Vehicle Loading Crane Improvements Mark Hill Site Senior Executive BMA Blackwater Mine

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 2 Fatality at BMA Blackwater Mine In April 2002, an Ergon Energy Employee, was fatally injured at BMA Blackwater Mine. The Ergon employee sustained extensive crush injuries to his chest. These injuries occurred when the employee was trapped against the operator’s control panel by the movement of a Vehicle Loading Crane (VLC)

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 3

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 4 Fatality at BMA Blackwater Mine VLC Controls Crush area Jib

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 5 Findings From Incident

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 6 Root Causes Human error when the wrong control lever was selected and activated Design is such that there is no physical barrier to provide protection if error occurs There are no controls to prevent inappropriate use of the unit No standard configuration Movement of levers does not always match travel No physical limit or switch to prevent movement into operator zone

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 7 Risks Relate to all industry

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 8 To implement an engineering control to prevent the boom striking operator. Resultant Actions Need to create a no go zone to prevent the boom from slewing in and around operators controls. The new modifications should not reduce the efficiency or function of the VLC. A system designed to encompass human error in the operation of a VLC. A modification that was easy to use and did not introduce new hazards. A cost effective control that could be used by all industries. Resultant Actions

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 9 Possible Control Measures Remote control units Still has potential for crushStill has potential for crush Relies on safe behaviours Relies on safe behaviours Can create jerky movements Can create jerky movements Umbilicals can be damaged Umbilicals can be damaged Dead Man Function Does not provide a physical stop

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 10 Remote Controls

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 11 No Go Zone OPERATE CRANE FROM THIS SIDE NO GO ZONE Controls No Go Zone

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 12 No Go Zone When operating crane at Zone ‘A’ or Zone ‘B’ overide switches prevent boom slewing over the Zone. When operating crane at Zone ‘A’ or Zone ‘B’ overide switches prevent boom slewing over the Zone. The crane still has full operation in other areas, just not under Zone that operator is working from The crane still has full operation in other areas, just not under Zone that operator is working from

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 13 VLC Components PROXIMITY SWITCH Locates the VLC’s movements when slewing. Communicates with override switch to slow down slewing of VLC into No Go Zone.

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 14 VLC Components BUMP BAR Switches on the bump bar allow VLC to operate outside no go zone The bump bar must be raised to operate crane. Cuts hydraulic power if activated 3 position with neutral required to operate Will only allow one control to be used Normal operation outside the operator zone is not effected

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 15 Photo’s

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 16 Success of System System positive All Blackwater VLC’s have been fitted with new controls. Greatly reduce possibility of accidental injury Greatly reduces possibility of unsafe behaviour when operating Enables operation from the load side with restriction VLC cost comparative to other controls $7 500

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 17 System Issues More components which can fail from a maintenance perspective. Enforcing Contractor Compliance Training of operators

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 18 Future Improvements Planned Promote new controls to be implemented by wider industry. Promote new controls to be implemented by wider industry. Investigating use of remotes in conjunction with no go zone Investigating use of remotes in conjunction with no go zone Continuing Work on draft Aust Standard for New ControlsContinuing Work on draft Aust Standard for New Controls BMA currently conducting risk assessments on all equipment to identify and control latent risks similar to the VLC fatality. BMA currently conducting risk assessments on all equipment to identify and control latent risks similar to the VLC fatality.

Date – June 2003 File Reference – Qld Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference Blackwater Mine BMA Coal Operations Pty Ltd 19 A DEMO TRUCK IS AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING