Open Cut Mining and Surface Extraction SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers open cut mining and surface extraction activities, from planning and access control through drilling, blasting, extraction, plant maintenance and sign-off. It supports planning for ground conditions, mobile plant, highwalls, dust, noise, weather and emergency conditions.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Plan mining activities and work interfaces
• Establish mining barriers and access controls
• Inspect plant and access routes
• Position plant at mining faces
• Conduct mine drilling
• Load and fire blasts
• Scale highwalls
• Extract and load mineral
• Haul material and manage waste
• Operate crushing conveyors
• Control dust and health exposures
• Refuel, maintain plant and respond to changing conditions

Who is this for?

Suitable for contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out open cut mining and surface extraction activities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Applicable Commonwealth, state or territory WHS/OHS legislation and regulations, including applicable mining, explosives, plant, hazardous-chemical, airborne-contaminant, electrical and high-risk-work requirements.
• Model Code of Practice: Construction work, as adopted or applied in the relevant jurisdiction; it identifies open-cut extraction, overburden removal and mineral extraction as construction-work examples.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of respirable crystalline silica in the workplace, as adopted or applied in the relevant jurisdiction; quarrying, drilling, crushing, loading, hauling and screening of silica-containing material are identified processing activities.
• Model Codes of Practice: Managing the risks of plant in the workplace; Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace; Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work; Confined spaces; Excavation work; and Managing the work environment and facilities, where adopted or applicable.
• Technical guidance: AS 2187.1 Explosives—Storage and use; AS 2187.2 Explosives—Storage and use—Use of explosives; AS/NZS 4024.1 Safety of machinery; AS 1657 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders; AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716 Respiratory protective equipment; AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules; AS/NZS 4871 Electrical equipment for mines and quarries; and manufacturer instructions.
• Model Codes of Practice are guidance documents and do not automatically have legal effect in every jurisdiction; confirm the legislation, regulator guidance, mine safety management system and permit conditions that apply at the work location.

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Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)

• Task-specific job steps, hazards and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each job step
• Plant, equipment and PPE requirements where applicable
• Permits, qualifications and high-risk construction work details where applicable
• Worker consultation, sign-off and review sections