Australasian Mine Safety

Australasian Mine Safety Summer 2011-12

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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First Aid First aid M AT MINE sites any of us will have heard the adage "any first aid is better no first aid", but nothing will test our people and their training more than responding well to a real life incident. This is often only the thin edge of the wedge and we need to question how we got there in the first place. Is training and having the latest rescue and medical equipment enough? If the basic principles of first aid are not addressed, and your approach to first aid does not include them as part of a broader, holistic process, then the possibility of a fatality is heightened, as well as injury to those who may not even be involved in the initial incident. More than bandages and CPR The importance of applying effective first aid in the first minutes after an accident is paramount to the outcome of the casualty. Daniel Coad and Clinton Jury report. What is first aid? First aid is the immediate treatment or care given to someone suffering from an injury or illness until more advanced care is accessed or they recover. The aims of first aid are to: • Preserve life; • Prevent illness or injury from becoming worse; • Relieve pain, if possible; • Promote recovery; and, • Protect the unconscious. Where do you start? The very first thing to consider is the risk assessment processes in place for your workplace. A few topics for consideration are: • Is your workplace remote? A remote workplace is one that is more than a 20 minute drive away from an ambulance station that is staffed by paid paramedics or 20 minutes from definitive medical care, e.g. you may be deep in the mine so it's the time to get the casualty from where they are to where definitive medical care is (including extraction). • Is your workplace is a high-risk workplace? Workplaces that are considered high risk include those that feature the use of hazardous equipment (cranes, trucks, forklifts, tractors, power presses, vehicle hoists), the regular use of hazardous and/or dangerous substances, the risk of falls of over two metres, working in confined spaces, welding, and abrasive blasting materials – items that you are no doubt bound to find on a daily basis in and around Australian mining sites! With the above in mind there are going to be specific risks to the mining industry which require acknowledgement, and steps in place to address them. This is not an exhaustive list but the following should be considered: • Crush injuries; • Hypoxia; • Chemical poisoning; • Motor vehicle accidents; • Electrocution; • Asthma; • Mental health – are staff coming to work in the best frame of mind and how would your staff recognise this?; and, • Sexual health. The aim of any risk assessment process should to remove a hazard or reduce the level of its risk by adding precautions or control measures as necessary. By doing so, you create a safer and healthier workplace and reduce the need to apply first aid as an emergency response. A thorough Risk Assessment should: • Create awareness of hazards and risks; • Identify who may be at risk (employees, cleaners, visitors, contractors etc.); • Determine if existing control measures are adequate or if more should be done; • Prevent injuries or illnesses when done at the design or planning stage; and, • Prioritise hazards and control measures. Once you have reviewed the Risk Assessment the next crucial step is to plan. A good plan will take some time to develop and it should not be undertaken lightly. The time of the first injury is not an appropriate occasion to start planning. Your plan should include the findings of your Risk Assessment and a needs analysis of 40 The Australasian Mine Safety Journal Summer 2011/12

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