Centennial Coal wins safety innovation award

Technology designed to eliminate the risk of injury from roof collapse in longwall mining has earned Centennial Coal Myuna the NSW Minerals Council Mine Safety Innovation of the Year Award.

The "˜Hydraulic Advancing Temporary Support' System was developed to remove the need for mineworkers to be exposed to unsupported roof areas during maintenance or breakdown repairs of a continuous miner "“ the key piece of machinery required for cutting coal from mine seams underground.

This technology addresses one of the greatest physical hazards associated with underground mining.

Centennial Myuna mine operator, Bill Grundy said the award was "a testament to Centennial's safety commitment, from the management to the coal face".

Xstrata Coal's Beltana mine received the Highly Commended Award for the development of a Shuttle Car Tyre Handler, while Xstrata United Collieries won the Commended Award.

Xstrata's Ulan Underground Mine won the People's Choice Award.

The winners were announced at a dinner at Peppers Fairmount Resort in the Blue Mountains as part of the 2007 NSW Minerals Industry Occupational Health and Safety Conference, hosted by the NSW Minerals Council.

NSWMC chief executive, Dr Nikki Williams said the Safety Innovation Awards recognise excellence in the pursuit of new and better ways to improve OHS in the workplace.

"The commitment of everyone in the industry, from shopfloor employees to senior management executives, to encourage innovation and raise safety standards within the NSW mining industry has been critical to forging Australia's reputation as the world leader in the area," he said.