Regulation Part 4 - General Safety Requirements

Question 1

(a) When must appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and services be provided at the mine?
(b) What must be considered when determining what first aid equipment facilities and services are appropriate?

Answer 1

(a) At all times when people are working at the mine

(b) - The nature of the hazards associated with the operations
- The risk level of those hazards
- Whether a doctor is available on/near the mine
- Proximity of the mine to hospital facilities & services.

Question 2

What do the Regulations require with regard to self rescuers in underground mines

Answer 2

• The Mine Manager must ensure everyone underground is:
  
  • equipped with at least a filter type self rescuer or preferably a self contained self rescuer.
  • Is fully trained in the use & limitations of their provided self rescuer.
• If there is a risk of dust explosion or underground toxic gas (naturally occurring) the Mine Manager must provide self contained self rescuers to all persons underground.
• A person underground must not wilfully damage a self rescuer or use it for purposes other than life preservation or training demonstrations.

Question 3

A plan for dealing with emergencies is required to be prepared.

(a) When is the plan to be prepared?
(b) What three general requirements should be included in the plan?

Answer 3

(a) In the case of an existing mine, as soon as practicable after commencement day. For all cases, before operations commence at the mine.

(b) - Must identify hazards that might cause an emergency at the mine.
- Assess risk of such an emergency occurring.
- Consider means to prevent such an emergency:
- Appropriate facilities & equipment.
- Effective alarm systems.
- Testing of alarm systems.
- Training of employees to procedures.
- Training of employees to ERT.
- Review facilities, equipment & procedures.

Question 4

The manager of, and each employer at a mine must ensure that any personal protective clothing and equipment supplied for use at the mine meet certain requirements.

Name these requirements.

Answer 4

The Manager must ensure that any PPE/C supplied:

• Conforms with any applicable Australian Standards.
• Is properly maintained.
• Is replaced if it becomes defective.

Question 5

What do the Regulations require regarding fall arrest equipment?

Answer 5

The Mine Manager must ensure that:

• Fall arrest equipment is provided to employees if the risk of injury from falling cannot be eliminated.
• The fall arrest equipment must be:
  
  • Appropriately designed for the task.
  • Used in such a way as to reduce the possibility of injury to the user.
  • Properly maintained.
• If any fall arrest equipment is used to arrest a fall, ensure the equipment is checked by a competent person and is serviced or discarded.

Question 6

What are the requirements in Regulations for:

(a) First aid personnel?
(b) First aid vehicles?

Answer 6

(a) The Principal Employer or Mine Manager must ensure that:
- A person qualified in first aid is available at all times.
- As far as practicable, a person qualified and experienced in advanced first aid is available, or on call.

(b) The Principal Employer or Mine Manager must ensure that a vehicle equipped to transport injured or sick persons is available at the mine at all times.

Question 7

What do the Regulations require regarding:

(a) Hot work procedures?
(b) Flood protection?

Answer 7

(a) The Manager and Employer must ensure a person is not allowed to use welding, oxygen-acetylene or other hot work equipment if there is any risk of injury or damage from fire, unless a person has a permit to do so and signed by a competent person.

This does not apply at:

• A workshop or similar controlled environment.
• A workplace secured by a fixed fire suppression.

(b) The Mine Manager must ensure that:
- The risk of flooding from all sources has been evaluated.
- Adequate precautions have been taken to prevent danger to employees from flooding.

Question 8

(a) Who can carry out construction work at a mine site?
(b) The regulations define what constitutes ‘construction work’.

List any four activities that fall within the scope of construction work.

Answer 8

(a) Construction work is to be carried out by competent persons.

(b) Construction work means:
1. Work on which a hoisting appliance, scaffolding or shoring is used or intended to be used.
2. Work in driving or extracting piles, sheet piles or trench sheet.
3. Work in laying any pipe or lining any pipe.
4. Roadworks, earthworks or reclamation.