Worker dies in dozer, light vehicle collision

A worker has died after a dozer collided with their light vehicle at the Snapper Mineral Sands Mine in August. The dozer reversed into the light vehicle — unaware of its close proximity — and fatally injured the light vehicle driver, according to the New South Wales (NSW) Resources Regulator, which is investigating the incident. The driver was delivering a water bottle to the dozer operator at the time.

To prevent similar incidents, the Regulator is urging mine operators to identify, implement and maintain no-go zones and separation distances between light vehicles and heavy mobile plants. This falls under mine and petroleum site operators’ duty to identify hazards and manage health and safety risks associated with mobile plant operation, according to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act 2013.

As a result, the mine operators should consider: “eliminating light and heavy vehicle interactions by establishing designated parking locations for light vehicles near working areas”; “using available technology to control vehicle and mobile plant interactions such as proximity detection and collision avoidance systems”; and “installing visual aids in heavy vehicles, such as reversing cameras and rear and side-view mirrors”, the Regulator said. They should also consider the “adequacy of surface transport management plans, including radio and other communication systems and protocols on site” and “human factors, such as environmental, organisational and job factors that may impact upon heavy and light vehicle interactions”.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Enrique del Barrio