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DMP releases report on Nifty bogger fatality

The Department of Mines and Petroleum has released a Significant Incident Report regarding the death of a bogger at Nifty Copper Mine.

The report has revealed the load-haul-dump (LHD or bogger) operator was killed when he was struck by a rock weighing about 700kg that rolled from an open stope.

According to the report, the LHD was parked in the stope access drive and the driver was on foot in front of the loader bucket. There was a substantial gap between the brow and the rill at the stope draw point.

The rock appears to have rolled down the rill and struck the operator, who was using a hose to water down the rill.

The report named a large open stope with the hazard of falling rocks, and the operator working outside the cabin at the base of the rill.

The report recommended the following actions:

– Mine managers should ensure that written procedures are available for the clearing of any chute, pass, millhole or stope draw point, as required by r. 10.31 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995.

– A detailed risk assessment should be undertaken to address the hazard of a rock falling from the backs or walls of open stopes, and rolling and hitting workers at the draw point. The actions recommended below should prevent similar incidents.

– Where bunds are used as protection, they should be designed and positioned to catch any rocks that are ejected from the stope into areas where workers could be present.

– In large open stopes with a history of rock falls, set the loading limit so that free bogging ceases when the brow cracks (opens) and natural free rilling ceases. Remote bogging should commence at this time or the next ring should be blasted.

– Develop a procedure to protect workers at stope draw points where they could be struck by falling, rolling or bouncing rocks from the stope.

The Department of Mines and Petroleum’s is still investigating the incident. The information contained in this significant incident report is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing.

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