Resources Safety 100 Plain Street EAST PERTH WA 6004 Department of Consumer Email: [email protected] Phone: + 61 8 9222 3333 and Employment Protection Website: www.docep.wa.gov.au/ResourcesSafety Fax: + 61 8 9325 2280 3 retreat about one kilometre through smoke towards the entrance to the heading, which was directly opposite the magazine where the fire and subsequent explosion took place. The person was retrieved by the brave action of a fitter who returned underground in a light vehicle and had to pass close by the magazine on two occasions to effect the rescue. Comment The working party magazine concept, historically, was created to provide for local storage of small quantities of explosives and detonators for the use of one airleg miner or a small group working in a particular area. With the advent of jumbo development, the quantities stored in working party magazines have generally increased from a nominal quantity of about 100–200 kg up to quantities in excess of one tonne. Where dedicated jumbo development crews and charge up crews are established, the quantities of explosives and detonators required to serve the multiple areas being developed, can lead (without appropriate controls) to even greater tonnages being stored in a so-called working party magazine. The regulatory provisions, as they were originally developed, did not envisage catering for the levels of usage occurring today. A working party magazine should only be utilised to provide small quantities of explosive for an individual or a small work group, and the concept should not be used for the large-scale storage and supply of explosives to service extensive jumbo development or multiple stope face blasting. Large quantities of explosives needed for such working methods should be supplied from a main magazine underground or directly from a surface magazine if this is feasible. Preventative action Mines with reactive sulphide orebodies or stringers should develop a comprehensive management plan to adequately deal with the hazards potentially associated with reactive ground: - The geology should be examined on a regular basis to determine the potential for the presence of reactive ground. - A geological plan should be maintained identifying areas where sulphides or reactive ground is present. - Explosives sensitive to reactive ground should not be used or stored in those areas identified as having reactive ground present. Comprehensive inspections and risk assessments should be completed to affirm that explosive storage areas are free from the presence of sulphide material or reactive ground. - Specialised inhibited explosives designed for use in reactive ground should be sourced and appropriately used where sulphide material or reactive ground may present a hazard. - Inspection, monitoring and suppression methods should be implemented to mitigate or remove the potential hazards associated with reactive ground, such as sulphide dust explosions or spontaneous combustion catalysed by extraneous materials such as explosives or fuels. A comprehensive procedure for the storage, transport and usage of explosives needs to be developed for each operation, in accordance with legislation, regulatory provisions and applicable standards. The statutorily appointed managers who have the daily control and supervision of the mine (Registered Manager and Underground Manager) need to ensure that a system is established to verify that shift inspections are being completed by supervisory staff in all working areas underground, including explosive magazines in accordance with regulations 3.18 and 3.21. The statutorily appointed managers who have the daily control and supervision of the mine (Registered Manager and Underground Manager) need to ensure that a system is in place to verify that inspections and audits laid down in company procedures are being completed at the prescribed frequency.
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