Safety assessments for mines

Operators of prescribed mines must conduct a comprehensive and systematic safety assessment of the risks associated with major mining hazards.

Read the Regulations

The duties referred to in this guidance are contained in Part 5.3 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017– (OHS Regulations).

You must read the legislation in addition to this guidance.

This guidance refers to Regulations 421, 422 and 423 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, which are duties for operators of prescribed mines.
Operators of any mine can use this guidance to help comply with Regulations 404, 405 and 406.
For an overview of the relevant Regulations, read Duties for mine operators.

A safety assessment is an integral part of a mine's safety management system.

It involves consulting with employees to create a thorough, systematised and documented investigation of major mining hazard events.

There are six steps to conducting a successful safety assessment.

Identify mining hazards
In consultation with employees you must carefully consider and document all hazards with the potential to cause more than one fatality.

How to identify mining hazards
Conduct a risk assessment
Evaluate the hazards you have identified to calculate the level of risk of major mining hazard events occurring at the mine.

How to conduct a risk assessment
Identify and adopt risk control measures
Determine what actions must be taken to eliminate, prevent or reduce the risk of a major mining hazard event occurring at the mine.

How to identify risk control measures
Collate the required documentation
Ensure your safety assessment paperwork meets the requirements set out in the Regulations and can be read and used as intended by all employees.

How to collate your documentation
Review and revise the safety assessment
Ensure your documentation is reviewed and, as necessary, revised at least every three years or when triggered by events described in the Regulations.

How to review your safety assessment
Conduct a safety assessment
Guidance for operators of prescribed mines on conducting and documenting a Safety Assessment. It is intended for mine operators with limited experience in risk management or as a refresher for mine operators reviewing their existing Safety Assessment.

How to conduct a safety assessment