Mine Safety

Health Management

Guide to the development and implementation of a health management plan

To improve coordination of health issues in the mining and extractives industries the NSW Mine Safety Advisory Council (MSAC) has endorsed a new guide to assist sites in developing a Health Management Plan to address the contemporary and traditional health issues.

Traditionally health issues have played second fiddle to safety issues when addressing the risks facing employees in the mining industry. While safety often presents the most immediate risk, the long-term health of employees is of no less importance. Both health and safety need to be integrated within an operations health and safety management system or plan.

The new Guide to the Development and Implementation of a Health Management Plan aims to help the industry manage occupational health risks in the same systematic way they address safety risks. It will also help mines and quarries to better understand their existing legislative obligations in managing occupational health risks. The guidance is provided in the form of suggested approaches but is flexible so individual sites can develop a health management plan suited to their specific needs. Each section of the guide considers a specific aspect of the plan and provides an overview, information on the actions required, other desirable actions and a list of resources.

There is a strong focus within the guide on the development and implementation of the Health Management Plan. This includes:

early and ongoing consultation;
making a firm policy commitment to effective health risk management;
establishment of roles and responsibilities;
risk identification, assessment and control;
development of assessment and monitoring procedures;
training and supervision;
development of a strategy to implement the plan;
implementation of the plan;
ongoing performance monitoring and evaluation of the risk management process;
regular review and resultant modification of the plan; and
integration of the plan with the overall health and safety management plan.

Health management plans are to be assessable and auditable by independent authorities so ongoing monitoring and evaluation will help an operation ensure their plan achieves its purpose and maintains effectiveness.

Contemporary priority health issues

MSAC has identified nine priority health issues and urges the NSW mining and extractives industry to take necessary preventative action to reduce risks to workers.

These priorities were identified through a literature review commissioned by the mining industry Health Working Party and they are:

Noise causing hearing loss;
Vibration causing musculoskeletal disorders;

Diesel exhaust fumes leading to respiratory disease;
Hazardous substance exposure causing dermatitis;
Ergonomic stressors causing musculoskeletal conditions;
Ergonomic stressors causing back disorders;
Ergonomic stressors causing fatigue and related disorders;
Psychosocial hazards causing mental disorders

Traditional health concerns for the mining industry have been silica, coal dust and asbestos and their resulting respiratory diseases. These were excluded from the final priority list as they are becoming far less common due to increased control measures. This does not mean they are any less important and management of these issues must be maintained.

Implementation stage

The guide will be supported by an education and assistance program overseen by MSAC. The program will be part of MSACs world-leading OHS agenda and will be coordinated by the Industry Assistance Unit in partnership with industry stakeholders.

Training package

The training package consists of a suite of tools to enable industry to deliver their own Health Management Plan workshop. The workshop will provide participants with the skills and knowledge to implement a health management system and fulfil their obligations to manage occupational health as required under NSW OHS legislation. The training package is a support resource for the MSAC’s Health Management Plan Guide. The package consists of:

Facilitator’s manual - provides facilitators with sufficient information about occupational health issues and risk management to allow them to present training/toolbox talks to employees.
Supporting Power Point slides - to be utilised as optional resources for the facilitator.
Participant’s manual - is used as a workbook and future reference resource.

The workshop uses the tools contained in the Health Management Plan Toolkit as activities.

Health Management Advisory Committee

The NSW Mining and Extractives Industry Health Management Advisory Committee (HMAC) replaces the Health Working Party. The HMAC is more representative of the industry sectors and better placed to provide advice on the coordination of the regulation of health issues in the NSW mining and extractives industry. Its role is to identify and monitor emerging health issues in the industry and propose collaborative approaches to addressing contemporary health issues and aid sites to develop and implement systematic health management plans

Lead health indicator report

A report that examines lead health indicators has been produced for the Health Management Advisory Committee. The report details the outcomes from a telephone survey of mines and quarries about actions they are taking to address priority health issues that include noise, fatigue, dust, diesel particulate and musculoskeletal disorders. A copy of the report is available below.

Mine health indices report

Report on WorkCover claims data for lag health indicators

A report which examines 10 years of WorkCover claims data for lag health inidcators has been produced for the Health Management Advisory Committee. The report examines data on three indicators: Manual Handling, Falls from same level and Noise induced hearing loss and identifies statistically valid trends. A copy of the report is available below.

WorkCover claims data - analysis of lag health indicators

Downloads

Literature review

Summary of priority health issues matrix

Wran Review into Mine Safety Recommendations 6 8

Guide to the Development and Implementation of a Health Management Plan

Health Management Plan Toolkit

Index of tools in health management toolkit

Health toolkit resource sheets

Tool 1 - Understanding health management and good practice

Tool 2 - Self-assessment worksheet

Tool 3 - Health policy and commitment communication tool