The Safety Survey report covers survey information from MCA members for the second quarter (October to December 2003) for the reporting year 2003-04. MCA industry coverage is estimated at 79% and as such is indicative, not authoritative.
The sole fatality occurred in New South Wales at Anglo Coal Australia’s Kayuga mine. On November 21, 2003 Jamie Sullivan, an employee of Muswellbrook Crane Services, was working on the surface at Kayuga. He was struck when part of the lifting apparatus on a crane broke as a steel trailer was being unloaded from the back of a truck, hitting him in the head.
The indicative total industry Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) for the first half-year of 2003-04 is estimated at six.
In comparison with the same time last year, the total sectors have made marginal improvements. Total metalliferous has made an incremental improvement to a rate of four. Total coal indicates a marginal improvement from 10 to nine although underground coal shows a decline from 14 to 18.
In the severe injury group 36 incidents were reported for the second quarter, at the top end of the reported range in recent quarters. Survey responses indicated that there were four losses of body part (all fingertip/thumb amputations); no loss of body function; and 32 other severe injuries comprising:
15 fractures/breaks;
10 crush injuries;
5 burns; and
2 concussion, dislocation.
For the second quarter of the 2003-2004 reporting year, survey responses show a total of 483 medical treatment injuries. This is approximately half the number reported for each of the quarters in the 2002-03 reporting year.
Total Recordable Injuries
“The industry is working in a voluntary and proactive way to improve safety and health performance by reporting broader outcomes measures and in particular Total Recordable Injuries (TRIs) which include fatalities, lost time injuries, restricted work cases and medical treatment cases. Jurisdictions are encouraged to adopt this measure also as a consistent outcome measure,” said the MCA report.
A total of 1131 TRIs (1207 last quarter) have been reported this quarter which equates to an indicative TRIFR of 26. The MCA suggested companies compare their TRIFR with this minerals industry indicative figure.
