM RollStop, RadarSense, CabSense, AccessID, DriverView, TyreGuard, and EnviroCab. And all of these technologies will be integrated into our FSM. “With more data, more analysis and a bigger focus on the key issues, industries will hopefully see a significant decrease in the number of driver fatalities / injuries. ”LSM Technologies are focused on providing ‘home grown’ Australian developed OH&S mitigation technologies that will best protect our customers essential ‘human and equipment assets’, provide costs- downs and enhance productivity.”

Communications

AutoMate can be configured to work around changing conditions.

Maximising performance from existing networks SEPURA’S AUTOMATE APPLICATION USES ENHANCED FEATURES TO KEEP WORKERS IN CONSTANT CONTACT AND IMPROVE ON-SITE SAFETY AND OPERATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE.

mission-critical organisation will have a requirement for “always on” communications, permanently connecting key users on a highly resilient network. The radios used on site and in the field will be tough, proven devices, capable of providing clear, loud audio to users. This is crucial to staff safety, no matter what their working environment – whether they are the driver of a large vehicle, an explosives specialist, or desk-based staff in a busy control room. Such organisations will already actively manage their on-site communications; however, it is possible to add more advanced features dynamically to their existing radios. Sepura business development manager Doug Bowden has extensive experience developing solutions for mining companies. He outlines one of the key advantages of using a TETRA

system over a standard cellular solution: “Because single site networks are owned and controlled by user organisations, additional functions can be added to the platform based around operational requirements. “These can encompass more data services and applications than are usually considered part of the critical communications capability.” Sepura’s AutoMate application is one example of an intelligent app that can improve both safety and operations. Developed by the Australian team led by Bowden and designed specifically for Sepura’s customers in mining, the solution improves both operational performance and staff safety by enabling radio automation through geofencing and situational triggers. Sepura’s technical lead on the app, Ash Hunter, explains that “once a userdefined automation is triggered, the app

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 46 JUL-AUG 2021

executes routine and safety critical tasks to deliver fast results, reducing the risk of user error and safeguarding front-line teams who are able to focus on their critical tasks.” The Sepura team highlights that customers asked them for solutions to enhance their situational awareness across sites. “It is vital for control rooms to understand the location and status of their operational teams,” Bowden says. “By utilising automated alerts from within the application and sent over an existing TETRA network, situational awareness across the site is massively improved, without the need to invest in further communication infrastructure.” Alerts and notifications are fully configurable to match and enhance an organisation’s workflows. A flexible set of triggers and radio actions can support operations, and automations can

be linked and combined according to logic or priority. Further, radios can be readily updated with new configurations to match changes in workflows or operational environment and automations can be overridden or suspended by radio users in exceptional circumstances, such as an emergency situation. Hunter outlines how this could support a mining operation as it evolves: “Blast zones move, large vehicles are on site some days and not others, specific activity may be undertaken at set times; AutoMate can be configured to work around these changing environmental conditions, and this is absolutely key to its efficiency – it can be quickly and easily updated to support these changes.” The benefits of AutoMate for a mining organisation can be shown in the following user cases: SECURE ZONE ENTRANCE An explosives expert enters a ringfenced blast zone. As they enter, they pass a pre-defined geofence. The radio is automatically triggered to switch to a specific talkgroup for the explosive team and confirmation of the worker’s presence is sent to the control team and team leader on site. Benefit: Improved staff safety and situational awareness.

The Sepura solution improves communications across mine sites.

LOSS OF NETWORK SIGNAL IN UNDERGROUND LOCATION A maintenance team enters an underground store with no network TETRA coverage to perform some routine checks. The loss of the TETRA radio signal triggers a change to direct mode, ensuring communications are maintained via the mobile gateway radio in the team’s vehicle. A return to TMO mode will be triggered when the radio next passes a Bluetooth beacon or other trigger. Benefit: Improved operational efficiency. VEHICLE MOVING AT UNSAFE SPEED ON SITE A delivery vehicle is driving above the site speed limit near to where staff are

The radio in the vehicle can measure the vehicle’s speed by monitoring GPS co-ordinates.

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moving between operational areas. The radio in the vehicle can measure the vehicle’s speed by monitoring GPS co-ordinates. When a pre-set limit has been reached, the app sends an automated audible warning to the driver to slow down. An alert can also be sent to the control team so that the incident can be logged and/or addressed. Benefit: Improved staff safety. RESPONSE TO AN EMERGENCY SITUATION A cyclone is heading towards the operational site and poses a threat to all present. The control room sends a remote control SDS message to all radio users in a single action. The message is received by each radio, which plays a loud repeating alert tone and displays a pre-defined onscreen notification. Upon receiving the alert, all radios will also automatically switch to a specific talkgroup, allowing safety measures to be communicated to everyone and evacuation of open areas to commence. Benefit: Improved staff safety; improved operational efficiency. AutoMate is available to users of Sepura SC Series TETRA radios as a software upgrade to their existing solutions.

Fire safety

Suspicious fire under the microscope FIRE FORENSICS HAS A REPUTATION AS A CAPABLE TEAM OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION INVESTIGATORS IN AUSTRALIA AND GLOBALLY, WITH A JOB AT A MAJOR COAL MINE IN MOZAMBIQUE OPENING A CAN OF WORMS THAT THE COMPANY WAS DETERMINED TO SOLVE.

or more than 40 years, Fire Forensics has been known for its commitment to dissecting the causes of fires and creating thorough investigations to determine how and why a blaze occurred. While no investigation is a straightforward task, Fire Forensics managing director and senior investigator Belinda Jane (BJ) Jones was enlisted to examine a fire that had occurred on a Hitachi excavator at a major coal mine in Mozambique, Africa. Fire Forensics, which is based in Australia, was hired for the job due to the company’s previous track record working with the Australian expats hired by the

company operating the mine. The operator may have enlisted Fire Forensics for a fire that occurred on the excavator, but unlike most mine fires that are caused by machine or human error, Jones discovered that fuel theft had been involved. “This was a first for us,” Jones says. “It blew my mind that none of the other investigations looked at the refuelling systems.” Unlike Australia, Southern African mines do not have dedicated internal maintenance personnel, they use many sub-contracted companies which can lead to a conundrum of people trying to diagnose an issue or cover their

Fuel theft was found to be the cause of two excavator fires.

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tracks if responsible. “In Mozambique, it’s all contracted out. The local maintenance crew could touch everything except the engines, which were maintained by a separate sub-contractor,” Jones says. “We were dealing with 12 different people who can’t touch different parts (of the machine).” Fire Forensics was hired because a previous investigation could not uncover the cause of an excavator fire. “They had another investigator hired by the fire suppression system because it was an aftermarket system, as well as an investigator for the company which made the machine,” Jones says. “At the time, they had two reports that said different things and they weren’t happy with that.” While Fire Forensics was initially hired for a second single excavator fire, Jones was asked to analyse the previous excavator fire and two unrelated fires which had occurred on the site since. “Within half a day of arriving at the site I knew that someone had been stealing fuel from this second fire in the Hitachi excavator, since the fuel cap was off,” Jones says. “Because the refuelling systems are in such large tanks, they require high pressure guns to fill the tanks under super high pressure and safety mechanisms are installed in the refuelling system, including high pressure caps. “In the first instance, they decided to use very large shifters to get these highpressure caps off the top deck of the fuel tanks, to then remove the breather, which

is meant to equalise the pressure. “Because they broke the refuelling system below the machine, there was also recharge in the fuel lines dumping fuel under the excavator. “They removed the fuel cap and breather to get to the fuel, broke the fast refuelling system under the machine, which dumped fuel under the excavator. “Then, because they’ve had a diesel fuel spill on the top deck after manually pumping into jerry cans from the fuel cap; this has then been pulled through the rear fan of one engine and blown across and been ignited by the hot engine, which then had blown forwards through the machine.” The previous six-month-old excavator fire was similar, Jones continues. “The other two fires on this first trip were unrelated,” she says. “One was caused when a high-pressure sensor on a boom failed and sprayed oil everywhere, with the other one caused by a loader’s front pivot point.” A second trip to the site involved the third excavator, where the refuelling system was also damaged and fuel theft occurred. Jones says the excavator caught fire and progressed much faster than usual due to coal dust build up on the machine. “There was maintenance and hygiene issues on the machine,” she says. “We’re talking like 10-15 centimetres of buildup. It was so bad it progressed the fire through the machine much faster than it should have.” Despite solving the puzzle of the fires, a key question remained: why were people stealing fuel? Jones says the mine was plagued by union issues due to workers being underpaid, and that the operator was in negotiations with unions to reduce the average wage of its workers below $US600 ($777) per month. “Each excavator carries 8000 litres of fuel and its $US2 per litre of fuel on the black market in Mozambique,” she says.

A fire-damaged excavator investigated by Fire Forensics in Mozambique.

“The mine is near a trucking route to Zambezi so people can nick fuel and sell it for $US2 per litre, which is far more than the average monthly wage of $US600 per tank. “Everyone was aware of the black market for fuel the mine workers were involved in except people who needed to understand what was going on.” According to Jones, each excavator is worth $US15-$US20 million each and takes a year to commission. “So, you’ve lost the machine and the capacity to work for about a year in Africa. The actual loss in its output capacity was huge,” Jones says.

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Jones reveals that multiple parties were attempting to cover up why the fires on the excavators started. However, she says that sticking to her guns to ensure she delivered an accurate investigation into what occurred was important. “Forrest Gump says ‘life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get’ – this was just that at the extreme,” she says. “The bribery out there was a bit crazy. You just have to be flexible in those situations and that’s part of what we do: holding ourselves to high standards and standing our ground to provide a thorough investigation.”

Sustainability

Erizon tailors the best possible solution to each site for maximum results.

More than a ‘spray and pray’ environmental solution ERIZON’S SIX-STEP PROCESS TO MINE REHABILITATION ENSURES THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO MEET REMEDIATION REQUIREMENTS.

ine rehabilitation is a crucial issue for modern mining organisations. This entails dealing with lingering issues related to excavation, regenerating flora and making the land viable for other uses if possible. According to dust suppression and environmental expert Erizon, mining results in a major environmental impact which may affect more than the mine site’s immediate surroundings. The environment also suffers from both direct and indirect effects of mining. Some of the biggest issues caused are the loss of vegetation, biodiversity, soil and water contamination, and erosion. Mine site rehabilitation refers to the remediation of the negative effects sustained by the site and its surrounding environment during mining operations. It is often a legal requirement that mine sites must integrate environmental

and social considerations throughout all phases of production. Revegetating with healthy, sustainable plant species that support existing ecosystems is the most efficient and effective way to meet remediation requirements. Erizon’s approach to mine site rehabilitation takes into consideration the climate, the size of the site, the soil or rock condition and the chemical properties to prepare an appropriate remediation plan aimed at erosion control, dust suppression and successful revegetation of even the most damaged and degraded soils. The restoration of vegetation can reverse the adverse negative impacts caused by the clearing and disturbance. Vegetation controls erosion, reduces land degradation, stabilises batters through root reinforcement and provides a habitat for biodiversity

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and animal species. One of the keys to Erizon’s success in this field stems from its intensive hydromulching process. Erizon senior environmental advisor Phil Barnett says hydromulching is a process that uses water as a carrier to spray seed, fertiliser, tracking dye and a binder/tackifier onto the seedbed, but has the benefits of Australian-tested cellulosic growth medium mulches added to the slurry. Hydromulching also provides a temporary layer of erosion control from wind and water until vegetation germinates “The problem is that some soils are very vulnerable to erosion, particularly some of the soils that we are dealing with in mining areas that may not have much topsoil and are mostly made up of mining waste,” Barnett tells Safe to Work. “The main purpose of it is to provide

instant protection from erosion and it does that by providing a flat mass that is resistant to water erosion. “It also has the same benefits as mulch in a garden, it retains moisture, it suppresses weed growth and it supports germination of the seeds we sow there that will grow their roots and get established to provide that ongoing sustainable support.” Barnett says one of the highlights of Erizon’s program is the focus on safety. “One of the advantages of our program in terms of safety is that it is a very safe way to carry out seeding,” Barnett says. “You are not trying to run trucks up and down steep slopes and you don’t have personnel up on the slopes trying to plant stock – all of the process is done from a distance. “The hydroRigs that are shooting the mulch out from their cannons can reach up to 100 metres so we can shoot from below the slope or from the top and completely seed without risk to vehicles or personnel.” Barnett says one of the reasons Erizon stands out among its competitors is the company’s six-step process when applying and implementing its hydromulching program. These steps include: PRE-SITE INSPECTION Rehabilitation involves careful analysis of a site’s requirements and condition to customise a solution that meets its goals. Soil samples are collected to determine the characteristics of the site. Barnett says getting an early assessment allows Erizon to gain a greater understanding of the rehabilitation needs of each site. “We like to actually go on site and walk around to get a better idea of a range of issues including soil type, the lay of the land and which seeds will be the most successful in this environment,” he says.

DRONE SURVEY A 3D survey is undertaken to image map the area to a high degree of detail. Barnett says each site is different and the inspection allows Erizon to get an early assessment of the best way forward, while tailoring the program to each individual site. “The drones are also used as a quality assurance measure which is focusing on area so we can be truly accurate in our applications,” Barnett says. TAILORED SOLUTION Selecting the optimum plant species, Erizon carefully applies the best solution considering the ability to facilitate growth, functional longevity and the erosion control effectiveness. “Some companies have what I like to call a ‘spray and pray’ attitude where they will plant the seeds, add some fertiliser and hope for the best,” he says. “At Erizon, we make sure we tailor the best possible solution to each site depending on what we believe will be the most successful.” UNIFORM APPLICATION Hydroseeding and hydromulching process are optimal solutions for mine site rehabilitation, with each process providing its own benefits to deliver remediation success. “There may not be a one-approach-

fits-all solution for each particular job, so we are looking at the different levels of variability at each site,” Barnett says. “While we offer a uniform approach, not all sites are uniform and we have to look at the best way to maximise growth and remediation success.” DRONE SPRAYING Latest drone technology allows Erizon to apply fertiliser, trace elements and soil probiotics four to eight weeks after seeding application to ensure ongoing project success. “Using drones allows us to get an accurate measurement of the area we need to cover,” Barnett says. “It also allows us to get our rates of seeding right, as well as getting our rates of fertiliser right.” REHABILITATION PERFORMANCE MONITORING Monitoring drones ﬁtted with the latest scanning and imaging technology and sensors make sure the project is going as planned. “This final part of the process measures how well the plant species are growing to make sure they take root and do their job of preventing soil erosion,” Barnett says. “This continues on from our tailored solution phase and ensures we provide the continued support the site needs to complete the rehabilitation process.”

Hydromulching provides a temporary layer of erosion control until vegetation germinates.

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2021

AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS

N E P O W O N S N O I T A R E I G N M I N I E R MIN P M ’S HE O A I N USTRALS FOR TLS STRY A

D ERA DU R A N AW D MIN ING I m. au AN CESS a r d s .co O w R P cta pr

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Research & development

Fighting cancer with Aussie gold GOLD INDUSTRY GROUP MEMBER EVOLUTION MINING HAS PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND TO PROPEL THE USE OF GOLD NANO SENSORS IN EARLY CANCER DETECTION AND RESEARCH INTO LONG HAUL COVID-19 IMMUNE RESPONSE.

Members of UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology team.

ustralia’s gold miners are significant contributors to the health of our economy, with a record 327 tonnes produced last year. While the financial benefits are prevalent, the precious metal has also emerged as a key part of medical research applications using nanotechnology. The University of Queensland’s (UQ) Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology has proven this by developing a gold nanoparticles blood test that reveals early signs of cancer. This was uncovered by UQ researchers Abu Sina, Laura Carracosa and Matt Trau, who discovered a DNA signature that is common

among all cancers. By analysing patterns of molecules in DNA signatures (methyl groups), the researchers found that cancer cells cause these molecules to cluster together in specific locations and fold up into three-dimensional nanostructures that stick to gold. “The inertness of gold, as well as its unique chemical and physical properties makes it ideal for many of our medical applications,” Trau tells Safe to Work. To advance the research, gold miner Evolution Mining committed to a partnership with UQ which has now pivoted into researching long-haul COVID-19 immune response. “Evolution is pleased to be able to support this Australian research and

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Australian innovation using Australian gold. We are eager to share our innovative partnership with UQ with the rest of the gold industry,” Evolution vice president sustainability Fiona Murfitt says. “UQ’s research offers an opportunity for Evolution to contribute to the health of the communities we operate in, to the wider world, and to demonstrate the relevance of gold now and in the future through an innovative project.” Despite the initial setbacks of COVID-19, the researchers marched on thanks to Evolution’s support. “In a climate where research funding for blue sky projects is shrinking, the funding received from Evolution Mining was absolutely pivotal to stabilise and grow our research,” Trau says. “It was also pivotal to receive these precious funds to continue to grow our work during the COVID-19 economic downturn/uncertainty.” After successfully using gold for cancer detection, the team focused on developing the Immuno-Storm Chip, which monitors the immune system overresponse at 1000 times the sensitivity of conventional technology. It is designed to show whether patients are at risk of an uncontrolled immune response that can damage body tissues, and once again, the use of gold was pivotal in the study. Trau and his team have created a tiny array of gold pillars and attached antibodies that stick to cytokine molecules in blood samples, which can

Research & development reveal the early signs of uncontrolled immune response. According to the researchers, goldsilver nanotag particles emit bright light when they are in contact with cytokine molecules, which enables inexpensive detection through optical imaging equipment. “Having developed the technology for cancer applications, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we pivoted our attention to the development of the Immuno-Storm Chip in order to try and help the exponentially growing number of acute and long-haul COVID-19 patients,” Trau says. “Because this technology is able to monitor the immune system overresponse at 1000 times greater sensitivity than conventional technology, from a small drop of blood, it is now beginning to open up many other opportunities for medical applications in other dangerous infectious diseases (e.g. Sepsis), cancer therapy monitoring and autoimmune disease.” The gold miner retained its ranking in the top performing Australian mining companies for corporate sustainability in 2020, according to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Australia, further strengthening its sustainability reputation. “Evolution is proud to partner with UQ to support research for early cancer diagnosis using Australian gold

Gold nano sensors can be used in early cancer detection.

and we’re excited to see what comes next,” Murfitt says. “It’s Australian research, Australian innovation using Australian gold being applied to help people impacted by cancer and also identifying the longhaul impacts of COVID-19, which is in line with our sustainability approach to leave positive legacies for our people and within our communities.” Gold Industry Group champions its members’ efforts to support health projects across Australia, with Evolution Mining’s partnership with UQ just one of several examples. The industry association helps the sector to tell stories of the many uses gold has in everyday life that Australians might not be aware of. Gold Industry Group executive officer Rebecca Johnston says it is important to

Evolution Mining partnered with UQ to advance gold nanoparticle research.

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show the benefits that gold offers. “Bringing awareness to the fact that gold has contributed significantly to the advancement of science and medicine will create a better understanding of gold’s value and relevance,” Johnston says. “Due to the plethora of benefits it provides to communities from technology to medicine, it is important that gold’s value is not only measured in economic terms, but also the tangible ways which drive humanity.” Johnston says the gold industry is actively supporting similar projects to the partnership between Evolution and UQ. Through Telethon, for example, Northern Star Resources, Gold Fields Australia and Gold Road Resources have donated a gold bar for the past two years, raising more than $38 million. “Northern Star Resources also funds Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre director professor Stephen Stick, a career clinician and clinical researcher whose research focus has been the earliest manifestations of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and cystic fibrosis and developing interventions to prevent long-term lung damage,” Johnston says. Despite fluctuating prices, these examples show that Australian gold miners are doing more than some may expect to drive innovation and services in other sectors.

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of the exclusive PLATINUM doublesided anti-scratch and anti-fog lens coating, Bollé Safety has been at the forefront of industrial eye protection, becoming synonymous with quality, comfort and style. With a wide range of innovative, comfortable and protective safety and prescription eyewear, the company is trusted with the protection of over 20 million workers’ vision in 100 countries.

PPE CAPABILITIES AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO MINING INDUSTRY: Bollé Safety designs and markets personal protective equipment for eye protection for industrial use consistent with the AS/NZS 1337.1:2010 standards. The product range includes safety

glasses, goggles and face shields as well as the service of prescription safety and customised eyewear. Bollé Safety offers more than 500 references, four to five new products per year. The company strives to develop and provide high quality products with emphasis on health and safety of the customers. Some of the exclusive Bollé Safety lens technologies include PLATINUM anti-fog and anti-scratch coating, Polarised technology, Twilight, ESP (Extra Sensory Perception), CSP (Comfort Sensitivity Perception) and CONTRAST. All Bollé Safety products are tested according to AS/ NZS 1337.1:2010 standard. Tested by independent laboratories, certified by accredited bodies, this information guarantees protective eyewear quality and resistance.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 58 JUL-AUG 2021

Mayo Hardware EMAIL:

atg@mayohardware.com.au COMPANY PHONE:

1300 360 211 HEAD OFFICE:

4 Secombe Place Moorebank New South Wales 2170 BRANCH OFFICE LOCATIONS:

Sydney, New South Wales

COMPANY DESCRIPTION: Mayo Hardware was established in 1928 and is a third generation Australianowned family business. Mayo Hardware offers retailers quality brands and innovative products backed

by market-leading warranties and superior customer service. Historically the business commenced with a relationship with Master Lock and over the years expanded into outdoor lifestyle product categories. Some of the well-known brands Mayo Hardware distribute or own include ATG Gloves, Master Lock, DeWalt, Gorilla Glue, Thermacell, CharGriller, Gecko, Waxworks, Charlie Carp, Durashield, Sentry Safes and Graham & Brown.

PPE CAPABILITIES AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO MINING INDUSTRY: We can help your workplace evaluate and benchmark your hand protection program to identify areas of risk, current issues

and then work through implementing proposed solutions in alignment with best practice. The benefits of this are: • Significant reductions in total cost of ownership • Improved worker comfort and productivity • Reduced risk and improved safety outcomes • Fit for purpose equipment solutions • Improved dermatological health for workers. ATG is a traditional manufacturer that uses the very latest technologies to deliver class leading gloves. ATG® does everything themselves and guarantee that nothing is outsourced allowing full traceability and a focus on social responsibility and sustainability.

Sy-Klone International EMAIL:

sales@sy-klone.com COMPANY PHONE:

1-904-448-6563 BRANCH OFFICE LOCATIONS:

Authorised Sy-Klone resellers: LSM TECHNOLOGIES

16 Bluestone Circuit Seventeen Mile Rocks Queensland 4073 Tel: (07) 3725 8100 LYONS AIRCONDITIONING

153-157 Chisholm Crescent Kewdale Western Australia 6105 Tel: (08) 9259 7777

COMPANY DESCRIPTION: Sy-Klone International, founded in 1986, is a manufacturing and technology company that creates industry-leading air filtration solutions that protect heavy equipment engines and operators, and address other specialty industrial and commercial applications. Sy-Klone’s customers range from heavy equipment manufacturers, to the United States Government and international militaries, to distribution that supplies industries and end users of heavy equipment across the globe in the most intensive, debris-laden industries. With more than 100 patents and registered trademarks worldwide, Sy-Klone continues to innovate and evolve air filtration solutions to address complex customer needs through the power of clean air.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 59 JUL-AUG 2021

PPE CAPABILITIES AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO MINING INDUSTRY: Sy-Klone International’s clean air, precleaning, and filtration solutions protect heavy equipment engines and machine operators in heavy-debris and high-dust work environments, as well as help mine sites meet ISO 23875 performance and engineering requirements. ISO 23875-Compliant cabin air quality systems: - H EPA H13/ISO 35 H filtration - Precleaner, pressuriser and filtration cabin air quality system - High-efficiency recirculation filtration - In-cabin CO2 and pressure monitors.

Event spotlight

The ultimate ingredient to success IN THIS EDITION’S COLUMN AS WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AMBASSADOR, RACHAEL ASHFIELD REFLECTS ON HER SECRET TO SUCCESS – HER TEAM.

truly believe that your success is only as good as the team structure, rapport and networks that you build, all of which lend themselves to the overall success of the company. Hearing that I work for a highly technical automation company that sells complex automation and cloud solutions is not what people expect when they meet me at an event and ask what I do. Especially when I begin by explaining that I am in marketing. Eyebrows are quickly raised, and I know everyone wonders how I ended up here. If I think back on my career, I too sometimes ask, “How did I get here?” From the outside, it might seem like a slow rise to such a senior position, but the journey to head of the marketing division at ifm has been so quick in my eyes. My career has seen me travel pathways filled with triumph, hurdles, and yes, at times, disappointment. But throughout it all, I’ve had a supportive team around me. While not everyone may have a ‘dream team’ when starting out, I believe you get out of teamwork what you put in. Whether a man or woman in any role within any industry, if you bring a level of energy and conviction of belief to your

career journey, the hard work will pay off and successful results will follow. Even better is when you have worked with a team for a period and have developed great synergies – this builds a solid foundation for success. Together you build excitement, engagement and a dynamic that people want to be a part of. Departments can see the rewards of their participation with you when they see the outcomes of the material you produce because of their contribution towards the end goal. As long as you are passionate, believe in yourself and strive for your best possible outcomes, you will be assured of career success and job satisfaction. It may not be easy and will possibly be a bumpy road along the way, but remember to celebrate the small victories. It is easy to overlook all these important milestones when you are busy working hard for the career highs. Luckily, Women in Industry is here to help you acknowledge these small wins. We are the supportive team you can count on to be cheering for your success, the network of like-minded women here to help build the excitement and engagement that will see you ooze confidence and work towards those big overarching career highlights.

SAFETOWORK.COM.AU 60 JUL-AUG 2021

ifm efector marketing manager, Rachael Ashfield.

Ultimately the foundation of success of women in any industry is the innate desire to achieve results and strive for success in your chosen field. Being able to participate, network and apply your own understanding of people and what drives them will build a strong supportive team to help both individuals and businesses succeed. One day, your team might even nominate you for a Women in Industry award. Until then – nominate yourself. We’ll be here, ready to support you.

, D E E N U T. O Y E R R E ER N. V E F O T N S A I O H H W D IT RC A N I E F ES TH

RELY ON AUSTRALIA’S MANUFACTURING, MINING AND INDUSTRIAL HUB 70,000 monthly users can’t be wrong. Find what you’re looking for with over 12,000 business listings and 8,000 specific product listings. Access relevant information and resources, empowering you to make a qualified purchase decision. You can always rely on your industry hub.

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MHD Supply Chain Solutions

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

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS MELBOURNE | AUGUST 19 Women across typically male-dominated industrial sectors will be honoured once more at the Women in Industry Awards. The event aims to acknowledge the exceptional women who have achieved success through their invaluable leadership, innovation and commitment to their sectors. These may be women you work with, women whose achievements are inspiring you from afar, or women who are providing you with invaluable guidance and support. Potential sectors for recognition have included quarrying, mining, road transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management, rail and infrastructure. Past winner and 2021 ambassador Rachel Ashfield said the awards “give you an opportunity to highlight key aspects and career-defining moments of your many years of success and dedication.” Nominations close June 25. • womeninindustry.com.au

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 homegrown 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

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

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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

INTERNATIONAL MINING AND RESOURCES CONFERENCE (IMARC) MELBOURNE | OCTOBER 25-27 After going virtual last year, IMARC is back in 2021 with a hybrid event – welcoming thousands of guests from Australia and overseas, in-person and online. More than 130 countries will participate in Australia’s most influential mining event, with over 200 exhibitors and 70 hours of networking opportunities to take advantage of. The event encompasses a three-day conference diving into topics of exploration, investment, production optimisation technology and global opportunities. Additionally, the expo floor will cover 13,000 square metres to accommodate the biggerand-better machinery and equipment on show this year. Tickets range from free passes through to premium delegate passes, so visit the site below to book your spot now. • imarcglobal.com

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Articles inside

Fighting cancer with Aussie gold

More than ‘spray and pray’ solutions

Suspicious fire under the microscope

Pushing mining to next safety level

Technology saves more than lives

In-cabin monitoring and filtration

Maximising performance from existing networks

Heart tech on the pulse of miners

Facing up to adversity

Safety with a dash of innovation

Conveying a safer approach

Worker welfare a major focus

Helping hand for hands-on maintenance

QLD mine trial encourages safer practices

Bollé Safety targets smaller end of market