Mine Ventilation Australia (MVA) run the workshops, offering a five day ventilation workshop, one day courses in basic ventsim modeling and analysis, advanced ventsim modeling and ventilation planning, psychrometry, heat loads and mine climate, mine cooling and refrigeration strategies and heat stress evaluation. They also run accreditation course for ventilation officers in conjunction with Queensland TAFE.

To date, a large number of coal companies have been involved in the courses, including Oaky #1 and Oaky Creek North, Central Colliery, Kestrel Colliery, North Goonyella, Newlands and Cook colliery. Courses have also been well attended by equipment suppliers, industry regulators and other consultants.

MVA principal consultant Rick Brake said the five day ventilation workshops had proven to be greatest in demand, namely because they provided basic knowledge and skills required to be a ventilation officer.

The five day workshop began in 1999 for hardrock miners and has been picked up for coal fairly recently with three courses completed. Brake said ventilation courses were run jointly with coal/metalliferous attendees to take advantage of the cross-fertilisation of ideas.

Courses are run to meet the nationally accredited ventilation officers course for coal or hard rock, some extra assignments and self-paced modules and a written exam are required for the formal accreditation. Both courses are part of the respective Advanced Diploma courses for the Black Coal industry career path and the Metalliferous industry career path, being part of the AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework).

Brake said the difference between the MVA workshops and university courses was in the practical content.

“University tended to be strong on theory and weak on practical mine ventilation. The MVA courses are really designed for mine-site staff who need to understand and/or supervise the ventilation system and/or do mine design. Also our course notes are updated twice each year, so they keep right up to date with the latest trends and new ideas in the industry,” said Brake.

To date, all courses have been run in either Brisbane or Mackay, but this year MVA plan to also run courses in Newcastle and Perth.

The Ventilation Officer Program (MNCU109A-Underground Coal) accreditation course run in conjunction with TAFE Queensland by MVA offers miners a nationally recognized qualification.

Brake said accreditation in the underground coal industry was important to allow portability of qualifications between mines and states and to allow easier access to statutory qualifications.

“For example, both Queensland and New South Wales recognize the MNC.U109.A qualification as basically fulfilling the requirements for the statutory position of ventilation officer in coal mines. These AQF approved qualifications also feed directly into the Advanced Diplomas, and therefore also into the statutory positions of Registered Mine Manager.”