Western Australia's underground ventilation legislation.
Mining has long been one of Western Australia’s (WA) most crucial industries. The industry has grown to historic proportions in recent years, contributing over $100 billion to the economy and supporting more local jobs than ever. According to the Department of Mines Industry, Regulation and Safety report , the number of miners working in the mining sector has tripled from 43,466 in 1997-98 to 132,144 in 2019-20.?
While this impressive growth continues to power WA's economy, it brings a greater risk of safety and Lost-Time Injuries (LTIs). In response, the Western Australian government has passed legislation requiring mine sites to assess risks and develop controls to mitigate them. This is an important step in ensuring WA's mining personnel stay safe while at work.??
Western Australia's Work, Health, and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 (WHS Regulations) came into full effect on 31 March 2022, granting the WA Mining Industry with a great deal of protection. The introduction of this legislation would bring the Work, Health, and Safety Act 2020 into full force, accompanied by several subsidiary regulations specific to industries such as Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Operations and Mines . These regulations provide an improved framework to ensure employers fulfil their obligations and in turn create a safer workplace.?
The Act introduced a new primary WHS duty for a 'person conducting a business or undertaking' (PCBU) to ensure, so far as possible, the health and safety of workers and other personnel arising from the conduct of their business or undertaking. This requires a PCBU to eliminate risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable and, where it is not, minimise identified risks as much as possible. What is considered 'reasonably practicable' will depend on the following considerations including the likelihood of a hazard or risk occurring, the degree of harm that might result from the hazard or danger, and the availability of suitable ways to eliminate or minimise identified risks.?
?
The penalties for breaching health and safety regulations have significantly increased with the introduction of new legislation. There are now industrial manslaughter offences in place, which carries heavy penalties if a breach causes serious harm or, death. The WHS Act also voids the option of purchasing insurance to cover these penalties, therefore it’s the mines sole responsibility to ensure that regulations are being followed.??
??
The extensive set of guidelines included in this legislation dictates a hierarchy of control measures which involve specific steps implemented in a set order. Employers are required to guarantee the safety of their working environment for miners and other personnel by providing safe facilities, systems, information, training, and instruction needed to protect workers from health and safety risks.?
Impact of WHS on the mining industry in Western Australia?
According to the Western Australia Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, mine operators must follow regulations and “provide written notification to the regulator 15 days before single entry development beyond 200m from through ventilation is commenced” However, there is an exception if the mines details of the high-risk activities are already included in either a mining commencement notice or additional operations notice. Mine operators should be aware of these requirements when conducting the required operations and ensure compliance with the regulations enforceable by the respective regulator.?
?
The new regulations apply to all mines beyond 200 meters underground, requiring them to assess risks and develop controls to mitigate them. These rules have been designed to ensure that mining operators are taking proactive measures when it comes to health and safety instead of simply relying on workers to avoid hazardous areas. It is mandatory for mines in Western Australia to have controls in place that can prevent accidents or minimise harm if they do occur.?
?
In lieu of the monthly status report forms previously submitted to the Department, the updated regulations require operators to provide a regulator work health and safety report at least once a quarter. The mine operator is ultimately responsible for upholding these regulations, allowing for improved safety standards at their mine site.?
领英推荐
??
Before this legislation came into effect, managers of mine operations faced little accountability. They only had to offer warnings of dangers, such as opening holes, without any form of control in place to protect miners. According to the region's local government, Western Australian mines must now conduct risk assessments and be equipped with management and control plans that mitigate dangers. The above example might include closing the hole, adding ladders, or blocking tunnels. Mine sites must also have an escape plan with designated ventilation points and additional chambers with clear pathways in the event of an emergency. These measures are all designed to reduce risk and keep miners safe, ultimately meaning fewer accidents and more successful practices.?
?
Perhaps, the most significant change brought about by this new legislation is regarding ventilation. Mines must now have their ventilation plan cover the assumption that all their underground fleets could be underground at any given time. This means that if a mine usually has five trucks operating, but has twenty available, then the ventilation plan must cater for those extra fifteen, adding considerable cost to the operation. Many mining operations across Western Australia have turned to Mine Air Control (MAC) Systems equipped with RDIF trackers to reduce the costs associated with additional vehicles. This technology can automatically detect new vehicles entering a mine and adjust ventilation accordingly. Not only is this system able to provide improved safety measures, but it also offers significant cost savings compared to traditional methods.?
??
Optimise airflow with Minetek's MAC System.?
Minetek’s High Output Axial Fan system has been engineered with the underground mining industry in mind. The Mine Air Control (MAC) system is designed to provide the most efficient ventilation for miners working underground. Minetek's patented Performance on Demand (POD) technology is an innovative approach to optimising performance and reducing operator power consumption costs. POD enables operators to tailor pressure and power consumption without using VSD controls and provides a more responsive solution. This simplifies the process of controlling output while also increasing overall operational efficiency.??
Our sophisticated control system helps keep operations running smoothly and efficiently by regulating the airflow. This includes optimisation of low flow during low-activity times and increasing up to double the duty point of a traditional vane axial fan. Such capacity helps ensure that dangerous gases or dust can be quickly extracted from entry sites, reducing risks associated with entering such conditions while also eliminating power traditionally wasted in such applications and meeting broad regulatory compliance parameters.?
The Minetek High Output Axial Fan system is modular and comes up with additional benefits:?
With an increased focus on risk assessments and control management in Western Australia, the mining industry must take proactive steps to ensure maximum safety for workers and compliance with stringent regulations. Minetek’s innovative ventilation and MAC system offers an improved ventilation capacity that surpasses competing systems - helping ensure air quality standards are met while reducing potential costs. The MAC system is ideal for creating safer work sites with improved ventilation capacity while ensuring cost efficiency and meeting regulatory guidelines.?
Discover how Minetek's solutions can assist with your underground ventilation.?