What is the meaning of competence?
(Act s.12)
Competence for a task at a coal mine is the demonstrated skill and knowledge required to carry out the task to a standard necessary for the safety and health of persons.
What is the meaning of Consultation?
(Act s.13)
Consultation with coal mine workers is discussion between the site senior executive or supervisors and affected coal mine workers about a matter with the aim of reaching agreement about the matter.
What is the meaning of Standard Operating Procedure?
(Act .14)
Act s.7
A standard operating procedure at a coal mine is a documented way of working, or an arrangement of facilities, at the coal mine to achieve an acceptable level of risk, developed after consultation with coal mine workers.
What is the meaning of Serious Accident?
(Act s.16)
A serious accident at a coal mine is an accident at a coal mine that causes—
a) the death of a person; or
b) a person to be admitted to a hospital as an in-patient for treatment for the injury.
What is the meaning of High Potential Incident?
(Act s.17)
Act s.10(1)
A high potential incident at a coal mine is an event, or a series of events, that causes or has the potential to cause a significant adverse effect on the safety or health of a person.
What is the meaning of Principal Hazard?
(Act s.20)
Act s.12
A principal hazard at a coal mine is a hazard at the coal mine with the potential to cause multiple fatalities.
Who is a “Supervisor”?
(Act s.26)
Act s.13
A person appointed under section 56 to—
a) implement and monitor the coal mine’s safety and health management system; and
b) give directions to other coal mine workers at the coal mine in accordance with the safety and health management system.
At what level of risk must operations be carried out for the level of risk to be acceptable?
(Act s.29)
Act s.14
For risk to a person from coal mining operations to be at an acceptable level, the operations must be carried out so that the level of risk from the operations is—
a) within acceptable limits; and
b) as low as reasonably achievable.
How do you decide whether risk is within acceptable limits and as low as reasonably achievable?
(Act s.29(2))
Act s.16
To decide whether risk is within acceptable limits and as low as reasonably achievable regard must be had to—
a) the likelihood of injury or illness to a person arising out of the risk; and
b) the severity of the injury or illness.
2. An accident that causes a person to be admitted to hospital as an inpatient for treatment.
Who has is deemed to have obligations of persons generally under the Act?
(Act s.39)
Act s.17
a) a coal mine worker at the coal mine;
b) another person at the coal mine;
c) an ROC worker for the coal mine;
d) another person not located at the coal mine.
What are the obligations of a person generally?
(Act s.39(2) & s.39A(2))
The person has the following obligations—
e) to comply with this Act and procedures applying to the person that are part of the safety and health management system for the mine;
f) if the person has information that other persons need to know to fulfil their obligations or duties under this Act, or to protect themselves from the risk of injury or illness—to give the information to the other persons;
g) to take any other reasonable and necessary course of action to ensure no-one is exposed to an unacceptable level of risk.
The person has the following additional obligations—
a) to work or carry out the person’s activities in a way that does not expose the person or someone else to an unacceptable level of risk;
b) to ensure, to the extent of the responsibilities and duties allocated to the person, that the work and activities under the person’s control, supervision, or leadership is conducted in a way that does not expose the person or someone else to an unacceptable level of risk;
c) to the extent of the person’s involvement—to participate in and conform to the risk management practices of the mine;
d) to comply with instructions given for safety and health of persons by the coal mine operator or site senior executive for the mine or a supervisor at the mine;
e) to work at or for the coal mine only if the person is in a fit condition to carry out the work without affecting the safety and health of others;
f) not to do anything wilfully or recklessly that might adversely affect the safety and health of someone else at the mine.
What obligation does a person have about passing on information to another person?
(Act s.39(2))
A person has the following obligation –
b) if the person has information that other persons need to k now to fulfil their obligations or duties under this Act, or to protect themselves from the risk of injury or illness – to give that information to the other person.
List five (5) obligations of an SSE for a coal mine.
(Act s.42)
A site senior executive for a coal mine has the following obligations in relation to the safety and health of persons who may be affected by coal mining operations—
a) to ensure the risk to persons from coal mining operations is at an acceptable level;
b) to ensure the risk to persons from any plant or substance provided by the site senior executive for the performance of work is at an acceptable level;
c) to develop and implement a safety and health management system for all persons at the mine including contractors;
d) to give a contractor for the mine information in the site senior executive’s possession about all relevant components of the mine’s safety and health management system, required by the contractor to—
i. identify risks arising in relation to any work to be performed, service to be provided, or work or service to be arranged, by the contractor; and
ii. comply with section 43(1)(d);
e) to review safety and health management plans of contractors and, if necessary, require changes to be made to those plans to enable them to be integrated with the mine’s safety and health management system;
f) to develop, implement and maintain a management structure for the mine that helps ensure the safety and health of persons at the mine;
g) to ensure no work is undertaken by a coal mine worker at the mine, or an operational ROC worker for the mine, until the worker—
i. has been inducted in the mine’s safety and health management system to the extent it relates to the work to be undertaken by the worker; and
ii. has received training about hazards and risks at the mine to the extent they relate to the work to be undertaken by the worker; and
iii. has received training so the worker is competent to perform the worker’s duties;
h) to provide for—
i. adequate planning, organisation, leadership and control of coal mining operations; and
ii. the carrying out of critical work at the mine that requires particular technical competencies; and
iii. adequate supervision and control of coal mining operations on each shift at the mine; and
iv. regular monitoring and assessment of the working environment, work procedures, equipment, and installations at the mine; and
v. appropriate inspection of each workplace at the mine including, where necessary, pre-shift inspections; and
vi. the development of a schedule of when inspections, including regular periodic inspections, must be carried out; and
vii. adequate supervision and monitoring of contractors at the mine.
Under the Act, which person has the obligation to train workers so that they are competent to perform their duties, and what must they ensure the worker has prior to commencing work?
(Act s.42(g))
The SSE is responsible to ensure no work is undertaken by a coal mine worker at the mine, or an operational ROC worker for the mine, until the worker—
i. has been inducted in the mine’s safety and health management system to the extent it relates to the work to be undertaken by the worker; and
ii. has received training about hazards and risks at the mine to the extent they relate to the work to be undertaken by the worker
What must an SSE develop and maintain with regards to the management structure for safe operations at a coal mine?
(Act s.55(1))
A documented management structure for the coal mine in a way that allows development and implementation of the safety and health management system.
What must the document for the Management Structure state?
(Act s.55(2))
The document must state—
a) the responsibilities of the site senior executive; and
b) the responsibilities and competencies required for senior positions in the structure; and
c) the names of the persons holding the senior positions and their competencies; and
d) the name of the person who is responsible for establishing and implementing a system for managing contractors at the coal mine; and
e) the competencies required, and the responsibilities, for each other supervisory position at the mine.
How many supervisors for the mine must the SSE appoint?
(Act s.56(1))
Reg s.11
One or more.
What must the SSE be sure of before assigning the tasks of a supervisor to a person?
(Act s.56(2))
The site senior executive must not appoint a person under subsection (1) unless the person—
a) is competent to be a supervisor; and
b) if there is a safety and health competency for supervisors recognised by the committee—has the relevant competency.
What are the requirements of an SSE regarding the appointment of an open cut examiner at a surface mine?
(Act s.59(1))
The site senior executive for a surface mine or a separate part of a surface mine must appoint a person holding both of the following board qualifications to be open-cut examiner for each surface mine excavation carried out at the mine or part of the mine—
a) an open-cut examiner’s certificate of competency;
b) the practising certificate required by the board of examiners to be held by a person holding the board qualification mentioned in paragraph (a).
What must the Coal Mine Operator (CMO) ensure regarding the appointment of an OCE?
(Act s.59(2))
The CMO for the surface mine or the separate part of the surface mine must ensure a person appointed by the SSE is an employee of—
a) the coal mine operator; or
b) an entity that employs or otherwise engages 80% or more of the coal mine workers at the coal mine.
What is required by a Site Safety and Health Representative who makes an inspection of the coal mine?
(Act s.99(4))
A site safety and health representative who makes an inspection of the coal mine must—
a) make a written report on the inspection; and
b) give a copy of the report to the site senior executive; and
c) if the inspection indicates the existence or possible existence of danger, immediately—
i. notify the site senior executive or the responsible supervisor; and
ii. send a copy of the report to an inspector.
What conditions apply for an SSE to restart operations in relation to risk?
(Act s.103)
The site senior executive must ensure that the coal mining operations stopped under section 101 are not restarted until the risk to coal mine workers from the operations is at an acceptable level.
Who must the SSE notify as soon as practicable after becoming aware of a serious accident, HPI or death at a coal mine?
(Act s.198(1))
The SSE must notify an Inspector and Industry Safety and Health Representative (ISHR) orally about the accident or death, providing information for the notification to the extent that it is known to the SSE.
What information must the SSE provide the Inspector and Industry Safety and Health Representative, when an accident, incident or death has occurred on site?
(Act s.198(5))
Primary information as per Act section 198A.
