Product Overview

This Underground Mining Operations and Ventilation SWMS is a comprehensive Safe Work Method Statement designed to identify, control, and minimise risks associated with complex underground mining activities. It provides detailed, integrated coverage of equipment operation, strata control, water management, and ventilation to support WHS compliance and safer underground mining operations.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Safe operation of continuous miner machines, including cutting sequences, operator positioning, and exclusion zones
• Management of ingress of water into mines, including dewatering systems, bunding, and emergency response for flooding events
• Mine seismicity management, including monitoring, trigger action response plans (TARPs), and re-entry procedures after seismic events
• Inspection, operation, and upkeep of mine ventilation systems, including fans, regulators, doors, and auxiliary ventilation ducting
• Operation of load haul dump (LHD) machines, including tramming, loading, tipping, and traffic management in confined headings
• Installation of rock bolts, including drilling, resin/grout use, bolting patterns, and quality assurance checks
• Roof bolting operations, including working at the face, managing fall-of-ground risks, and maintaining safe bolting horizons
• Shaft sinking activities, including hoisting, shaft access, ground support installation, and control of falling object risks
• Strata reinforcement and ground support activities, including mesh installation, cable bolting, and scaling loose ground
• Operation of underground locomotives, including haulage plans, signalling, braking systems, and collision avoidance controls
• Management of dust, diesel particulate, and noxious gases through effective ventilation design and monitoring
• Emergency response planning for underground incidents, including ventilation failures, fires, and entrapment scenarios
• Isolation, lock-out and tag-out (LOTO) procedures for underground plant and electrical equipment
• Communication systems and procedures for coordinating underground mining and haulage activities

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for underground mining operators, mine managers, ventilation officers, supervisors, contractors, and workers involved in underground production, development, haulage, and ground support activities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice – for working at heights during shaft sinking and strata reinforcement
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice – for noise exposure from continuous miners, LHDs, and locomotives
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice – for handling resins, grouts, fuels, and other hazardous substances underground
• Confined Spaces Code of Practice – for managing risks associated with working in confined underground headings and shafts
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice – for ventilation, lighting, air quality, and welfare facilities in underground mines
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice – for systematic identification, assessment, and control of underground mining hazards
• AS 2290.3 Electrical equipment for coal mines – Underground – Portable and mobile electric apparatus – as applicable to underground electrical equipment
• AS/NZS 4871 Electrical equipment for mines and quarries – for safe use and maintenance of electrical plant in underground mining operations