Mines safety alert no. 15 | 11 April 2000 | Version 1
Traffic rules and controls in underground coal mines
Investigations are ongoing and further information may be published as it becomes available. The information in this publication is what is known at the time of writing.
We issue Safety Notices to draw attention to the occurrence of a serious incident, raise awareness of risks, and prompt assessment of your existing controls.
Mine type
Coal mine - underground
Incident
A personnel carrier travelling inbye, from the pit bottom area, on a main road collided with the bucket of a Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) that was crossing the road at a cut through. The LHD operator had stopped and sounded the horn but the personnel in the carrier did not hear the horn or see the lights of the LHD and the LHD driver did not see the lights of the personnel carrier. The bucket of the LHD rode along the front nearside mudguard and header tank assembly and into the front passenger compartment causing a hairline fracture of the pelvic bone of the passenger. This incident had the potential for a more serious injury.
Equipment
Eimco LHD and PJB man carrier
Hazard
Vehicle collision
Cause
Investigations could find no evidence of mechanical failure or environmental causes nor why the respective drivers did not see the vehicle lights or hear the horn when sounded.
Comments and recommendations
It is recommended that the manager's transport rules be a be reviewed and consider the following:
- Vehicles should only traverse across the main travelling roads at locations specified by the manager vehicles travelling on the main travelling road should have right of way over other traffic.
- Intersections on the main travelling roads should be designed to allow for the safe crossing of the main transport roads. This may involve the use of mirrors, block lights or some other appropriate system which must be maintained in operational condition.
- Where abnormal activities are to take place, such as machinery loading ballast from a cut through, the awareness of machine operators using the main travelling road should be appropriately identified such as using strobe lights placed on each side of the intersection.
- It is recommended that each mine reviews it's mine manager's transport rules as a result of this accident.
- It cannot be emphasised too strongly that a driver of any machine must ensure that it is safe to pass through an intersection, also that even the best managers rules will not be effective unless everyone abides 100% to those rules.
Contact: minesafetyandhealth@dnrm.qld.gov.au
Issued by Queensland Department of Mines and Energy
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