10 Year Trends in Safety

Until January 2008, OHS was managed by DPI – Minerals & Petroleum. One of their roles was the collection and dissemination of trends that have occurred. With the official handover nearly complete, JOHN MITAS, DPI Chief Inspector of Mines and Quarries presented a summary of the trends over the last 10 years.

OVER the last 10 years there have been approximately 374 incidents across all industries managed by the DPI – Minerals and Petroleum (that is, mining, coal and extractives). To better understand trends that are showing across the industry and therefore better manage site OHS, a summary is provided of four key indicators.

The information presented in these charts is based on all reported incidents that have occurred on mining, coal and extractive operations between 1997 and 2007.

The exact numbers vary between charts due to the accident that occurred and the information provided. Total injuries in this 10 year period range between 307 and 374 incidents.

The first is the nature of the injury or what got hurt in an incident. Key areas are sprains and strains (38%), open wound not involving amputation (13%), contusions (13%) and fractures (11%).

The second chart considers the bodily location of injury. Key locations being injured are hands and figures, back, shoulders and arms, and hips and legs.

Sample incident:

A product sand stockpile was over filled unintentionally causing the crossover discharge conveyor to become buried and to stall. Employees hand shoveled surplus sand to free the conveyor. The cross-over conveyor was switched on but failed to start. A fitter climbed up on top of the feed conveyor frame and attempted to clean sand from the cross-over conveyor with his hand. The cross-over conveyor started and caused his hand to become entangled. (SIR 3/2004).

The third chart considers the mechanism of injury. Key mechanisms include being hit by moving objects, other muscular stress, and hitting objects with a part of the body.

Sample Incident:

In February 2001, a fatality occurred at an underground mine development operation in the central Victorian goldfields. An underground maintenance labourer suffered fatal injuries when the dump truck he was assisting to start unexpectedly moved forward, striking the decline wall. The deceased was positioned partially inside the engine compartment. When the vehicle struck the sidewall, the engine compartment cover closed onto and crushed
the maintenance labourer. (SIR 10/2005).

The fourth and final chart looks at the breakdown agency of injury. Key agencies include machinery and fixed plant, mobile plant and non-powered hand tools and equipment.

Sample Incident:

A quarry worker fell approximately 5 metres from a walkway sustaining a broken pelvis and broken wrist. The employee was speaking on his mobile phone whilst sitting on the middle guardrail at a primary crushing plant. Under the weight of the employee the welding of the guardrail broke resulting in the employee falling backwards and striking the ground. The weld was joining the guardrail to the vertical support. (SIR 02/2006).

For further details on the incidents these charts refer to, please contact John Mitas at DPI Minerals & Petroleum on 03 9658 4422.

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