Mining sites pose higher occupational health and safety hazards compared with many other working environments, and among those risks are dangerous exposure to dust and noise.
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Scaffold elimination and safely working at heights
Scaffolds are a common cause of worksite injury in both mining and construction industries.
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Major miners push for fully vaccinated workforce in 2022
BHP and Mineral Resources have announced mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for their respective workforces.
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Increase engine filter life and maximise performance
Sy-Klone has released its Vortex Max Powered Engine Precleaner to provide mine sites with better dust and debris protection for equipment engines.
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Bird in the electric mine helps Sandvik breathe easy
Sandvik has rolled out a new campaign emphasising the rapid deployment of electrified machinery and the advancement of the electric mine.
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Mining accelerates with Covid-induced transformation
The mining industry is on an upward trajectory of electrification and social licence, as it continues to shake off a turbulent history, according to a State of Play report.
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Breathing easier with silica controls in the workplace
Silicosis has been flagged as a problem in the Australian mining industry since the beginning of the 20th century. Yet the dust disease is still prevalent today. Over 600,000 Australian workers are exposed to silica dust each year and an estimated 230 develop lung cancer as a result.
“In mines and quarry sites, there are a number of operational processes that produce dust – silica is a commonly occurring mineral found in most rock, so any activity that involves the crushing of rock can result in exposure,” explains Michael Rowe, Product Manager for Safety with CBC Australia.
“While it’s not a new issue – in fact the Government has highlighted silica exposure as a key industry issue since the 1920s – the fact is this disease kills, and as it’s still the cause of so many deaths, it remains a serious problem.”
Which is why Michael says workplace controls are critical.
“Silicosis is preventable through controls that either stop or reduce the amount of silica dust,” he stresses. “As there is no cure for silicosis, prevention is the only option.”
Mines and quarries are of course subject to Work, Health and Safety (WHS) regulations that require them to evaluate risks and implement a Hierarchy of Controls4. Nonetheless, Michael points out that it is still up to individuals to follow the rules. This is particularly important when it comes to wearing respiratory protection equipment (RPE), which is often referred to as the ‘last line of defence’.
“Workers in these industries should heed their site safety rules if they want to avoid having underlying problems in their future years,” he explains. “Masks are not always fun – as everyone nationally has now experienced – and when you’re onsite and working hard, wearing a mask can be particularly challenging. This is why having the right respirator and fitment to suit your working environment is vitally important. It’s so you get to go home healthy at the end of the day.”
Furthermore, Michael says it is fundamental employers “make sure the RPE is fit for purpose, not fit for price.”
When it comes to advising customers about RPE, however, he defers to the knowledge and expertise of CBC Australia’s premium partner, 3M.
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Ok Tedi deploys mass COVID-19 testing
Ok Tedi Mining has commissioned a mass COVID-19 testing program for its employees after announcing a two-week suspension of the Papua New Guinean operation.
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Sharing stories to reinforce mining health and safety
Innovation and shared stories took centre stage at the Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference this week, with attendance the highest it has been in three years.
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NSW mining health and safety conference to tackle black lung
Efforts to combat the potential resurgence of black lung in NSW is one of the major focuses at NSW Minerals Council’s 2016 Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) conference.
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What have you had to drink today? Workers reminded to hydrate in hot weather
As the weather heats up, workers are being urged to look out for the early warning signs of dehydration with Rio Tinto Alcan’s Yarwun refinery kicking off hydration monitoring.
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Miners ask R U OK?
The fly-in fly-out lifestyle isn’t an easy one to manage, and although many miners on FIFO rotations are paid generously, there are sometimes issues that come with this form of work that money can’t fix.
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Setback for $1 million Mount Isa lead poisoning claim
Mount Isa mum Sharlene Body’s compensation case against mining giant Xstrata has had a setback after the Supreme Court decided to strike out pleadings from her lawyers.
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R U OK? Mining fatigue initiative
In the small Hunter Valley township of Broke, at about 4.30am a group of about six mining stalwarts are making an effort to combat the ill effects mining has had on the region’s tired employees.
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Pike River ordered to pay victim compensation
An emotional Judge Jane Farish has today awarded compensation to the victims of the Pike River mine explosion in New Zealand.
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Managing FIFO fatigue in mining
With 24/7 operations, heavy machinery, demanding rosters, intensive commutes, disruptive sleep environments and inexperienced workers, FIFO based working environments were always going to be a recipe for serious fatigue risk in Australian mining.
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Health and safety on conference radar
The Hunter mining conference will focus on how best to utilise the newest technology to handle health and safety in the industry.
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Statewide alert after Moranbah miner contracts measles
A state-wide alert has been issued after a central Queensland mine worker contracted measles.
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Mining benefits exaggerated: Report
Resource companies routinely play down health and environmental effects of projects in favour of overstating economic and employment benefits, a new report has found.
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Hunter residents potentially exposed to toxic fumes and dust
Falling air quality in the Hunter Valley has angered health professionals who are demanding increased protection for residents from mining dust and blast chemicals.
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