KEY ISSUE 5 part 5. ADEQUACY of ANGLO GROSVENOR LW104 SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION TARPS
Key Issue 5 part 5 Appropriatness of GROSVENOR SPON COM TARPS Final
The first 3 pages of the 7 page Submission are copied below and photograph of the LW 104 TARPS is at the end of this post
KEY ISSUE 5 (5) ADEQUACY of ANGLO GROSVENOR LW104 SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION TARPS
RECOMMENDATIONS
- CONFIRMED PRESENCE of ETHYLENE MUST be a STAND-ALONE TRIGGER in UPPER Two Levels of SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION TARPS.
- CONFIRMED PRESENCE of ETHYLENE NOT to be included in Normal and Lower Tarp levels
- LEVEL BELOW EVACUATION only to INCLUDE CONFIRMED PRESENCE of ETHYLENE to ALLOW ERECTION of EMERGENCY PREP SEALS UNDERGROUND or REMOTE SEALING FROM SURFACE if ALL OTHER TRIGGERS are not in LEVEL 3, and it is SAFE for COAL MINE WORKERS to do so as part of an ORDERLY and PRE-PLANNED PROCESS.
- ANY GAS TRIGGER included in NORMAL MUST be included in ALL HIGHER-LEVEL TARPS including EVACUATION.
- “AND” MUST NOT BE USED with UNRELATED GAS TRIGGERS.
- SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION TARPS MUST NOT BE ALTERED UPWARD while MINE concerned has been or is in anything except NORMAL in that PANEL; whether Longwall, Development or Board and Pillar.
- ANY INCREASE in SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION TARP LEVELS to be NOTIFIED as soon as possible in WRITING by the SITE SENIOR EXECUTIVE to the OPERATOR and HOLDER and their Appointed OFFICERS/OFFICE HOLDERS.
FINDINGS
1) THE GROSVENOR INQUIRY DECIDING NOT TO MAKE THE LW 104 SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION PUBLIC HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE INFORMED PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS
Could you please provide me with the Actual TARPS in 104?
I want to compare it to older TARPs such as North Goonyella
GRO-6953-TARP Active Goaf Spontaneous Combustion
Dear Stuart
This document has not been made available to the public by the Board at this stage.
Whether or not it will be made available will be decided at the appropriate time.
2) THE GROSVENOR LW104 SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION TARPS WERE NOT ADEQUATE.
3) BETWEEN LW 101 and LW 104 GROSVENOR MANAGEMENT DECIDED to DROP GOAFSTREAM GAS RESULTS FROM ALL SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION TARPS.
a) GOAF STRAM TARPS part of February 2020 D. Brady RECOMMENDED TARPS for LW 104.
b) No triggers contemplated for Goaf Stream Spontaneous Combustion indicatorsAnglo Grosvenor LFI IN.00226742 & IN.00228255 8th June Withdrawal from Mine and Ignition of Gas LW104
4) GROSVENOR MANAGEMENT CREATED LW 104 SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION TARPS with MAJOR CHANGES to those RECOMMENDED by CONSULTANT Mr. D. Brady
a) Introduced a Longwall Return EVACUATION TARP of 3ppm ETHYLENE a 300% INCREASE on RECOMMENDED
RECOMMENDED ETHYLENE EVACUATION LEVEL 1ppm ETHYLENE in Brady TG Goaf Stream and Goaf Seals.
b) ETHYLENE is NOT a STAND ALONE TARP in LEVEL 2 and LEVEL 3 EVACUATION
The LEVEL 2 ETHYLENE TARP greater than 1 less than 3 TARP has “AND” between 42 and 53 l/min CO Make.
LEVEL 3 Evacuation ETHYLENE TARP has “AND” CO Make greater than 53 l/min
c) CO/CO2 Ratio in NORMAL and LEVEL 1 but not in LEVEL 2 and LEVEL 3 EVACUATION TARPS
d) LEVEL 3 EVACUATION TARP INTRODUCES “AND” linking CO/CO2 Ratio and Graham’s Ratio. At all other levels there is “OR” not “AND”
5) GROSVENOR MANAGEMENT CHANGED ACTIVE GOAF SEAL TARPS
a) Introduced an ACTIVE GOAF SEAL EVACUATION TARP of 3ppm ETHYLENE a 300% INCREASE on RECOMMENDED
RECOMMENDED ETHYLENE EVACUATION LEVEL 1ppm ETHYLENE in Brady TG Goaf Stream and Goaf Seals.
b) LINKS ETHYLENE and CO ppm with “AND” in EVACUATION TARP for first time in TARP
c) LINKS GRAHAM’S RATIO and CO ppm with “AND” ” in EVACUATION TARP for first time in TARP
6) SMOKE COMING FROM GOAF NOT CARRIED OVER TO GROSVENOR TARPS from D. BRADY RECOMMENDED TARPS
7) WITHDRAWAL TRIGGERS NOT CONSERVATIVE ENOUGH
LFI IN.00226742 & IN.00228255 8th June Withdrawal from Mine and Ignition of Gas LW104
8) ETHYLENE (<1) USED IN LEVEL 1, 2 and (> 1) 3 with “AND” PROVISIONS to ENACT TARP including EVACUATION is NOT ADEQUATE or APPROPRIATE.
“AND” PROVISIONS are INAPPROPRIATE and SHOULD NOT BE USED.
EVIDENCE ANDREW SELF TESTIMONY
9) NO EVIDENCE THAT GROSVENOR MANAGEMENT CHANGED TARPS AFTER DETAILED SCIENTIFIC JUSTIFICATION
LFI IN.00226742 & IN.00228255 8th June Withdrawal from Mine and Ignition of Gas LW104
Report details an assessment of the applicable Grosvenor gas monitoring data provided (tube bundle and gas chromatograph covering all three longwalls to date) and available gas evolution testing results to support the ongoing use of existing trigger levels where appropriate or make recommendations to change to more appropriate triggers based on detailed scientific justification.”
10) The CONFIRMED PRESENCE of ETHYLENE is BAD, VERY, VERY BAD. NOT APPROPRIATE FOR it TO BE IN LEVEL 1 TARPS.
This Post Has One Comment
Hi Stuart,
You’re article reflects the weaknesses of the risk based legislation, with a passive statutory body.
This is going to be an interesting outcome of the inquiry isn’t it.
I think there is enough evidence in the public domain showing that there needs to be changes made, either through the recognised standards with more regulatory power or through the development of a tech services group within the mines dept. or maybe simtars.
The better way I think is through the recognised standards since that was the intent to my knowledge of the Act and regs.
It makes you wonder how many other risk assessments that are in the industry that goes against good mining practice which are latent safety issues.
Cheers