Act Part 7 - Specific Duties Relating to Occupational Safety and Health Flashcards
When a disabling accident occurs at a mine the manager is required to give notice of the accident.
(a) Who is required to be notified?
(b) How is the notification to be given?
(c) What is classified as a serious injury?
The site of an accident on a mine shall not be disturbed, except under particular circumstances.
(d) What circumstances permit the site to be disturbed?
(a) The Mine Manager must give notice to the District Inspector & if requested, to the Secretary or local representative of a Trade Union of which the injured party is a member.
(b) If the injury is serious, the notice must be given by the fastest practicable method & subsequently confirmed in writing.
If the injury is not serious, the notice must be given in writing at the end of the month.
(c) For the purposes of this section, a serious injury:
- Results in the injured person being disabled from their normal occupation for 2 weeks or more.
- Involves unconsciousness arising from inhalation of fumes, toxic gases or asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen / oxygen displacement by inert gas.
- Involves an accident from fuming due to use of explosives
(d) The site of an accident may not be disturbed except with;
- intent of saving a life or preventing injury of another person.
- Permission of an inspector, or in the case of a fatality, permission from the coroner.
Where a record book or log book is required to be kept on the mine to comply with the Act,
(a) What are the conditions which govern the maintenance of the book and the making of entries?
(b) Who is required to keep the record books and for how long?
(c) What is required with regard to the retention of the books when a mine is abandoned or operations suspended?
(a) The Mine Manager must ensure that;
- The book is kept solely for the purpose of making entries required under the Act.
- All entries are made in ink.
- The book is kept safely & in good condition.
(b) The Principal Employer for the time being at a mine must keep all previous books & log books held at the mine & must record the date & particulars of any change in the Principal Employer.
(c) The book must be kept by the Principal Employer for a period of 6 years after suspension/abandonment. If the Principal Employer is likely to go into liquidation or receivership, provisions must be made to keep the book safe for this period of time.
An accident log book is to be kept at the mine.
(d) What does the Act require regarding the recording of accidents in a log book?
(e) Who may examine the log book, and when?
(d) The Mine Manager must keep an accident log book - approved by the State Mining Engineer & must record the occurrence of accidents at the mine without delay.
(e) The accident log book must be kept open at all reasonable times for: An Inspector, OHS Representative, Trade Union Representative, any other person authorised by the State Mining Engineer.
The Act requires that the District Inspector must be given immediate notice of certain occurrences, whether or not any bodily injury to any person or damage to the property resulted from the occurrence. Particulars of these occurrences must also be recorded in the record book.
List these 10 occurrences.
- Fire - above or below ground.
- Flood - inrush of water from old underground workings or other.
- Fuming - poisoning or exposure to toxic gas or fumes.
- Fall of Ground - subsidence, settlement or seismicity.
- Electric Shock - or burn to a persons & all dangerous occurrence involving electricity.
- Explosion - dust, gas outburst or harmful asphyxiant gas.
- Explosion - accidental / fast delayed ignition of explosives.
- Explosion - bursting compressed air receivers / boilers / pressure vessels.
- Breakage - Any rope / cable used for raising / lowering a person.
- Heavy Earth Moving - loss of control, failure of brakes / steering.
The Act requires mine plans to be produced and kept for a mine.
(a) Where these plans must be kept?
(b) What are the requirements for these plans?
(c) Who all may ask the manager to produce a plan for examination?
(d) What are the requirements with respect to abandonment or suspension mine plans?
(a) The Mine Manager must keep accurate plans in the office.
(b) - To be kept up to date.
- Prepared on a scale that accords with good engineering practice.
- Contain the particulars required by the regulators.
(c) An inspector or other person authorised in writing by the State Mining Engineer may request plans to be produced for inspection.
(d) The Principal Employer or an appointed receiver must cause to be prepared an accurate mine plan to the time of abandonment or suspension and must furnish that plan to the State Mining Engineer before mining operations are abandoned or suspended.
What does the Act require in regard to:
(a) Manager to report potentially serious occurrences?
(b) Examination of an accident location by trade union representatives?
(a) The Manager must inform the District Inspector of any occurrence at the mine that had the potential to cause serious harm to health.
The Manager must inform the District Inspector as soon as practicable after the Manager has ascertained the facts and circumstances of the occurrence and if required by the District Inspector, provide a written report of the occurrence.
(b) Where an accident has occurred at a mine and any employee involved in that accident is a member of the Trade Union, a representative of that Trade Union is entitled to examine the place where the accident occurred.
