Dangerous incident: large pressure bump

A large pressure bump occurred in a development roadway. Workers on the continuous miner at the time were peppered workers with coal on a continuous miner. A dust storm followed. The rib moved and parts of the rib were fractured.

Recommendations to industry: All mines must assess the risk and implement specific control measures, following the hierarchy of controls, for mining induced seismic activity (clause 44B WHS (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2014). Where control measures do not sufficiently control the hazard they must be reviewed and, as necessary, revised.