Fire Safety In The Mining Industry

With over 10.4 per cent share of the Australian economy, mining is a major contributor to the overall national GDP. It employs over 0.13 million Australian blue and white collar workers in roles with varying degrees of difficulty and danger.

Over the years, authorities have formulated a strict legislative framework to improve the health and safety of the personnel working on mining sites. However, it remains one of the higher-risk industries to work in. According to an estimate, the mining industry has the third highest fatality rate, with nine workers dying yearly in the country.

Potential Risk Areas on Mining Sites:

Mining and quarrying involve high-level risk activities that can cause fatal injuries to employees and people in the vicinity. In addition, accidents can damage the site’s expensive machinery or powered haulage. Some of the potential hazards are:

• Ground failure/rock fall
• Mobile plant roll-overs and collision
• Fire and/or explosion, including plant fire, misfires, and wild flyrock
• Respirable dust exposure, including crystalline silica
• Loss of ventilation, including blast fumes and confined spaces

Fire threatens underground and surface mining operations, particularly conveyor belt entries. Additionally, fire can be caused by equipment malfunction, spontaneous combustion, welding, lighting and frictional ignition.

Safety Tips To Reduce Mining Accidents:

Flammable liquids, combustible materials, high voltage cables and heavy machinery contribute to the fire risk on mining sites. The remote nature of mining sites further compounds the risk of damage should a fire occur.

Fire protection within the mining industry requires comprehensive risk assessments, detailed plans and effective execution to minimise the potential harm and damage caused by fire onsite. There are a few simple measures that mining companies can take and prepare themselves to minimise risk:

1. Meticulous Risk Assessment

An extensive and intensive fire hazard assessment is the first step in formulating an effective fire protection plan and reducing fatalities and damage.

The nature of fire hazards varies between surface and underground mining operations. They also vary according to different factors such as size, structure, material, equipment and number of personnel.

Some of the typical mining fire hazards include:

• Welding and cutting operations
• Inadequate flammable and combustible liquids like lubricating oil, hydraulic fuel and more.
• Combination of coal dust and methane gas

Once you have comprehensively assessed the potential fire risks associated with mining operations, selecting and installing the proper safety equipment becomes essential.

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