The NSW Resources Regulator has reported an incident at an open cut coal mine that the tray of a haul truck collided with the lift arm and handrail of a front-end loader, putting the loader operator at risk. The haul truck was backing under the loader, however, the operator’s view was obscured by dust and he lost sight of the loader. The loader operator had earlier switched to offside loading due to visibility issues with dust and lighting. No one was injured.
The Regulator said: “The consequences of vehicle operators not establishing positive communications with other vehicle operators can, and has been, fatal. Despite the prevalence of site procedures, operator training and the introduction of assistive technology, many operators continue to ignore the importance of following basic procedures. The continuous repetition of a task does not negate their responsibility to establish positive communications every time a task is repeated.”
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A dump truck collision with a dozer at a NSW coal mine has been reported by the NSW Resources Regulator.
According to the Regulator a dump truck collision occurred when a haul truck interacted with a dozer on a dump at the Mangoola open cut coal mine on 5 October 2020. As a result of the collision, the dozer operator sustained injuries and was transported to hospital.
The accident occurred at about 9am on Monday 5 October 2020. An experienced dozer operator was working on a tip head. A truck operator arrived at the tip head and was unsure where to unload but recalled an earlier instruction from the dozer operator to tip against the wall. The truck operator reversed to dump the load. The truck operator heard a thud and stopped the truck. The haul truck and dozer had collided.
The haul truck operator had 11 weeks industry experience and 4 weeks experience at the mine. The dozer operator sustained soft tissue injuries and was transported to hospital for medical review.
The NSW Resources Regulator has commenced an investigation to determine the cause and circumstances of the dump truck collision incident. The investigation will, among other things, consider communication between the operators, training and supervision, as well as adequacy of policies and procedures relevant to the incident.
The mine operator is cooperating with the investigation. A report will be published when the investigation is conclude.
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