Issue Date:  -  Tuesday, 1 August 2006

Guideline to general duty of care in WA mines

A guideline on the general duty of care provisions of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 has been released by the Resources Safety Division of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (DOCEP).

The latest edition of MineSafe magazine gives an overview of the General Duty of Care in Western Australian Mines – Guideline which aims to promote and improve occupational safety and health in WA mines and is endorsed by the Mining Industry Advisory Committee (MIAC).

The guideline should be used by anyone engaged in WA mining operations, as all parties have responsibilities for health and safety at work.

The mid-year bumper edition of the free quarterly magazine features State Mining Engineer Martin Knee, who has also written an obituary on his predecessor Jim Torlach, a key player in the development of mine safety in the State.

Recently released Resources Safety publications are reviewed throughout the issue, including updated procedures for using the CONTAM system and the 2004-05 overview of safety performance in the WA minerals industry.

There is also a special feature, including a double page pictorial spread, on the 2006 Surface Mine Rescue Competition. Such competitions play a significant role in terms of training, and maintaining and upgrading skills, and Resources Safety is pleased to continuing supporting these competitions through the involvement of inspectorate staff.

The latest MineSafe also reports on safety innovations and awards, and safety alerts released by other Australian jurisdictions but also relevant to the Western Australian scene. Specific safety advice is also included in an article on safe sand mining, and the safety bulletin on telehandlers.

Local news includes the new access road to the Kalgoorlie Explosives Reserve, and the exemption from removal of warning lights on mining vehicles driven on gazetted roads.

Produced by Resources Safety, MineSafe magazine can be downloaded as a PDF from www.docep.wa.gov.au/ResourcesSafety or join the free mailing list by e-mailing your address to ResourcesSafety@docep.wa.gov.au