What does a mining operation need to submit?

 

 

Under the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and associated regulations, various persons at a mine site need to lodge a variety of submissions and reports with the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS).

Information regarding lodgements is listed below.

Please refer to the web pages below:

Rail haulage plan

If rail-mounted locomotive haulages are used or are to be used in an underground mine, the manager of the mine must ensure that a plan is prepared in accordance with regulation 10.44(2) to ensure that the operation and maintenance of that haulage system is made as safe as is reasonably practicable. The plan must be submitted to the district inspector.

Winding systems

Installing a winding system

Before any winding system for the transportation of persons, materials or rock is installed, erected or re-erected in a mine, each responsible person at the mine must ensure that details of the design of the various components of the winding installation are submitted to the State Mining Engineer.

Repairing or modifying a winding system

Before any repair, modification or alteration is carried out to the main structure, safety devices or other safeguards of a winding engine at a mine, each responsible person at the mine must ensure that:

• the State Mining Engineer is notified in writing of the intention to carry out that work
• plans, specifications, drawings and design calculations are submitted to the State Mining Engineer that indicate the nature and extent of the work.

Winding rope history submission

Before a rope that has previously been in service may be used for any other winding purpose, the manager of the mine must ensure that a complete history of the rope and the details of its proposed use are submitted to the district inspector to approve that use.

Testing and maintenance of winding ropes

The manager of a mine must ensure that a test report is made for any destructive or non-destructive test carried out on a winding rope. A copy of the test report should be submitted to the senior inspector as soon as practicable.

New shaft sinking operations

The manager of a mine must ensure that before sinking any new shaft or extending any existing shaft, the senior inspector is notified in writing of the intention to sink or extend the shaft, and plans and specifications are submitted to the senior inspector showing:

• the location of the shaft
• the general layout of the sinking project
• details of the sinking and hoisting equipment and the conveyances, rope type and size and attachments to be used
• the ventilation arrangements
• any safety precautions to be taken.

Repairs and modifications on a dredge

Each responsible person at a mine must ensure that before any repairs, modifications or alterations are carried out on a dredge that may affect its strength, buoyancy or stability:

• a person applies to the State Mining Engineer for approval to carry out that work
• plans, specifications, drawings and design calculations that indicate the nature and extent of that work are submitted to the State Mining Engineer for approval
• the work is approved by the State Mining Engineer.

Train operating rules at mine sites

The manager of a mine must ensure that no train operates at the mine unless:

• operating rules, including signals and signal codes have been developed for the railway
• a copy of the operating rules has been submitted to the State Mining Engineer for approval
• the rules have been approved in writing by the State Mining Engineer.

If a permanent change in an operating rule is necessary for any reason, the manager of a mine may make such provisional rule or rules as are required, but the provisional rule must first be submitted in writing to the senior inspector for approval before it operates.

Amending a radiation management plan

Each responsible person at a mine must ensure that before the plan for the mine is amended, a copy of the plan with any proposed amendments is submitted to the State Mining Engineer for approval.

Abandoning a mine

Each responsible person at a mine must ensure that before abandoning a mining operation, a plan for the final management of radiation at the mine is submitted to the State Mining Engineer. The plan needs to:

• include details of decommissioning and final rehabilitation
• be approved by the State Mining Engineer
• be implemented after approval.

Each responsible person at a mine must ensure that when notification is given to the district inspector of the suspension or abandonment of mining operations at a mine, a plan is submitted with the notification showing:

• the specific locations at which radioactive waste has been buried
• the absorbed dose rates in air 1 m above the final surface
• mining areas rehabilitated to base-line pre-operation.