Coal mining watchdog hands down recommendations after serious injury investigation

A safety investigation into a serious injury at an Anglo-owned Bowen Basin underground coal mine revealed risk management protocols were not followed.

Anglo American Moranbah North mine. Picture Tara Miko

A safety investigation after a worker was seriously injured at an Anglo-owned underground mine revealed risk management protocols were not followed, as the coal mining watchdog hands down a number of recommendations.

The worker had been repairing a conveyor belt when the incident occurred on September 7, 2021 at Moranbah North underground mine.

Barely six months later in March 2022 Mastermyne contractor and father Gavin Feltwell, 59, was killed at the same mine while working on conveyor equipment.

It is understood a four-tonne load shifted and fell while Mr Feltwell was dismantling conveyor equipment, he suffered critical head injuries and died at the scene.

Gavin Feltwell, 59, died at the Anglo American Moranbah North underground mine shortly after 10pm Friday, March 25, 2022. Picture: Facebook

Coal Inspectorate investigation findings into the 2021 incident detailed that the conveyor belt had earlier tripped during production, and an inspection identified damaged clips and that the belt had folded over on itself.

Workers, including the injured man, were unfolding the belt using pincers and a chain block when “under tension, the pincers came free from the belt causing the belt to flip back” striking the man on the side of the head.

“He fell, landing on the belt with his arm and upper torso between the guarding and the structure of the outbye conveyor belt,” the findings stated.

RACQ CQ Rescue flew him to hospital in a stable condition.

Emergency services have rushed to a Central Queensland mine site where a worker suffered a head injury. Picture: RACQ CQ Rescue

The Moranbah North coking coal mine, owned and operated by Anglo American, is located on Goonyella Rd.

The investigation found work the man had been completing was not a planned job but a “breakdown repair task” and “risk associated with being positions in the ‘line of fire’ of the pincer and chain block were not assessed and controlled”.

“Mine risk management procedures were not followed by CMWs (coal mine workers) undertaking the belt turnover recovery,” the investigation found, adding “no evidence of relevant … Stop, Look, Assess, Manage or … Job Safety Analysis documentation were identified”.

There was no evidence the workers involved in flipping the belt had isolated the conveyor belts and the inbye conveyor belt had not been de-tensioned to eliminate the stored energy in the belt.

“There was no evidence that the pincer had been approved for use as a belt pulling tool,” the investigation found.

“It was not clear who was responsible for overall supervision of the belt repair task.

“Multiple supervisors were present at the incident site however no supervisor questioned or challenged the job planning process, including following SHMS risk management processes, risk assessments, lack of isolation or de-energising the belt.”

The Inspectorate found the explosion risk zone controller was undertaking inspections in multiple districts and it was “not clear how the … controller could effectively supervise the safety and health of persons working in the multiple districts”.

A number of recommendations have been made including that all site senior executives review inspection plans to ensure that adequate and effective supervision is practised at all times, review management structures and clarify supervision requirements and expectations for maintenance and breakdown tasks.

Workers are to be familiar with and understand requirements for appropriate risk management before starting any repair or maintenance work, including de-energising and isolations of equipment.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing.