Report - Coal - fixed plant and structures - October 2024 to December 2025

This report provides the findings of an assessment program at surface & underground coal mines focussing on the principal hazard fire or explosion management plan and fixed plant and structures.

Sector	Coal - surface and underground
Principal hazard	Fire or explosion
Material unwanted event	Uncontrolled fire or explosion on fixed plant, structures, buildings, or transportable equipment
Topic	Fixed plant and structures

Operation type assessed

Operation type	Number of mines assessed
Surface	28
Underground	18
Total	46

Criteria assessed

Critical control	Criteria
Hazardous area management (including elimination of ignition sources)	How well does the mine implement their hazardous area management strategies?
Energy is removed from plant and equipment (shutdown)	Do workers understand how to safely shutdown and isolate fixed plant? Are isolation points around the mine well controlled and maintained?
Equipment designed and operated to mitigate mechanically generated heat	Are the controls identified for mitigating mechanically generated heat in place and effective for equipment in the field?
Fire detection and suppression	Confirm the installation and maintenance of fire detection and suppression systems in the field as per documented site requirements?
Electrical Protection Systems	Are installed electrical protections devices installed, maintained and orientated to protect personnel? Is electrical apparatus access well controlled and maintained?
Spontaneous Combustion Management (UG Coal)	Do workers understand how to identify spontaneous combustion and the control measures applied to manage spontaneous combustion?

Findings with issues identified - surface & underground

Critical control	Findings of concern	Findings of contravention	Total findings with issues
Hazardous area management (including elimination of ignition sources)	2	9	11
Energy is removed from plant and equipment (shutdown)	5	1	6
Equipment designed and operated to mitigate mechanically generated heat	7	0	7
Fire detection and suppression	0	0	0
Electrical Protection Systems	5	4	9
Spontaneous Combustion Management (UG Coal)	1	0	1
Total findings with issues	20	14	34

Compliance notice type issues during the program

Notice type	Notices	Percentage of notices issued
WHS(MPS)A s23 notice of concerns	28	47%
WHSA s191 improvement notice	31	52%
WHSA s195 prohibition notice	1	2%
Total	60	100%

Note: This data represents all notices issued during the program and may include notices other than fire or explosion topics.

Recommendations

Operators of surface and underground coal mines should review their site principal hazard fire or explosion management plan and the critical controls assessed for the topic of fixed plant and structures with specific focus on:

Review the site mechanical engineering control plan for fire and explosion management of generated heat for:
- coal conveyors and drive motors, coal transfer points, coal storage bins and coal reclaim tunnels
- conveyor belt wear and generated belt debris, belt slippage, belt tracking, hot roller identification and replacement
- fire-fighting resources readily available and suitable to mitigate the assessed potential fire hazards for the fixed plant and structures
- inspection and defect management systems for replacing worn or damaged critical fixed plant components.
Ensure a risk assessment is undertaken to identify potentially hazardous areas which should be the subject of a Hazardous Area Classification (HAC) including coal reclaim tunnels, coal storage bins, diesel bays, battery charging stations, gas drainage infrastructure, electrical switch rooms and water processing facilities etc.
- AS/NZS 3000:2018 Wiring Rules, Section 7.7 outlines requirements for HAC including that "persons or parties in control of the installation" hold "the responsibility for classification of a hazardous area".
- HAC assessments should be conducted for "areas where flammable or combustible materials are produced, prepared, processed, handled, stored or otherwise exist, and therefore may give rise to an explosive atmosphere"
- Explosion protected electrical equipment defines hazardous areas through guidance in published standards, including but not limited to AS/NZS IEC 60079.10.1:2022 Explosive Atmospheres and AS/NZS 60079.10.2:2016 explosive dust atmospheres.
Review the site portable apparatus management standards for use at locations declared as hazardous areas, in particular review:
- hot work permit approvals
- fire watch requirements after hot work completed
- clear signage for identification of all declared hazardous areas.
Review site controls for energy isolation, energy dissipation, worker compliance with site procedures and supervisor monitoring of compliance with the procedures in locations declared as hazardous areas.
Review the site electrical engineering control plan for electrical protections and earthing systems are assessed and maintained to relevant published electrical standards applicable for coal mines.
Review the site spontaneous combustion management plan for verification of information used for fire and explosion TARPS and monitoring outcomes of action and response to increasing and/or elevated gas levels detected by gas monitoring systems.
Review and update training competencies for workers, contractors and supervisors in the site fire or explosion management systems for fixed plant and structures.