NSW Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) check inspector Ron Stothard is pursuing industry regulators to have docking stations compulsory for mines susceptible to spontaneous combustion.

“Ideally I would like all mines in New South Wales to have a docking station, but at the moment, through the review of regulations, we are targeting mines with a propensity for spontaneous combustion,” said Stothard.

Besides Southland, currently no mine in NSW has a docking station.

During Christmas last year the GAG engine was transported to Gympie Gold’s Southland mine after a fire broke out underground. The mine acquired a docking station after the Queensland Mine Rescue Service’s GAG team was forced to manufacture one on the spot whilst a fire was raging underground.

GAG coordinator Marek Romanski said the team lost valuable time because there were no facilities to dock the engine.

“The importance of having the docking station is that at Southland we lost considerable time to manufacture one while the mine was burning,” said Romanski.

He said he was trying to communicate the importance of docking stations to NSW mines through the state’s check inspectors. “With limited cost mines can be set up for GAG and be ready for an emergency – but it is up to NSW mines to do it on their own good will at the moment,” he said.

Stothard is also targeting compulsory preparatory underground seals to be introduced under new regulations. Preparatory seals are designed to seal off sections in the case of a spontaneous combustion event.

“A few years ago mines took it upon themselves to install preparatory seals – now it has fallen by the wayside,” said Stothard.

He said the cost of the seals was minimal and could save a mine in the case of an emergency.