Report – Coal – unintended interaction with rotating or moving equipment – August 2025 to June 2026

This report provides the findings of an assessment program at coal mines focussing on the review of mechanical engineering control plan - unintended interaction with rotating or moving equipment

Sector	Coal – surface and underground
Principal hazard	Mechanical engineering control plan
Topic	Unintended interaction with rotating or moving equipment

Operation type assessed

Operation type	Number of mines assessed
Open cut	20
Processing	11
Underground	18
Total mines	49

Criteria assessed

Critical control	Criteria
Removable guarding (removed using tooling)	Is guarding correctly installed and maintained in the field?
Removable guarding (removed using tooling)	Is access to tooling used to open guarding restricted? Do workers understand who can open guarding and when?
Two-handed control limiter (reduces pressure and speed when operating with one hand, safe mode)	Are two-handed control limiters in place and maintained where identified as a control?
Maintenance of a separation distance from unguarded entanglement hazards (Safe standing zone, exclusion zone, no go zone, drop zone)	Do workers understand safe standing zones when equipment is unguarded?
Equipment is prevented from operation while people are working near hazards (isolation process)	Do workers on site understand the energy sources present, how to identify energy sources, and how to isolate, dissipate and verify the energy sources?
Hazardous energy treatment (Identified and controlled. Hazardous energy treatment blocking or chocking)	Do workers understand how to effectively control potential energy sources to prevent their release?

Findings with issues identified

Critical control	Criteria	Findings of concern	Findings of contravention	Total findings with issues
Removable guarding (removed using tooling)	Is guarding correctly installed and maintained in the field?	10	8	18
Removable guarding (removed using tooling)	Is access to tooling used to open guarding restricted? Do workers understand who can open guarding and when?	1	2	3
Two-handed control limiter (reduces pressure and speed when operating with one hand, safe mode)	Are two-handed control limiters in place and maintained where identified as a control?	0	1	1
Maintenance of a separation distance from unguarded entanglement hazards (Safe standing zone, exclusion zone, no go zone, drop zone)	Do workers understand safe standing zones when equipment is unguarded?	1	1	2
Equipment is prevented from operation while people are working near hazards (Isolation process)	Do workers on site understand the energy sources present, how to identify energy sources, and how to isolate, dissipate and verify the energy sources	1	0	1
Hazardous energy treatment (Identified and controlled. Hazardous energy treatment blocking or chocking)	Do workers understand how to effectively control potential energy sources to prevent their release?	1	0	1
Total		14	12	26

In addition, there were 36 other findings with issues identified. (Findings of: concern 23, contravention 8, multiple issues 5).

Compliance notice type issued during the program

Notice type	Notices	Percentage of all notices issued
WHS(MPS)A s23 notice of concerns	33	56%
WHSA s191 improvement notice	24	41%
WHSA s195 prohibition notice	2	3%
Total	59	100%

A total of 59 notices were issued to 30 mines.

Recommendations

Operators of coal mines should review the site mechanical engineering control plan and the findings of the critical controls assessed for the topic of interaction with rotating or moving equipment identified in the Regulators inspection program.

Critical controls	Recommendations to industry
Removable guarding (removed using tooling)	Ensure guarding is correctly installed and maintained fit for purpose (refer to WHSR 2025 section 208 Guarding) Ensure only authorised workers can access tools to open or remove guards Ensure equipment isolation and tagging is effective before guards are opened or removed Ensure workers are trained and competent in the procedures for tracking conveyor belts
Two-handed control limiter (reduces pressure and speed when operating with one hand, safe mode)	Ensure two-handed control devices are effective Supervisors must implement task observation reporting to monitor worker compliance when using equipment with two handed control devices
Maintenance of a separation distance from unguarded entanglement hazards (Safe standing zone, exclusion zone, no go zone, drop zone)	Ensure workers and supervisors are trained and competent in safe standing zones and no-go zones for the equipment in use at the site Ensure effective signage is in place and adequate to warn workers of equipment no-go zones, exclusion zones and drop zones
Equipment is prevented from operation while people are working near hazards (Isolation process)	Ensure supervisors and workers are informed of all energy sources applicable at the site (including residual stored energy in equipment such as compressed air, water under pressure, stored electricity, residual pressure in hydraulic fluid lines, tension loads on conveyor belts and springs) Ensure the workers are trained and competent in the site energy isolation and restoration procedures Supervisors must implement task observation reporting to monitor worker compliance with site energy isolation and restoration procedures
Hazardous energy treatment (Identified and controlled. Hazardous energy treatment blocking or chocking)	Ensure a supervisors and workers are trained and competent in the effective control of all energy sources applicable to the site Ensure effective energy isolation systems and equipment are readily available at the site and are fit for purpose