Report - Coal - Fire or explosion - July 24 to June 25
This report provides the findings of an assessment program at underground coal mines focussing on the principal hazard management plan fire or explosion and explosion suppression at underground coal mines.
| Sector | Coal - underground mines |
|---|---|
| Principal hazard | Fire or explosion |
| Topic | Explosion suppression 2024-2025 |
Operation type assessed
| Operation type | Number of mines assessed |
|---|---|
| Coal underground | 25 |
| Total | 25 |
Compliance notice types issued during the program
| Notice type | Notices issued | Percentage of notices issued |
|---|---|---|
| WHS(MPS)A s23 notice of concerns | 34 | 61% |
| WHSA s191 improvement notice | 22 | 39% |
| Total | 56 | 100% |
Note: This data represents all notices issued during the program and may include notices other than fire or explosion topics.
Findings with issues identified
| Criteria assessed | Findings of concern | Findings of contravention | Findings of multiple issues | Total findings of issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Stone dust is applied at the rates and in the methods specified in the procedures 68(1)(d) including 68(1)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) and 68(1)(h)(i)(ii) | 18 | 11 | 2 | 31 |
| 02 Roadway dust samples are taken from the areas specified and analysed at the specified frequencies. | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| 03 Float dust is managed within the mine 68(3)(h) | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| 04 Identified substandard incombustible content levels are rectified within the specified time frames. | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| 05 Explosion barriers are installed at locations documented in the mine safety management system. | 1 | 1 | ||
| 06 Explosion barriers are inspected to confirm they comply with the standard outlined by the installation instructions | 0 | |||
| 07 Explosion barriers comply with the standard outlined in the installation instructions. | 10 | 6 | 16 | |
| Total issues identified | 37 | 21 | 2 | 76 |
Recommendations
Underground coal mine operators should review their site principal hazard management plan – fire and explosion and the criteria assessed with specific focus on:
- Explosion barriers:
- Locations maintained applicable to panel development and extraction rates as per design in the site principal hazard management plan - fire and explosion
- Distributed explosion barrier row spacings to meet with OEM design specifications
- Explosion barrier spacing from ribs to meet with OEM design specifications
- Stone dust loading rates to meet with OEM design specifications
- Hazardous area management:
- Limit coal dust generation in mine roadways, belt conveyors and conveyor transfer points
- Suppress, collect and remove airborne coal dust
- Limit or remove coal dust accumulations and apply stone dust or other explosion inhibitors at the applicable rate necessary to maintain compliance with the requirements of WHS(MPS) Regulation 2022, section 68 - coal dust explosion
References
NSW Code of Practice
Roadway dust analysis in underground coal mines (PDF, 230.74 KB)
Program fact sheet
July 2024: Principal hazard – fire and explosion – gas or dust explosion (PDF, 93.5 KB)
Recent related safety alerts
September 2024: Fire occurs on longwall face in underground coal mine (PDF, 548.91 KB)
Recent related safety bulletins
December 2023: Methane gas incidents occurred in NSW coal mines (PDF, 185.08 KB)