The Queensland Department of Mines and Energy late last week released its summary of reported incidents.

The largest number of accidents fell under the category of mechanical accidents, at 22 incidents, followed by mechanical – vehicle loss of control (18 incidents), and mechanical – vehicle collision (16 incidents).

Other categories included gravity – fall of person (3); gravity – fall of equipment (12); gravity – rockfall (3); explosion (9); thermal – fire (8); electrical (9); and other (1).

Under the explosion category several high potential incidents occurred with carbon monoxide sensors.

In one case an alarm system failed to operate when a coal conveyor carbon monoxide sensor and a methane sensor failed. In another a methane detector was incorrectly positioned on an underground gas drainage drill rig and would not have tripped if there had been a high methane concentration.

At one mine a deputy found an underground loader operating in a coal mine with the methane sensor covered by a plastic bag. The sensor had been covered on the previous shift when the loader had been washed down for a service.

Also listed under the explosion section was a flash incident which occurred when a continuous miner cable was hooked by a shuttle car and damaged.

Under the mechanical section a worker, walking behind an Eimco loader which he thought was going to continue moving forward, had his right foot crushed by the engine compartment overhang when the loader reversed and dropped into a depression in the road. He later had to have his foot amputated.

In another accident an operator pinched his hand between a bolt and drill rig slide as he was installing a bolt. He de-gloved his finger tips and possibly broke a finger.

In two other hand injuries, an operator strained his hand after his glove wrapped around the rotating drill steel during drilling operations with a Cram roof bolting rig and an operator got his hand caught while trying to clean a conveyor roller.

In an incident involving shotcreting underground, a piece of layflat hose ruptured, swung uncontrollably and momentarily pinned a worker against a wall.

Under the rockfall category, once incident was listed where a surveyor was hit by a small rock on the helmet and hands while checking an underground development face.

Under the vehicle loss of control category, many of the incidents involved wet haul roads and ramps where drivers lost control.