Keeping safety and health on everyone’s mind

DMP is committed to engaging with its stakeholders to reduce serious accidents and incidents in the resources sector in addition to providing tangible support to achieve positive cultural change. For stakeholders, the benefits of engagement include the opportunity to have issues heard and to contribute to the decision-making process.

One key to improving safety is identifying and addressing the human and organisational factors that can lead to accidents and incidents. At the Minesafe International 2017 conference in May 2017, the department outlined the top 11 human and organisational factors relevant to the WA mining industry and launched the Towards 2020 Regulatory Strategy for Resources Safety.

The concept of human and organisational factors is not a single element, but incorporates the impact of people, equipment, systems and organisational influences on safety outcomes. Recognising and addressing these factors can help drive health and safety improvements.

Directly related to one element of human and organisational factors is mental health and wellbeing. The first Mental Health and Wellbeing Inspector of Mines has been appointed to assist with the development of safety and health protocols designed to protect mental health, as well as physical safety, across the resources sector. A graduate officer has also been employed to assist in identifying and addressing mental health issues in the sector.

An additional tool to assist with managing safety is the ‘Hazard register for Western Australian mining fatalities’ on the DMP website. The analysis of 64 fatal mining accidents over the period 2000 to 2015 is presented in the register, which will be updated annually. It includes the results of DMP investigations and also includes precautions detailed in the Coroner’s findings.

WA’s minerals sector remains a significant employer in the State, with 108,930 people directly employed in mining and exploration as at 30  June in 2016–17.

Keeping safety and health on everyone’s mind

Section highlights

DMP has commenced a major legislation reform initiative Petroleum 2020 to modernise and streamline the State’s petroleum and geothermal legislation to better reflect developments in the petroleum industry.

WA’s minerals sector remains a significant employer in the State, with 108,930 people directly employed in mining and exploration as at 30 June in 2016–17.

Keeping safety and health on everyone’s mind

Section highlights

DMP has commenced a major legislation reform initiative Petroleum 2020 to modernise and streamline the State’s petroleum and geothermal legislation to better reflect developments in the petroleum industry.

WA’s minerals sector remains a significant employer in the State, with 108,930 people directly employed in mining and exploration as at 30  June in 2016–17.