As detailed in the Queensland Mines Inspectorate’s accidents and high potential incidents compilation report for the month, one incident involved a crew driving through faulted ground when a slab of stone fell onto the head of a worker then slid sideways, pushing the worker against the bolting control guard.
In other incidents the rear universal joint on a Coal Tram 10 loader failed and the associated drive shaft pierced the floor of the operator’s cabin.
A worker opened a valve on a longwall roof support which supplied high pressure fluid through an unrestrained and open ended hose. The hose whipped around striking the worker. The worker suffered bruising, fractured finger and fluid injection into open wounds.
In another incident, while driving an underground man transport with crew on board to the workshop to refuel, the driver was temporarily blinded by the glare of the sun and collided with the rear of a stationary LHD parked adjacent to the workshop.
In an incident involving a Driftrunner, the vehicle was parked in a cut-through with the park brake applied. As the operator went to chock the wheels, the vehicle rolled 3 metres and contacted a supply pod.
A review of brake testing history revealed that the performance of the park brake had significantly degraded over time.
Power was able to be applied to face equipment in an underground coal mine without the auxiliary fan running.
A driver sustained a fractured radius of the right arm when the second of two air doors closed pinching his arm against the side of the vehicle. The driver hesitated clearing the area having reacted to a noise from behind the vehicle.
A worker was completing prestart checks on an Eimco LHD and was in the process of filling the scrubber tank used to clean up underground diesel emissions when he stepped onto the 25mm water hose causing him to slip. The worker suffered a fracture.
Overall there were 186 serious accidents and high potential incidents in May, up from 165 in the previous month and above the growing 12 month rolling average of 151.
However, the recent tally was slightly down on the 189 notched up in February when mines were troubled with wet conditions.
