North Goonyella MRE 30th May 2018. Permit to Drill Gross Non-Compliance

The gross non-compliance with Site “Permit to Drill” procedures is discovered in 10Sth Development.

The Inspectors state that they Directed the Underground Mine Manager to suspend drilling until “such time that the pipe work was addressed, the drill permit was re-issued correctly and the standpipes were correctly labelled.

So why not state that you issued a Section 167 Directive “to suspend operations for unacceptable level of risk”

Then to add insult to Injury there is no Section 168 “to review safety and health management system and principal hazard management plans” or a Section 169 Directive “to suspend operations for ineffective safety and health management system”

They write that there is an SCP (Substandard Condition or Practice) that has a due date of the 1st July 2018.

As pointed out before there is no such thing as an SCP in the Act, it has no legal standing under the Act

The Permit to Drill that was supplied by the VLI supervisor stated that there was a drill plan that must be signed off by the Ventilation Officer that would be attached to the permit.

1. The plan that was attached was not signed off and had red hand-written notes printed on it
2. There was no indication whether the hand-written notes were added before or after the plan had been approved. This practice should be avoided.
3. There was a second, hand drawn plan with the notice that had no description on it, and nothing to identify the location it was associated with.
4. None of the standpipes had identification labels on them to identify which standpipe was which.

This is critical information to identify which standpipe is associated with which hole detailed on the Flight Plans for the drill pattern.

The Mine Manager was directed to suspend drilling operations at this place until such time that the pipe work was addressed, the drill permit was re-issued correctly and the standpipes were correctly labelled.

CLOSE OUT MEETING

An SCP is given to review the Permit to Drill process. Due Date 1/07/2018

This must consider, as a minimum –

1. Correct sign off of any plans included in the permit;
2. Plans not to have handwritten comments so that it can be assured that all comments and other items on the plan are approved;
3. Requirement to appropriately label stand pipes;
4. An inspection of the drill site by the ventilation officer, gas drainage coordinator or other competent supervisor, prior to sign off; Correct installation of pipework;
5. Ventilation requirements and air quantity measurements at the drill site; Location of methane monitors.