PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The inaugural 'Serious Injury Review' report, released by the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP), will help lay the groundwork for further reductions in Western Australian mining fatality and injury rates, says Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion.

The report considers the underlying causes that contribute to mine fatalities in the state.

“This analysis is critical reading for everyone in the mining industry. While injury rates have continued to drop, the trend for serious and potentially fatal injuries has now flattened.

“Despite a fatality-free year in 2012 and six deaths in 2009, there have been, on average, two to three deaths a year on Western Australian mine sites. This report identifies an annual average of 200 high-consequence injuries, which have very similar causal factors to fatalities,” the Minister said.

He added that reviewing the rate of high-severity injuries, including amputations, fractures and crush injuries, could help provide key indicators, so more efforts could be focused on critical activities linked to fatalities and serious injuries.

The DMP analysed 658 serious injuries, including three fatalities, reported during the six months from July to December 2013. This followed a 2014 review of 52 fatal mining industry accidents between 2000 and 2012.

Both the serious injury review and the 2014 fatal accident review identified three main hazards facing mine workers: falling while working at height; being in the line of fire from objects or suspended loads; and being struck or crushed by machines or heavy components.

The report found that 75% to 80% of the fatalities involved repeated scenarios with common causes and included runaway vehicles, vehicle collisions, departures from original-equipment manufacturer procedures, electrical contacts, rock falls beyond the limit of supported ground, pit wall failures and the in-rush situations in underground mines.

The report made a number of recommendations for how industry could prevent accidents and fatalities and included improved hazard identification, supervision to ensure that workers were in compliance with procedures, improved training and adequate breaks.

“The risk profiles identified in the review will help the industry better understand how to avoid dangerous and sometimes lethal workplace risks,” the Minister said.

The Western Australian Chamber of Minerals and Energy has welcomed the report, with CEO Reg Howard-Smith saying the analysis would assist the resource industry in continuous safety and health improvement efforts.

“Industry is committed to ensuring the safety and health of our workforce and will closely review these findings so that key lessons can be incorporated back on site.

“When it comes to safety there is absolutely no room for complacency. The resources sector will remain vigilant and work hard to ensure everyone gets home safe and well after finishing work,” he commented.

The DMP had been sharing the results with industry, including special presentations at the Birla Nifty, Woodie Woodie and Telfer mine sites where fatal accidents have occurred this year.