Mine operators

In addition to general duties under the OHS Act and other specific duties under the OHS regulations for employers, as a mine operator, you must, so far as reasonably practicable, identify mining hazards and assess and control the risks involved. 

You must eliminate any risk to health and safety from the hazards associated with mining work.

If it’s not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk, you must reduce it, as far as reasonably practicable, by:

• substituting the hazard with one that is less of a risk
• isolating the hazard from people, or
• using engineering controls

If there is still a risk after using these methods, you should reduce it by using administrative controls, and if any risk still remains, reduce it with personal protective equipment.

You need to review (and, where necessary, revise) your hazard identification, risk assessment and risk controls if things change, if a person is removed from their job as a result of health surveillance results, or if any incident involving a mining hazard occurs at the mine, and when a health and safety representative requests a review.

A review is also necessary every three years.

You must consult employees and health and safety representatives when identifying hazards and deciding on control measures. For more information, see consultation.

Mine operators must also develop and implement strategies for managing risks associated with employee fatigue and the use of drugs and alcohol.      

If you operate a prescribed mine, you must also:

• establish, implement, and review the safety management systems
• carry out safety assessments in respect of major mining hazards (A mining hazard that has the potential to trigger an incident that causes, or poses a significant risk of causing, more than one death.)
• develop safety roles for employees
• comply with ventilation and monitoring requirements
• keep emergency plans and mine plans.

There are other specific duties including those relating to emergency exits, working environment, ventilation systems, provision of information and control measure testing.

View the regulations