Australasian Mine Safety is the leading voice for all key decision makers within Mining company's and major contractors. Delivering the latest industry news as it breaks.
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MINE RESCUE HEN DISASTER STRIKES: GETTING MINE RESCUE RIGHT Mining is a hazardous business that requires vigorous training and the utmost preparedness in case disaster strikes. Paul Healey chats to the Australasian Mine Safety Journal about his role with the New South Wales Mines Rescue Service and the mine rescue environment. Gretley (1996) and Appin (1979) – the later two of which involved multiple fatalities. Unfortunately, the volatile mine environment and further three explosions have so far prevented our teams from underground operations. Mines Rescue and CMTS continue to assist in current planning and risk assessments and remain committed to supporting New Zealand Mines Rescue. What other mining emergencies has Mine Rescue assisted with that we may know about? In 2010 Mines Rescue also provided advice to the rescue teams at San Jose in Chile based on our experiences gained at Beaconsfield in Tasmania. The 33 miners were rescued, 69 days after the mine collapsed, which was a great result for the miners and their families, the Chilean Government and Mines Rescue. New South Wales Mines Rescue Service and Regulation & Compliance General Manager, Paul Healey, has a first-hand understanding of mines safety. Before joining the New South Wales Mines Rescue Service (Mines Rescue) in 2008, he spent 10 years with the Department of Primary Industry as an Area Manager/Senior Inspector and was responsible for coal, extractive and metalliferous mines. During his time at the DPI Paul’s principal functions included general inspections, safety audits, accident investigation, legislation review and education campaigns. Paul also has 25 years’ experience in mine and operations manager roles in both underground and open cut coal mines in Northern, Western and Hunter Valley districts where he was responsible for the safety, production and financial performance of operations. During his time as a manager, one of the mines Paul managed caught fire and was sealed within days of him starting on the job. It was then that Paul truly began to appreciate the role of NSW Mines Rescue and its partner organisation, Coal Mines Technical Services (CMTS). These two groups closely assisted Paul over the next nine months while the mine was sealed and subsequently reopened, explored and made safe for recommencement of operations. Paul’s qualifications include a BE (Mining), MBA and Mine Manager Certificate of Competence and we’ve asked him a series of questions, to get to the coal face of how Mines Rescue operates. NSW Mines Rescue and Coal Mines Technical Services assisted with the aftermath of the Pike River coal mine disaster, what was your team’s experience over there like and were they prepared? Following reports of the initial explosion on 19 November 2010, a team of Mines Rescue and CMTS employees and NSW Mines Rescue Brigadesmen responded by going beyond their normal line of duty and offered mines rescue assistance. This offer was accepted and teams departed for New Zealand in the days following the initial blast. Our Mines Rescue personnel were well placed to provide mines rescue assistance and recovery planning given their valuable firsthand experience in mines rescue emergencies including Beaconsfield (2006), Back here in Australia, Hunter Valley Mines Rescue Station and CMTS personnel responded to an emergency call out at Blakefield South on 3 January 2011. The callout was a result of an ignition of methane, behind the operating longwall, which caused the mine to activate its emergency evacuation procedures. Paul Healey, General Manager Mines Rescue Service All persons underground were immediately withdrawn to the surface and the mine was subsequently sealed. The Mines Rescue nitrogen inertisation plant (Mine Shield) was activated and used in collaboration with other measures to extinguish the residual AUSTRALASIAN MINE SAFETY JOURNAL 13