Difficulties with the complexity of Queensland’s level one emergency testing regime have led to a revision of the process that puts the preparedness of the state’s underground coal mines under the microscope.

Run by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines for the past five years, level one emergency exercises were developed as a specific requirement in the wake of the Moura mine disaster inquiry findings.

In the past, a mock scenario was devised at an individual mine with the aim of testing its safety systems. This involved witnesses, inspectors, rescuers and participants descending on the mine to observe and participate in the process. The resulting complexity, however, not only turned some of the tests into marathon events, but organisers found testing procedures were creating unrealistic expectations of outcomes. The requirement to test all response capabilities such as making a mine inert in one exercise produced "artificial complexity".

Senior inspector of mines (coal), David Reece, said that from an operational point of view, apart from an explosion, it was not usual that an incident at a mine would escalate to a full mine closure in the space of 12 hours. He and other industry participants recently met to review the process. Reece, who was not involved in previous exercises, has an operational background, most recently working at the Dartbrook longwall mine.

Following on from these discussions key changes will now be implemented. The major change is the division of the exercise into two separate phases. Phase one will be based on the previous model, but without the requirement that the mine be inert or sealed. Nor will there be an extended rescue effort involving rescue teams. The process will not be time driven and will be stopped when control (or lack of control) is established, or a milestone is reached.

“If the exercise is catastrophically failing we will end it," Reece said. "If the exercise is well handled and controlled it will be allowed to run its course to success. There will be no traps.”

The key goals of the tests were also revisited. Previous exercises identified deficiencies in the incident management team (IMT) process, such as how fatigue was managed and changeover to relieving personnel. Reece said improved decision-making, better communication processes and clear lines of authority were needed. There had also been general concern that only one exercise per year would result in a loss of "corporate memory". Two level one exercises at different mines would go some way to addressing this.

“We are looking for recognition of the incident and what decision-making process occurs underground; how they enact their evacuation and duty cards,” Reece said.

The phase one exercise will also test the mutual assistance program Queensland mines have in place, where neighbouring mines are available to offer assistance in the form of rescue teams. This would be tested to the point of supply but not necessarily full mobilisation of teams, Reece said.

The final report from phase one will also be reduced in size and complexity. Findings will be categorised into mine specific feedback, industry-wide feedback and regulator based information to address the perception that the vast amount of recommendations generated by previous exercises were slow to be taken up by the industry.

Phase two will occur at a later date, at any time, at any mine. It will start where phase one left off to test IMT processes from day two of an incident onwards, but will cause less disruption to mining activities. Phase two will also test the response capability of the Queensland Mines Rescue Services (not as rigorously tested in phase one).

“We want to test the second stage of an operation when everyone’s out of the mine and you’re not worried about saving someone’s life,” Reece said.

“The people under the spotlight are still motivated to resolve the emergency as quickly as they can," Reece said. "There will still be a major set up, still a range of assessors on site. The fact that a number of inspectors and industry experts descend on you will motivate people.”

He said phase two aimed to address key shortcomings in the IMT, fatigue management, long-term communication and the briefing of people and passing on of information.

An emergency exercise based on the new approach was run at the Crinum mine in July. Reece said the exercise, which ran for six hours, went according to plan. “The exercise was stopped when the mine decided to initiate the jet engine. By then everyone had escaped that could. Four miners, one deputy and a visitor who were left underground were instructed to remain in a refuge chamber,” he said. Published in Australia's Longwalls, September edition.