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.
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/29218
Editor Kathryn Edwards Editorial Assistant Jarrod Fitch Lead Graphic Designer Kimberley Smith Graphic Designers Michael Griffiths Bianca Fidge Kasha Abbott Louie Smale Publisher Garth Wright CEO Gary Peach General Manager Graham Miles Marketing Co-ordinator Johnathon Dunstan Printer Newstyle Printing Co. Pty Ltd 41 Manchester Street Mile End, SA 5031 Phone: 08 8234 6155 APRS Head Office Level 6, 38 Currie Street Adelaide, SA 5000 GPO Box 1746, Adelaide, SA 5001 Phone: 08 8113 9200 Fax: 08 8113 9201 APRS Queensland Office Phone: 07 3229 9766 Fax: 07 3229 3066 Editor Phone: 08 8113 9221 Email: editor@aprs.com.au Disclaimer APRS is not committed to nor takes responsibility for the views expressed in articles or advertisements herein. The publishers could not possibly ensure that each advertisement published in this magazine complies with the Trade Practices Act and responsibility must therefore rest with the person, company or agency submitting the advertisement for publication. Although months have passed since New Zealand’s Pike River mine disaster, which claimed the lives of 29 men, the incident still lies deep within the hearts and minds of many Kiwis. Not only do the men’s bodies still remain down the mine, but the mine’s receivers are not able to determine when, if ever, the mine will be re-entered. An inquiry to the disaster last November will opened on April 5th with a preliminary hearing in the nearby town of Greymouth. The Royal Commission intends to hold 15 weeks of hearings, with an estimated completion date of November 4th. The hearings will be divided into four topics – mine safety regulations, the search and rescue operation, how the explosions happened, and mining policies – all with an ultimate goal of determining what happened, why and how these sorts of incidents can be prevented in the future. Meanwhile in Australia, the Queensland Government has established a new committee to draft improved safety guidelines for blasting at the state’s mine sites. The draft guidelines, to be released in May, will aim to stop miners from breathing in blasting fumes. I have no doubt that the ongoing developments both in New Zealand and in Queensland will be watched very closely by those in the mining industry, and we will endeavour to keep you posted on both throughout the year. In this issue we hear from New Zealand mine safety expert Dave Feickert who discusses whether the country’s safety and training legislation is up to scratch, and the lessons learnt from last year’s Pike River tragedy. Continuing on the mine rescue theme, Paul Healey chats about his role with the New South Wales Mines Rescue Service and the mine rescue environment. He says mining is a hazardous business that requires vigorous training and the utmost preparedness in case disaster strikes. Safe Work Australia’s Rex Hoy investigates the impact the upcoming model work health and safety laws will have on the mining industry once implemented. Doug Gould argues that mining roll-over protection standards have fallen flat with regards to light vehicle ROPS installations. On the training front, Frank Schrever highlights the need for machine safety training and argues that a large disconnect exists between the education being delivered 2 AUSTRALASIAN MINE SAFETY JOURNAL and the legal obligations of the people in charge of plant and machinery safety. QCoal’s Chris Towsey discusses electrical safety in mining and says all incidents are preventable, but only if they can be predicted and someone or something intervenes. Inside you will also find our regular columnists a full preview of this year’s Mine Rescue and Emergency Management conference to be held in Brisbane on 31st May and 1st June, and the 2011 Safety in Mining Conference to be held on the 29th and 30th of June in Perth. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the Royal Commission into New Zealand’s Pike River mining disaster and on the mine safety issues featured inside this edition, so please drop me a line at: editor@aprs.com.au Kathryn Edwards Editor ETTER FROM THE EDITOR