5 Ways to Improve Safety in Mines in Queensland

The level of danger and hostile environment in underground mines is high. The impending danger results from miner fatigue, heat and pressure. As the depth of a mine increases, problems such as those related to ventilation arise, making the mines unsafe for miners. Therefore, it is important to create a safe working environment for ongoing mining work.

Other causes of fatalities are fires and explosions. Workers are exposed to harmful gases, chemicals and substances that can cause harm. Presence of harmful gases in mines can cut short the supply of oxygen, leading to asphyxiation and other longterm diseases. Moreover, due to lack of ventilation, methane gas can build up and explosion can occur.

Ventilation is one of the safety measures required in mines to avoid potential dangers. Another cause of accidents is caving in of walls, resulting from deeply excavated mine shafts or the ceiling and walls not being safely secured. Therefore, it’s crucial to provide safety equipment in the mines to protect the workers and people living around. Find your local safety equipment shop in Brisbane for all your companies requirements.

5 Tips to Improving Mine Safety

1. Risk Management

Today, mining software applications are developed around ISO 31000 risk management in line with risk assessment framework. The software enables miners to identify real and potential risks associated with mining activities.

It enables them to assess potential risks, find ways of tracking determined hazards and finally mitigating them. ISO 31000 parameters can establish risk calculation factors and event notifications for best practices.

2. Environmental Management Database

Create an environmental management database to improve safety in mines. The database should contain various local and national laws and regulations governing mines. Users of the database can relate to the key licensing requirements for the operation of the mine.

Use the environmental management database to find out and manage pre-determined health hazards associated with mining. In addition, the database can prepare you for audits. Emergency actions can be defined in the system and duties to be established to mitigate environmental accidents.

3. Health and Safety of Employees

Monitor employee health standards using a database that records safety training skills, health history, compensation claims, injury management, physical rehabilitation and sick leave usage.

Let them have a periodic hearing and vision checks to ensure hazardous chemicals and gases in mines don’t affect them. Schedule periodic safety training programs for employees to enhance safety within the mines.

4. Equipment Management Safety

Poorly maintained equipment can be a major cause of accidents in mines. Develop an equipment management application to enable you establish scheduled maintenance.

Not only will you have schedules in place, but also ensure they are done on time. It also ensures calibrations are done and non-conformance inspections attended to.

All occurrences of the equipment should be tracked and all alerts or triggers sent to the right personnel.

5. Compliance Management

Respond to compliance investigations. Come up with measures to prevent reoccurrence and strive to always improve in all aspects. Compliance management is a good way of uncovering issues that may threaten mine safety.

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