Monthly Regional Newsletter

Transcription

1 This confirms that the Section 54 instruction issued on 17 January 2012 by Mr MO Poultney to Greenside Colliery is hereby lifted subject to the following conditions:- 1. Guards or decking must be provided at the back of the chute up to the tail-end of the C conveyor. 2. The engineer must personally ensure compliance to Regulation 8.9(1)(f), 8.8(3)(i), 8.8(3)(j) and 8.8(3)(k). 3. A program to provide visible means that would indicate that the power to conveyor belts is isolated, must be submitted to the Principal Inspector before 31 January Yours faithfully Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate: 1. TOPICAL ISSUES OF THE MONTH 1.1 OPENCAST BLASTING FEBRUARY 2013 Monthly Regional Newsletter Lately, this office has become inundated with complaints from parties residing close to opencast mines. These complaints are normally as a result of blasting operations at the mines and it is disturbing to note that in a number of cases, blasting activities on the mine were undertaken without consultation with all affected parties. MPUMALANGA REGION It is also noted that where blasting operations at the mines are done in a responsible manner and all affected parties are consulted with, no complaints are lodged with this Department. Postal address, Private Bag X7279, Witbank, 1035 Physical address, Province House, cnr of Botha Ave and Paul Kruger Street, Witbank Enquiries : LJA Bezuidenhout 1.2 INCREASED METHANE RELEASE RATES Tel: Fax: The change in ambient temperatures is often associated with dropping and widely fluctuating barometric pressures. loraine.coetzee@dmr.gov.za INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. TOPICAL ISSUES OF THE MONTH

2 INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. TOPICAL ISSUES OF THE MONTH 1.1 Occupational disease investigations 1.2 Notification of industrial action 2. MINING 2.1 Codes of Practices: Closing the loop 3. ENGINEERING 3.1 Machinery awareness - brakes 4. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 4.1 Occupational Medicine a. Reporting of occupational diseases b. Control of chronic diseases 4.2 Occupational Hygiene a New equipment procurement b Application of stone dust 5. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY 5.1 Fatal accident. 5.2 Accidents reported 5.3 Details of accidents per mining Groups 5.4 Accident comparison with previous years (Mpumalanga Region) 5.5 Table of fatal accidents (Mpumalanga Region) 5.6 DMR fatality statistics for 2013 a. Breakdown by Regions b. Breakdown by Commodity 6.3 Non conformances found during audits and inspections 7. SECTION 54/55 INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED 7.1 Compliance notices i.t.o. Section Improvement instructions i.t.o. Section Stoppage instructions i.t.o. Section EXAMINATIONS 8.1 Mine Overseers Certificates 8.2 Lampman and Onsetters Certificates 9. LEGISLATION 10. REGIONAL OVERVIEW 10.1 Safety achievements 11. GENERAL 11.1 Mine Survey and Mine Managers examinations ANNEXURE : Brief Accident Descriptions 6. AUDITS, INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS 6.1 Inspections 6.2 Audits

3 TOPICAL ISSUES OF THE MONTH 1.1 OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE INVESTIGATIONS Numerous reminders were placed in the monthly newsletters regarding the investigations of early noise induced hearing loss as well as diagnosed occupational diseases. Once a disease has been diagnosed, an investigation should be conducted and finalized within 30 days. The employer is further responsible to ensure that a copy of the investigation is forwarded to the Principal Inspector in the Region. Shifts from baseline hearing tests between 5% - 9% must also be investigated as discussed above and submitted to the Principal Inspector. The investigation does not only include personal monitoring of the affected employee, but also the relevance of issued PPE, correct use of PPE, possibility of re-training and extramural activities. Recommendations need to be made regarding steps to be taken with such affected employees and the corrective steps taken, must also be included in the report. As this is a legal requirement according to Section 11.5 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, you are cautioned that action will be taken against mines not complying. 2.2 NOTIFICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION In the light of the violent industrial action at Marikana and the possible mass retrenchment of employees at the Anglo Platinum mines, the Minister for Mineral Resources indicated that she must be informed regarding such occurrences. Employers are therefore requested to inform the regional office of the Department of any such occurrences. 2. MINING 2.1 CODES OF PRACTICE : CLOSING THE LOOP In terms of Section 10 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, the employer is compelled to ensure that all employees are adequately trained to deal with any risk to the employee s health or safety. Most of the mines in the region have compiled and submitted the mandatory Codes of Practice and mostly these documents comply with the Guidelines issued by the Chief Inspector of Mines. However, during recent inspections and audits, it has come to the attention of this office that there is a great deal of confusion as far as the abovementioned issue is concerned when questioning the employees in the working places. Mine managers are advised to scrutinise the process in which the requirements of the various Codes of Practice are communicated to the employees. Mine managers must also ensure that the procedures and rules in which the employees are trained comply with the stipulations of the COP.

4 ENGINEERING 3.1 MACHINERY AWARENESS BRAKES In terms of regulation 8.8(2)(a) of the Mine Health and Safety Act, employers must take reasonably practicable measures to prevent persons from being injured because of incorrect design of equipment. In 2012 an accident was reported to this office where an employee had a fully loaded rigid dump truck parked at an incline. As he was coming out of his cabin the truck started to roll back. He jumped off and the truck rolled for 60 metres before it tipped over. The park brakes were applied and before it could be towed back to the workshop the brakes had be released. It is normal practice to test brakes at the parking bay where a truck is empty, but the brakes are not always tested for full load under worst case scenario. Managers are requested to ensure that brakes are tested on a regular basis when trackless mobile machines are fully loaded. It is the employer s responsibility to ensure that all trackless mobile machinery in their mining area is safe before they are used by employees. 4. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 4.1 OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE a. REPORTING OF DIAGNOSED OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES All diagnosed occupational diseases must be reported to the DMR on the DMR 231 form. This is necessary to enable the inspectorate to capture these cases on a national database. The annual medical reports statistics will further be audited against the DMR 231 forms submitted and it needs to correlate with the number of diseases reflected on the annual medical report submitted for the year. b. CONTROL OF CHRONIC DISEASES It is very important that employees with chronic medical conditions (e.g hypertension, diabetes, etc.) are well controlled and managed. A death occurred on one of the mines where an employee was not found medically fit earlier this year, but was allowed to continue working without a valid certificate of fitness. He passed away after suffering a heart attack in his mine vehicle in the pit.

5 OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE a. NEW EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT In terms of Section 21 of the Mine Health and Safety Act, any person who designs, manufactures, repairs, imports or supplies any article for use at a mine, must ensure that the article is safe and without risk to health and safety. The employer must not only stipulate the minimum safety criteria, but also stipulate minimum occupational hygiene criteria to be complied with by the OEM before such articles are procured. The agreed milestones must be kept in mind. b. APPLICATION OF STONE DUST Managers must please ensure that stone dust is applied effectively to all exposed areas where there is a possibility of an accumulation of coal dust. The percentage incombustibility of dust in the return airways is also deteriorating and results of below 80 % have been reported to this office. If increased frequency of stone dusting these areas is a problem, alternative measures must be applied to render these areas inert. 5. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY 5.1 FATAL ACCIDENTS It is unfortunate to report that two fatal accidents occurred during the month of February a An underground electrician was fatally injured when he was run over by an LHD in the underground workings of a fiery coal mine. Two LHD s had brought in a roll of conveyor belt on a sled to a place where the construction of a conveyor belt drive was taking place. One of the machines stopped to load a steel sling into the bucket, with the intention of taking the sling to another section of the mine. After the sling had been loaded into the bucket of the LHD, the operator started the machine and proceeded along the tractor road, with the bucket in the front. As he was moving forward, he heard a noise like something bumping and when he stopped to investigate, he found that a person had been run over by the machine that he was operating. Apparently, the electrician died when the machine ran him over.

6 - 6 - b An underground continuous miner operator was caught between a continuous miner and the rib side in the underground workings of a fiery coal mine. The operator positioned next to the continuous miner, moved the continuous miner to the split between left 2 and left 3. When he trammed forward, the continuous miners slewed the rear side to the right and the operator was caught between the continuous miner and the rib side. The now deceased was still alive and was transported to the surface. He was taken to a hospital in Witbank where he passed away. 5.2 ACCIDENT REPORTED The mines in the region reported (37) accidents during February 2013 of which there were (2) fatal accidents and (8) were non casualty accidents. The accidents per category were as follows: General accidents 20 Transport and mining 5 Fall of ground 3 Machinery 1 Other 0 Non-casualty 8 Total 37

7 DETAILS OF ACCIDENTS PER MINING GROUPS FEB 2013 Year Rate/1000 Progressive Coal Mines Injured Fatals Injured Fatals Injured Fatals Sasol Coal Exxaro BECSA Kangra Coal Anglo Coal Anker Coal Xstrata Coal Shanduka Coal Total Coal SA Jindal Africa Kuyasa Mining Coal Of Africa Siphethe Coal Sudor Coal Msobo Coal Optimum Coal Private Mines Gold & Platinum Harmony Gold Aquarius Plat Great Basin Gold Pan African Resource Private Mines Other Mines Private Mines TOTAL

8 5.4 Accident comparison with previous years Mpumalanga Region JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Projected % Improve FATALS % DISABLED #DIV/0! INJURIES % NON-CASUALTIES % TOTAL % UNDERGROUND % SURFACE % OPENCAST % TOTAL % FOG % MACHINERY % T&M % GENERAL % OTHER % TOTAL % COAL % GOLD % PLATINUM % OTHER % TOTAL % 5.5 FATAL ACCIDENTS DATE FAT INJ INSP Con Emp Coal Gold Other 1 Greenside Colliery 20-Feb 1 0 R-L LHD drove over electrician Goedehoop Colliery 25-Feb 1 0 GAG CM crushed operator against side 1 1 TOTAL

9 DMR FATALITIES STATISTICS FOR 2013 a. Breakdown by Regions : fatalities 2013 W Cape N Cape F State E Cape KZN Mpumalanga Limpopo Gauteng Klerksdorp Rustenburg January February March April May June July August September October November December Total: Grand total: 17

10 b. Breakdown by Commodity : fatalities 2013 Gold Coal Platinum Other January February March April May June July August September October November December Total: Grand total: 17

11 AUDITS, INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS 6.1 Inspections: February 2013 PLANNED ACTUAL Mining inspections Occupational Hygiene inspections 9 12 Occupational Medicine inspections Machinery inspections Statutory equipment inspections Audits: February 2013 PLANNED ACTUAL Mine Health and Safety Group Audits. 6 5 Occupational Health Audits (Occ Hygiene and Medical) Occupational Safety Audits (Mining and Machinery) Non conformances found during inspections and audits: Mining Stone dusting not up to date. Sub standard support. Sub standard barring. Miner s safety declarations not kept for the prescribed period. Occupational Hygiene Flammable gas content release rate of coal being mined not determined. Noise COP not drafted as per the DMR guideline. Emergency escape drill to refuge bay not conducted. Lifeline not leading to the refuge bay door. Inadequate dust control measures at the primary crusher. Hearing protection/earmuffs not conforming to SABS specification.

12 Machinery Poor maintenance on machinery. Non compliance to the checklist procedure. Poor hazard identification and risk assessment. Sweeping in underground sections not done. Some TMM operators do not understand the pre-use checklist. Accumulation of mud water in the sections. Bad conditions of underground road ways. No go areas not barricaded. Battery haulers not equipped with means to extinguish fires. Fan inside the refuge bay noisy when operated. No means to guide employees to the refuge bays. Key control system is not followed in some mines. Working places in the mines are not provided with communication systems. Flame proof apparatus is not maintained. Safety belts not used by operators. Damaged pulley guards found on underground conveyors. Occupational medicine Change house without any water supply. Employees are allowed to take dirty overalls home to be washed. Fist aid equipment not accessible. Dust masks not issued on mine. Employees working without certificates of fitness. 7. INSTRUCTIONS IN TERMS OF SECTION 54 AND 55 ISSUED DURING FEBRUARY Compliance notices in terms of Section 55 Belt-drive attendant found cleaning the installation while in motion. Belt-drive attendant walked under moving conveyor belt. All the conveyor belts underground have the pull-wire on one side only and not on the other side of the installation where access is also possible. Replace all loose bolts of main panel for shuttle car. Ensure ventilation in battery charging bay is interlocked to the electrical supply. Ensure telemetric fire detection system is provided for battery charging bay.

13 Improvement instruction in terms of Section 54 Ensure that all Occupational diseases are investigated. Contractors not flagged for occupational disease investigations. Diagnosed occupational diseases not reported on DMR 231. Flammable gas content and release rate of coal being mine had to be determined. Mine was instructed to install telemetry system in section. Employees issued with only one overall per year. Issue dust masks on mine. 7.3 Stoppage instructions in terms of Section 54 A machine was stopped for A class hazards indicated on the pre-use checklist A truck found with worn tyres and indicators not working was stopped. Stopped employees with expired certificates of fitness. Stopped CM until ventilation has been restored. All operation of mobile machines stopped until they have been examined for proximity devices and signed off to be in order. Mine stopped until change house and toilets have permanent water supply, dust masks were issued and access to first aid equipment has been provided. 8 EXAMINATIONS 8.1 Mine Overseer Certificate of Competency Three Mine Overseer Boards were held during February The following persons obtained the certificate of competency:- S D Mashiane F C Bredenkamp N W J Nel C M Qudalele 8.2 Lampman s and Onsetter s Competency No Boards were held during February NEW LEGISLATION No new legislation has been published.

14 SAFETY ACHIEVEMENTS Nil known. 11. GENERAL 11.1 Certificates of competency examinations : Mine Surveyors and Mine Managers Please note that the dates for these examinations are as follows:- - Mine Surveyors 10 and 11 April Mine Managers 6 and 9 May 2013 The venue for both the examinations is the Springbok mine village recreation club, on the Witbank/Bethal Provincial Road. LJA BEZUIDENHOUT PRINCIPAL INSPECTOR MPUMALANGA REGION

15 Description ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION MPUMALANGA REGION ACCIDENTS RECEIVED DURING FEBRUARY An electrician was fatally injured when he was run over by an LHD. 2 A CM operator was caught between the CM and the sidewall and sustained multiple injuries. He subsequently passed away. 3 He was holding a cylinder when oil splashed over him, causing him to drop the cylinder onto his foot. 4 Whilst testing the welding machine s earth point, the boilermaker created sparks which landed on dry rags inside the Dragline. 5 While a person was inserting the cable head into the cable reeler; his left index finger was pinched against the cable reeler drum by the cable head. 6 A fall of ground incident occurred. 7 His right thumb got caught between the secondary and tertiary crusher. 8 He was accidentally hit on his left thumb by a 14lb hammer. 9 The sheave bearing failed on the counterweight and the cage was stopped. 10 An employee was busy fitting a header tank on a LHD. In the process of positioning the tank with a tommy bar, he amputated the tip of his right hand thumb. 11 A blasting incident occurred. 12 She was walking from the time office parking to the main building when she slipped and fell on the pathway injuring her right knee. 13 A person was pushing the dumped rope of dragline into the rope socket; the dump rope slipped out of socket and caught his hand. 14 Articulated dump truck drove over the LDV. 15 He was busy installing a scraper when it slipped and he sustained an injury to the right index finger. 16 His finger was pinched between the sidewall and moiling point, whilst he was assisting with moiling operations. 17 He was opening the door when the hatch came down and struck his shoulder, he sustained a contusion to his left shoulder. 18 While he was climbing off from the conveyor structure the person stepped skew and sustained an injury to his left foot. 19 She was walking towards a fenced off area to start bore-hole pumps, She was frightened by an animal, when she turned around to run away, she slipped and fell. 20 He was holding onto a stringer pipe waiting for the H-frame to be placed in position; when the H-frame was placed down on the ground, his finger was caught between the stringer pipe and

16 H-frame. 21 He disembarked from the bus at the strip deployment centre when he slipped and fell on the tar road. 22 He was busy working on Articulated Dump truck putting in the articulation pin and his left hand was crushed between the upper and bottom part of the ADT. 23 A CM operator was injured when a piece of sand stone dislodged from the roof and struck him whilst busy tramming. 24 He slipped on the chain conveyor and extended his arms to try and cushion his fall, but unfortunately fell on his left fore arm. 25 They were lifting the steel egg grating on the one side, which was on top of the reactor tank, in the process the steel egg grating slipped off the steel structure and fell inside the reactor tank and struck him. 26 His left hand got caught between the pulley and the V-belt resulting in an amputation to the left middle finger. 27 He was standing on the ladder with 2 colleagues supporting the ladder, whilst a tractor was passing by the bumper of the tractor hooked the sling as a result the sling pick up slack knock him from the ladder to the ground. 28 A piece of coal dislodged from the side wall and struck him on his left lower back and fell with face onto the floor. 29 On main conveyor belt I101 a pulley bearing failed causing the buildup of heat, resulting that the grease inside the bearing ignited. 30 He was moving the CLA s of the CM, his right hand fingers got caught between the CLA s causing fractures to both fingers. 31 The roof bolter operator injured her left little finger while removing the drill steel from the roof bolter drill chuck. 32 His gum boot caught on a torque indicator, he lost his balance and fell over backwards and fell with his left hand side on a trailer. 33 He was replacing the drill rod back to its position on a overburden drill and his right index finger was pinched. 34 Methane was detected at % and 0.2%. 35 A roof bolter was busy installing roof bolts when a piece of the roof came down and struck him on his cheek. 36 He was busy fitting the equalizer pin on shuttle car and the portable power jack slacked and wedged his left hand inside the hole of the equalizer causing the injury. 37 During maintenance of the main winder it was found that the drive drum shaft is cracked at the non-drive end drum flange.