Grosvenor Mine Inquiry Submission. Grosvenor Inquiry Read Torbanlea Royal Commission Report prior to presenting Interim Report. A Compulsory Qld Mines Disaster Competency Package for Statutory Officials
This is my latest Submission.
Grosvenor Inquiry Recommendation Read Tobanlea Royal Commission
For anyone who works in the Industry please take the time to read the Torbanlea Royal Commission Report,
The circumstance of the multi-fatality explosion at Torbanlea are the closest to the circumstances at Grosvenor in the history of Queensland Underground Coal Mining Disasters.
- Five Coal Face Mine Workers were involved in each.
- They were Contract Coal Miners, not permanently employed by the Mine Operator/Owner
- The most likely source of the Methane gas that exploded was through floor blowers.
- The blowers came from a gassy seam some 2 feet below the mined seam and the inter-burden stone band that was too hard to remove except by explosive.
- They were mining in the immediate vicinity of a fault and no methane was detected 15 minutes before the fatal explosion.
- After the incident it was noted by all except the Mine Manager that there was evidence of floor heave that was not there prior to the explosion.
The parallels between the apparent attitudes of Mine Owners, General Managers (Site Senior Executives today), Underground Mine Managers and lastly the Mines Inspectors are proof yet again; that despite the in some ways exponential technological progress in the last 120 years little has been achieved improving the way safety in managed in Queensland Coal Mines.
Those Owners, General Managers and “Appointed Underground Managers” from both the Burrum and Ipswich Field were
1) Almost exclusively from “The Old Country” as they all refer to it in the Testimony. The OLD COUNTRY covered Scotland, Wales and England.
2) Only 2 had any Managers Certificates and only one of those had done any study and passed exams to obtain it. The other had received a Certificate of Service as he was working as a Mine Manager when the Coal Mining Act of 1872 was passed.
3) Most had not worked in methane rich mines in the Old Country or “Fiery Mines” as they refer to them.
4) The only “Queensland Industry” Manager was the Manager at Waterstone Colliery and he had no Statutory Qualifications at all
http://mineaccidents.com.au/uploads/report-of-the-royal-commission(1).pdf
If you want to read for yourself about.
Working conditions for non permanent contract workers paid by the tonne of coal mined per day (the DARG), who can be fired without recourse by the bosses at any time. Working in 4 foot gassy seams with naked flame lights the only source of illumination.
The qualifications and background of the Owners and Managers.
Eyewitness accounts of the methane Explosion Disaster at Torbanlea and Whitwood and the Methane Explosion Fatality at Waterstone Colliery while the Royal Commission was holding public hearings.
HOW TO USE THE INDEX.
For ease of reference to find particular sections you are most interested in.
On page 3 of 203, is a list of witness, their position and the pages their testimony is on.
Pages 4 to 10 are an Index to Evidence which is broken up firstly with the Commission Hearings and Transcript of the Public Hearings held concerning the Burrum Field and Torbanlea in Particular and then Ipswich hearings,
My strong suggestion is print the index for ease of reference.
If you are interested in methane look under Gas. For floor blowers look for “Gas from Pavement”
In the Burrum Section it is on page 5 of 203.
It then lists who and the question number
For instance J Sharp (Torbanlea Mine Manager) testimony about floor blowers the answers Mt Sharp gives are those questions in the Transcript. The first is Questions 323 to 326.
You scroll through the transcript to those questions which is located on page 47 of 203
If you want to read about how often these Contract Mineworkers in Ipswich were brave enough to perform an “Examination of Mine under Section 198 of Mining Act of 1898“, that is on page 8 of 203.
The testimony from the W Orr starts at question 5543
5553. You say the persons appointed to do this examination work are competent men ?
Thoroughly competent men, I believe.
5554. What test do they go through ?
The ‘gentleman in chargé of No. 3 has been a fireman in North Wales, and has had considerable experience. The other gentleman, at No. 2, is Andrew Hamilton.
He has not had a great deal of practical experience, but he has had sufficient, and is well qualified for then position which he occupies.
5555: Does the manager or underground manager hold a certificate ?
No.
5556. You have no certificated manager at all ?
Not at the present time. We have had certificated managers
GROSVENOR MINE AND TORBANLEA SIMILARITIES
http://mineaccidents.com.au/uploads/report-of-the-royal-commission(1).pdf
RECOMMENDATION 1
Before any interim Report be submitted to Mines Minister, all Parties at the Inquiry first read the Torbanlea Royal Commission Report 1990 from start to finish.
RECOMMENDATION 2
As a matter of urgency all Royal Commissions, Mining Warden and other Inquiries into Queensland Mining Disasters from 1990 be collated.
(Disaster is Defined by Mining terminology to be 3 or more fatalities in the one event)
This to comprise as a Minimum the full Transcript where available, and Reports when not.
RECOMMENDATION 3
A suitable formal Training and Assessment Package on all Mining Disasters be created.
RECOMMENDATION 4
All Current Statutory Officials including the RSHQ Inspectors to be trained and assessed in the Package within 1 Calendar Year.
RECOMMENDATION 5
The training and assessment package be a compulsory module for all Statutory Officials Training Courses.
RECOMMENDATION 6
All those seeking Statutory Tickets from other Jurisdictions must complete the Package and be assessed as competent.
COMPETENT PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE FIRM SAFETY FOCUSED DECISIONS WHEN AND WHERE REQUIRED
You can as many 2-inch thick, poorly done Safety and Health Systems and Procedures as you like.
No matter how many whiz bang gas detectors and analysis equipment you have.
No matter what computer ventilation simulations, cameras, expert studies, and odd formal audit you have.
You can attend as many annual Mine Safety and Health Conferences on the Gold Coast you you like.
You really need People in Statutory charge who are actually competent, and legally assessed and recognised as such.
They need written, clear, concise, Roles and Responsibilities for the position under the Mines Safety and Health System and Procedures
They need to make those decisions when and where required.
IT SEEMS WE HAVE NOT PROGRESSED IN 120 YEARS.
