Road Safety Considerations around a mine site

ByRichard JoisTransport Mining and Safety Leader

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Road Safety Considerations around a mine site

Mining is a highly regulated industry, mines have adopted practices and procedures to ensure they work safely and efficiently

However…….

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Why is road safety and traffic management important?

• Critical element in meeting “zero harm” targets

• Ensure people travel safely while at work and on their journey to and from work

• Minimise injury and property damage

• Manage and minimise risk

• Reduce costs and inefficiency

• Legal and duty of care obligations

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Traffic on minesFactors and causes in traffic related accidents include:

• Speed related

• drivers (fatigue, drugs, alcohol, risk taking, training)

• distraction

• vehicles (condition, appropriateness,maintenance)

• lack of vehicle separation

• vehicle speed / size differential

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Light vehicles

Heavy vehicles

Large mobile equipment (ancillary)

Trains

Delivery vehicles

Contractors

Pedestrians

Traffic on mine sites – Vehicle types

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Safety issues on mining roads

• Haul roads− interaction with heavy mining machinery

• Access roads (sealed and unsealed)− interaction with the public road network−visitors other external drivers− fatigue and speed

• Service roads− remote journeys (bore fields, exploration, powerline,

railway access, etc.)− interaction with host communities and general public

Road safety considerations

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Applying safe road design to mine layouts

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Applying safe road design to mine layouts

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Applying safe road design to mine layouts

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Existing mine sites - effective speed limits

Mine operators using too many speed limits and

inconsistant speeds for their roads

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Existing mine sites - Intersection design

Vehicle separation at intersections

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Existing mine sites - Roadside Hazards

Structural Columns too close to access road

Culvert too close to edge of road

Lighting column within road reserve

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Existing mine sites - Roadside Hazards and Safety BarriersUse of barriers that do not comply with Australian Standards

Insufficient space for deflection

Need to have minimum length to be effective

No barriers in place to protect errant vehicles from roadside hazards

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Existing mine sites - Signs Use of non standard signs

Use of non-standard and inappropriate signs

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Existing mine sites - Pedestrians

Clearly delineated pedestrian routes separated from vehicular traffic

Railing preventing pedestrians entering the roadway

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Existing mine sites - Pedestrians

Examples of obstructed pedestrian routes

Pedestrian routes need to be free of obstacles and trip hazards

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Existing mine site rail access roads