Mining Safety & Occupational Health

Worker injured after conveyance strike in NSW shaft prompts safety probe into winder controls, risk procedures and site communication practices

A worker was injured earlier this month at a shaft-sinking project near Menangle, New South Wales, after being struck by a personnel conveyance descending the kibble well in an underground winder shaft.

Cadia offsider loses arm in drill rig incident after boom left engaged, investigation reveals training gaps and sparks push for stronger safety controls

A serious workplace incident at Cadia East Underground Mine in June 2023 has triggered a sweeping safety review after a jumbo offsider suffered a traumatic arm amputation during routine drilling operations.

Near miss at NSW mine as distracted loader operator nearly collides with light vehicle, prompting safety alert and call for better traffic controls

The NSW Resources Regulator has issued a safety alert following a near miss involving a front-end loader and a light vehicle in an open cut mine, highlighting the risks of operator distraction and visibility limitations in mobile plant operations.

NSW mining hit by spike in heavy vehicle rollovers, with 40 incidents in 12 months prompting urgent safety overhaul across haul roads and tip sites

A surge in heavy vehicle rollovers across New South Wales mining operations has triggered a formal safety bulletin from the NSW Resources Regulator, urging immediate risk-based interventions to stem the trend.

When dust breaches trigger reports even with PPE, mine sites need more than masks—NSW's new guide means serious changes are in the air

It’s not often that a guidance document—rather than an actual regulation—sends shockwaves through the mining sector.

NSW regulator releases updated guide to control airborne dust exposure at mines across coal and non-coal operations statewide

The NSW Resources Regulator has released a revised Technical Reference Guide (TRG): Monitoring and Control of Worker Exposure to Airborne Dust, aimed at helping mine operators meet legal obligations and safeguard workers from inhalable hazards, including respirable crystalline silica.

Sleeping giants awaken: How Ernest Henry set a global benchmark for firing overslept rings in SLC mining

When a major weather event halted production at Evolution Mining’s Ernest Henry Operations (EHO) in March 2023, it set the stage for a remarkable operational comeback that would go on to earn Matt Bouwmeester the Best Paper of the Conference award at the 2025 AusIMM Underground Operators Conference in Adelaide.

Rainfall event triggers explosives loss, exposes critical gaps in blast design and risk protocols

A Queensland mine site has suffered a serious incident involving the loss of explosives after a significant rainfall event overwhelmed blast bench drainage systems—highlighting urgent shortcomings in drill and blast planning under extreme weather conditions.

Redesigning success: Inside Musselwhite’s bold stope overhaul that ended failures, increased output, and redefined deep mining performance

At the AusIMM Underground Operators Conference 2025 in Adelaide, Newmont Principal Advisor, Technical Planning Systems Ismail Ozen delivered a rare blend of candour and insight as he unpacked the dramatic turnaround of stope performance at Musselwhite Mine.

NSW regulator warns of rising mine vehicle incidents as dozer, haul truck and drill rig collisions highlight urgent need for improved safety controls

A string of recent dangerous incidents across New South Wales mine sites has prompted the state’s Resources Regulator to renew calls for stricter controls and improved situational awareness in vehicle operations, following the release of its latest Weekly Incident Summary for the week ending 23 May 2025.