Eight local teams competed, testing their skills and knowledge in the areas of safety, first aid, emergency response, situational awareness, decision making and communication.

The competition, run by the Hunter Valley Mines Rescue station, has been putting open cut mining teams to the test since 1982.

Hunter Valley Mines Rescue regional manager David Connell said the competitions were very important to the industry.

There are 22 open cut coal mines currently operating in the Hunter Valley, with 11,433 employees.

“They provide challenges for open cut rescue teams that are reality-based, testing their responses and actions in a high-pressure situation,” he said.

“This gives the opportunity to enhance our rescue team’s skills to ensure they are response ready, if and when required.”

Scenarios on the day included vertical rescue, road crash rescue, heavy vehicle rescue, a simulated night industrial rescue exercise, search and rescue, theory and heavy lift rescue.

Connell said the scenarios were designed to holistically test the team’s knowledge and skills.

“This applies to the management of an incident, considering the cause of the incident, managing any on-going ramifications and making the right decisions under pressure,” he said.

“It is critical that our first responders are trained not only to act, but also to think about the options in approach, treatment and casualty and team safety.”

The ability for all teams to gain feedback on their performance and approach from industry experts, and to walk away with clear direction on areas of strength and areas of improvement, is a key objective of the day.

The NSW Trade & Investment Mine Safety Performance Report 2011-12 reported 591 coal surface incidents in NSW last year, or more than 11 incidents per week.

With onsite rescue teams often the first responders at an incident, the importance of ongoing training cannot be overestimated.

Mines Rescue general manager Paul Healey said the heightened safety awareness gained by the rescue teams through their Mines Rescue training provided many other benefits.

“They develop specialised skills in safety leadership, and proactive hazard and accident prevention, which can only enhance the safety culture within their workplace,” he said.

Mines Rescue offers a number of accredited training courses in preventative work practices, including safe working at heights, confined space, risk management safety and induction courses.