11th February 2016 Grosvenor MRE Inspection CH4 HPI
POINTS TO NOTE
CONTRACTOR MANAGEMENT and RESPIRABLE DUST WORKING IN RETURNS
METHANE HPI
Inspectors find that increased monitoring makes resuming mining in MG 101 that the level of risk is
acceptable?
NO ACTUAL REDUCTION OF RISK JUST ADDITIONAL MONITORING,
Miner manually tripped by operator after personal gas detector alarmed 2.85% yet continuous miner
seems to have only got to one percent. The lag time between the two is a real concern.
The 160 l/s of Methane sounds about right if there was around 10m3/s being delivered by the auxiliary
fan to the face. Just need to remember that is less than one sixth of a m3/s.
CONTRACTOR MANAGEMENT
Contractor Management 1st and 2nd dot points
Where does the term full time equivalent come from?
Not mentioned in the Act or Regulations, it is an Industrial Relations expression.
A Coal Mine Worker is a Coal Mine Worker from contract cleaner through to the SSE.
Workers need to be trained for their positions no matter who or what they are.
RESPIRABLE DUST WORKING IN RETURNS
Over 6mg/m3 is very high and it is for workers employed in the return roadway. For a start should not
be happening at all because dust levels are too high. Also exposed to potential greater than 2.5%
methane.
Inspectors say static readings are very high but not how high.
Just “Controls are ineffective”
TG 101
Working secondary support in Returns Installing megabolts.
No signage or indication been Inspected by ERZC Controller.
A Sign board is on order. None in the store? Do not believe none available Here
is the sign that roof support when developed is inadequate.
Hence mega-bolts being installed
No Risk assessment, Standard Work Instruction.
Obviously never seen document or trained in it. It is their primary if only task.
Not possible to that unaware if properly trained and competent.
MG 102 Drivehead
No segregation stoppings. Should be illegal under Regulations
CO sensor not in right place
MG 102 Development
Why is only one auxiliary fan running and only ventilating B heading? No reasons given. Unusual with
Inspectors present.
Is there enough air to run two fans at full capacity simultaneously?
3.0 – Close out meeting
A close out meeting was conducted with Inspectors, UMM Wayne Bull, and Operations Support
Superintendent Scott Barker where we discussed the following matters:
The SIG Contractor Management
The SIG Contractor management still required clarification on providing evidence of Audits undertaken
by as required by section 5.6.1.3 of the Grosvenor Contractor Management Plan. Inspector Dobson
committed to send an email for the detail required for this.
Does not appear to comply with its own Contractor Management Plan. Indicates no audits available
in the system
Was the Dobson email ever sent?
DIRECTIVE
Pursuant to section 167 of the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999
Prevention of exposure to Respirable dust and Silica with working activities in returns during
development production. 16/02/2016
To suspend all working activities in returns during development production. This will require the risk
assessment for this matter to be reviewed and controls to be implemented. This will also require the use
of personal real time monitoring for coal mine workers involved in any of these tasks with any future
work of this nature to ensure that regulatory level of exceedance is not breached whilst conducting all
working activities in returns during development production.
Dust Directive background and then Directive on page 5. In Place for 5 days only
Can only resume with real time personal monitors. Not aware of their use anywhere at that time.
Companies kept saying they were not approved for underground use Which Inspector followed up?
Was it Dobson?
