New Qld-US study points way to improving mine safety
The results of a joint Queensland-US study will play a key role in developing innovative new ways to continually improve the state’s mining and quarrying safety and health record.Queensland’s Commissioner for Mine Safety and Health, Stewart Bell said the study – an analysis of the human factors involved in mining incidents and accidents in Queensland – will assist the state pursue its goal of zero harm in the industry.
“This study will help the industry focus on how human factors information can be used to minimise common human errors in the workplace, and so improve overall safety and health,” Mr Bell said.
“Before this study, Queensland’s mining industry had insufficient evidence on how much human causal factors contributed to workplace incidents.
“Queensland’s Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station (Simtars) assisted researchers from Clemson University in South Carolina, USA examine 508 incidents/accidents from mines and quarries throughout regional Queensland from 2004-08.
“They used an internationally developed framework that allows researchers to systematically examine the human factors involved in an accident or incident,” he said.
The framework – called the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System-Mining Industry (HFACS-MI) – was modified specifically for the mining industry. It was first developed for use in the USA’s Navy and Marine Corps and is used by most of the world’s aviation industry.
“Using a standardised classification method, this research has given information on the need to focus further on human factors, and more importantly, what contributes to people making common errors in the mining and quarrying industry.”
In the Queensland study, most of the incidents/accidents analysed were considered high potential and did not result in significant injury to the people involved. These incidents could potentially have resulted in more serious consequences, with most of them resulting in incident investigations on site.
Mr Bell said in the study of 508 incidents, ‘routine disruption’ errors were the most common, identified in 59 per cent of incidents, with most of these being due to ‘attention failure’ (21 per cent) and ‘technique’ errors (16 per cent). ‘Decision’ errors (49 per cent) were more likely associated with procedure and situational assessment problems.
He said Queensland’s independent Mines Inspectorate has established a working group to assess how to transfer knowledge from the human causal factors study to provide better information, which will assist industry to further improve its management of incidents and accidents.
“This information may help both with identifying human factors causes in incident investigations as well as considering people and common errors in the safety management system.
“This preliminary study will give the Queensland mining industry another tool in its kit bag to continually improve the safety and health of over 40,000 men and women who work in our mining industry.
“Given the previous success that human causal factors analysis has had in other industries, the process offers great promise for Queensland mines and quarries."
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