Report - Coal - Explosives Emergency response - February to August 2025

The findings of an assessment program at surface and underground coal mines focussing on the principal explosives control plan and emergency response.

Sector	Coal
Principal control plan	Explosives
Topic	Emergency response

What is a mine emergency?

An emergency at a mine is due to an actual or imminent occurrence, such as fire, explosion, accident or flooding, that has resulted in the death of, or injury to, a person, or is endangering or threatening to endanger the life or physical well-being of a person at a mine.

Operation type assessed

Operation type	Number of mines assessed
Surface	19
Underground	6
Total	25

Criteria assessed

Criteria number	Criteria
1	Does the mine have a current risk assessment to inform the explosives emergency plan?
2	In preparing the emergency plan, what consultation has been undertaken?
3	Does the site's emergency plan consider a sufficient range of emergency types for each of the storage/handling/use locations?
4	Has the emergency plan been tested in accordance with requirements?
5	Does the mine site and the storage facilities have suitable emergency information readily available to emergency services?
6	Has the site notified the Regulator about the explosives (including pre-cursor) storage in excess of manifest quantity?
7	Are the explosives storage areas clearly marked?
8	Are the explosives emergency response resources (equipment and materials) readily available and fit for purpose?
9	Is the fire risk near the explosives storage magazine adequately controlled?
10	Re-load facility: Is the SSAN spillage management process documented, and understood by workers?
11	Do workers know where a place of safety is during an explosive’s emergency?

Findings with issues identified - surface operation

Criteria number	Criteria assessed	Findings of concern	Findings of contravention	Total findings with issues
1	Does the mine have a current risk assessment to inform the explosives emergency plan?	0	2	2
2	In preparing the emergency plan, what consultation has been undertaken?	1	6	7
3	Does the site's emergency plan consider a sufficient range of emergency types for each of the storage/handling/use locations?	1	7	8
4	Has the emergency plan been tested in accordance with requirements?	0	1	1
5	Does the mine site and the storage facilities have suitable emergency information readily available to emergency services?	1	7	8
6	Has the site notified the Regulator about the explosives (including pre-cursor) storage in excess of manifest quantity?	2	4	6
7	Are the explosives storage areas clearly marked?	1	3	4
8	Are the explosives emergency response resources (equipment and materials) readily available and fit for purpose?	0	0	0
9	Is the fire risk near the explosives storage magazine adequately controlled?	0	1	1
10	Re-load facility: Is the SSAN spillage management process documented, and understood by workers?	0	0	0
11	Do workers know where a place of safety is during an explosive’s emergency?	0	0	0
Total		6	31	37

Findings with issues identified – underground

Criteria number	Criteria assessed	Findings of contravention	Total findings with issues
1	Does the mine have a current risk assessment to inform the explosives emergency plan?	0	0
2	In preparing the emergency plan, what consultation has been undertaken?	1	1
3	Does the site's emergency plan consider a sufficient range of emergency types for each of the storage/handling/use locations?	1	1
4	Has the emergency plan been tested in accordance with requirements?	0	0
5	Does the mine site and the storage facilities have suitable emergency information readily available to emergency services?	1	1
6	Has the site notified the Regulator about the explosives (including pre-cursor) storage in excess of manifest quantity?	0	0
7	Are the explosives storage areas clearly marked?	0	0
8	Are the explosives emergency response resources (equipment and materials) readily available and fit for purpose?	0	0
9	Is the fire risk near the explosives storage magazine adequately controlled?	0	0
10	Re-load facility: Is the SSAN spillage management process documented, and understood by workers?	0	0
11	Do workers know where a place of safety is during an explosive’s emergency?	0	0
Total		3	3

Compliance notice type issued during the program

Notice type	Notices	Percentage of all notices issued
WHS(MPS)A s23 notice of concerns	3	17%
WHSA s191 improvement notice	15	83%
WHSA s195 prohibition notice	0	0%
Total	18	100%

Note: This data represents all notices issued during the program and may include notices other than principal explosives control plan topics.

Recommendations

Operators of surface and underground coal mines should review their site’s Principal Explosives Control Plan and Emergency Plan against the criteria assessed for the topic of emergency response with specific focus on:

Ensuring that the mine’s Emergency Plan adequately addresses the full range of emergency types listed in the applicable explosives’ Codes of Practice and Standards
Ensuring that the Emergency Service Organisation (ESO) consultation is effective, thereby supporting effective interoperability during an explosive emergency
Ensuring the availability of appropriate emergency information (at the entrances to the mine and explosive storage vehicles/locations) to assist workers and ESO during an explosive emergency
Supplying and maintaining signage (placards) required for the explosive types and quantities within storage locations/vehicles; and
Completing notification to the Regulator and Fire and Rescue NSW of explosives (and pre-cursors) stored in excess of manifest quantities.