The fourth International Mines Rescue Competition will be held for the first time out of the United States in Glogow, Poland, from June 3 to 5. The competition is for both metal and non metal underground mines rescue teams, this year being the first time an Australian underground team has been represented in the international competition.
The North Goonyella team, consisting of Geoff Nugent (captain), Peter Purdie (vice captain), James Ticehurst, Andy Neville, Kim Taiepa, Mark D'Elboux and Steve Kell, earned their title as Australian champions upon winning the prestigious Australian Underground Coal Mines Rescue Competition at Appin Colliery, Wollongong, during October last year.
Upon hearing about the international competition, the team immediately presented a proposal to senior North Goonyella management and RAG Australia coal management who quickly gave the go-ahead. Peabody Energy’s recent purchase of the mine has not affected the decision, the US company fully backing participation.
The team also sought support from industry and gained considerable backing. The CFMEU, which all the team are members of, gave significant sponsorship along with Queensland Mines Rescue Service and the Queensland Government through the department of Natural Resources and Mines.
The corporate sponsors included Valley Longwall Drilling, Walters Construction Group, Draeger and CHUBB.
Valley Longwall Drilling and Walter Construction Group have a long history of supporting Mines Rescue Teams throughout the industry, so it was no surprise of their forthcoming support.
Draeger and CHUBB are very closely connected with Mines Rescue in Queensland and New South Wales with a lot of their equipment being used within the service.
North Goonyella Mines Rescue captain Geoff Nugent said mine rescue competitions were less about competition and more about rescue organisations and personnel testing their skills, knowledge, procedures and equipment under as much pressure as possible outside a real situation.
“This assists in identifying potential system failures and training deficiencies which is all part of the continual improvement and risk management process,” said Nugent.
The international competition has been designed to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas in a number of areas, including rescue techniques, training, apparatus and gas detection equipment.
“The training and exchange of information will better prepare rescue teams to work in rescue and recovery efforts, enhancing both the level of safety for the teams and for miners worldwide,” he said.
This year the international competition is organised by the polish state mining authority and hosted by Poland’s largest mining company KGHM.
The competition will have 12 teams competing from 10 countries including Australia, USA (2 Teams), Russia, Peru, China, Poland (2 Teams), Ukraine (2 Teams), Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Nugent said the competition structure would be based on the US Mines Rescue competition style, a simulated exercise conducted on the surface. Negent said the US style was procedurally clinical and focussed heavily on the decision making process in gas management and mine ventilation.
This differs from the Australian competitions which are designed to be as realistic as possible and conducted underground. At the international competition the Australian team will still use breathing apparatus (Draeger BG4).
“During the competition the team will map the entire simulated mine and safety, re-ventilate taking into account explosive gas mixtures found and potential ignition sources, as well as noxious gases and positioning of patients. The problem would be designed around a multi-heading panel,” said Nugent.
The competition will comprise of a main event - a simulated underground mines rescue exercise including mapping, gas management, ventilation problems, first aid and possibly fire fighting.
A separate first aid competition will use three team members confronted with three scenarios. There will also be a Breathing Apparatus Mechanics competition for specialists in self-contained breathing apparatus to test and locate set faults in the apparatus and repair these faults in a given time.
North Goonyella member Mark D'Elboux said the team would spend three weeks in Poland, taking time to make mine visits and exchange ideas with other rescue teams and mine personnel.
