Mining and quarries

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COVID-19 and employer responsibilities

Employers must identify whether there is a risk to health of employees from exposure to coronavirus at their workplace. Where a risk to health is identified at a workplace, employers must, so far as is reasonably practicable, eliminate or reduce the risk.

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Earth resources

These are the most common injuries and hazards for people working in the earth resources industry, as shown by injury claims.

Hazards

Hazard 1
Exposure to dust fumes and silica
Eliminate or minimise health risk by designing work and the workplace to prevent contact with the hazardous substance (eg extraction and ventilation in underground environments).

Provide dust capturing equipment in dust-producing processes.

Prevent people from entering the mine after blasting until safe (eg ventilation and monitoring).

Ensure all controls are maintained.

You may have to do air monitoring to determine employee exposure levels and undertake health surveillance. If you are not sure if there is a problem, get some assistance.
Hazard 2
Heavy lifting and pushing / pulling objects
Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (eg forklifts, carryalls) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Where manual handling is required, locate frequently used or lifted objects at waist height, and minimise lifting by reducing the size of weight of objects without increasing lifting frequency.

8 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

17 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand/fingers.
Hazard 3
Noise
Ensure employees are not exposed to noise that exceeds the exposure standard.

Arrange for a noise assessment if employees are exposed to excessive noise (eg workers have to raise their voices to communicate over a distance of one metre) and there is uncertainty as to whether employees exposure may have exceeded the noise exposure standard.

Eliminate or minimise the source of noise (eg enclose or isolate noisy machinery, reduce vibration, use barriers to absorb and screens to block the direct path of sound, use silencers on air exhausts, exhaust pneumatics out of the area, buy the quietest tools / machinery available).

Place warning signs in areas of excessive and continual noise (eg where employees exposure is likely to exceed the exposure standard).

Warn other workers nearby that you will be undertaking noisy work and advise them to move away or wear hearing protection.

Provide hearing equipment, ensure it is worn at all times, and provide employees with audiometric testing. Employers should provide a choice of different types of hearing protection appropriate to the noise level in the workplace.

12 per cent of the injuries were to a persons ear.
Hazard 4
Operating vehicles and plant
Construct haulage roads with appropriate material type and size, and maintain roads.

Regularly service and maintain vehicles to minimise vibration.

Ensure vehicles / mobile plant are appropriate height for first step up.

Ensure drivers are not fatigued or affected by drugs or alcohol.

8 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

11 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons leg.

17 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.
Hazard 5
Repetitive tasks
Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (eg automatic in-feed, adjustable and ergonomically designed tools) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Mechanise repetitive work such as drilling, hammering or pounding by using powered equipment.

Ensure plant handles or controls are positioned for easy use / reach.

Ensure employees are not exposed to repetitive work for long periods (eg by using job rotation, work variation) or work that requires a significant amount of high force.

Provide employees with regular breaks.

8 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

11 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons leg.

17 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.
Hazard 6
Slips trips and falls
Provide adequate lighting for work areas and walkways.

Regularly carry out ground inspection and maintenance, and housekeeping.

Equip mobile plant with non-slip steps to prevent slips and falls.

Ensure all stairs and steps have handrails.

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons arm.

11 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons leg.
Hazard 7
Using mechanical tools and equipment
Provide appropriate mechanical tools and drills and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Provide powered equipment for breaking and shifting drill rods.

Ensure drill rods have appropriate guarding.

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons arm.

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand/fingers.
Hazard 8
Work-related stress bullying and harassment
Promote clear policies and procedures that address bullying, harassment and work pressure; enforce an effective issues reporting and resolution plan; and provide post-incident care, including counselling and support.

Ensure all workers understand what bullying and harassment are and the procedures for reporting incidents (eg explain policies and procedures during induction).

5 per cent of the injuries were to a persons psychological system.

'If you are injured at work' poster

Employers must display an 'if you are injured at work' poster in every workplace. You can download and print a poster in English as well as Arabic, Chinese simplified, Chinese traditional, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Download a poster

Mining and quarries

Plant, machinery and equipment

Explosives

OHS responsibilities and duties

You might also need

Insurance, claims and recovery

Employer obligations

Workplace resources

Understand WorkSafe

Injury hotspots

Earth resources

Hazards

Exposure to dust fumes and silica

Heavy lifting and pushing / pulling objects

Noise

Operating vehicles and plant

Repetitive tasks

Slips trips and falls

Using mechanical tools and equipment

Work-related stress bullying and harassment

'If you are injured at work' poster

Gendered violence.

It comes in many forms.

News and alerts

Quarry fined $180,000 over silica dust exposure

Mine operator fined after worker's toe amputated

Coal mine fire sees operator fined $50,000

Information

Services

About WorkSafe

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Mining and quarries

Plant, machinery and equipment

Explosives

OHS responsibilities and duties

You might also need

Insurance, claims and recovery

Employer obligations

Workplace resources

Understand WorkSafe

Injury hotspots

Earth resources

Hazards

Exposure to dust fumes and silica

Heavy lifting and pushing / pulling objects

Noise

Operating vehicles and plant

Repetitive tasks

Slips trips and falls

Using mechanical tools and equipment

Work-related stress bullying and harassment

'If you are injured at work' poster

Gendered violence.

It comes in many forms.

News and alerts

Quarry fined $180,000 over silica dust exposure

Mine operator fined after worker's toe amputated

Coal mine fire sees operator fined $50,000

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