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Mines Safety significant incident report directory
Significant incident reports suggest practical measures to assist in reducing the risk of incidents reoccuring.
2021
- SIR No. 288: Off-highway haul truck tyre blowout in workshop injures workers
- SIR No. 287: Crush injuries sustained during maintenance activities
- SIR No. 286: Near miss following unplanned movement of autonomous haul trucks during recovery operations
- SIR No. 285: Near miss when an excavator fell from crane during lifting operation
- SIR No. 284: Service mechanic sustained serious hand injuries when struck by radiator fan blades on a generator
2020
- SIR No. 283: Manned loader falls into open stope – fatal accident
- SIR No. 282: Fall of ground in a development heading resulting in serious injury
- SIR No. 281: Underground mine workers tipped out of work basket used with integrated tool carrier
- SIR No. 280: Bulldozer operator crushed between ladder and handrail – significant injuries
- SIR No. 279: Paste wall failure
2019
- SIR No. 278 Trailer tarpaulin cover mechanism fracture – fatal accident
- SIR No. 277: Haul truck over open pit wall edge - fatal accident
- SIR No. 276: Fall from height after failure of retractable type lanyard
- SIR No. 275: Electrician received 1000V electric shock and burns
- SIR No. 274: Structural failure of fixed conveyor stacker
- SIR No. 273: Near miss when a failed rod ejected from a hydraulic pulling kit
- SIR No. 272: Sinkhole in open pit floor engulfs mine vehicles after collapse of backfilled stope
2018
- SIR No. 271: Near miss when latch fails and gate swings open on a haul truck
- SIR No. 270: Operator trapped between elevated work platform (EWP) and overhead structure
- SIR No. 269: Structural failure of a corrugated steel water tank
- SIR No. 268: Near miss when accumulator components are ejected from a haul truck
- SIR No. 267: Haul truck operator loses control descending ramp on haul road - fatal accident
- SIR No. 266: Underground operator struck on the head by a high pressure air line
- SIR No. 265: Manned loader falling into an open stope
- SIR No. 264: Solvent vapour explosion during engine maintenance task
- SIR No. 263: Asbestos-containing material (ACM) disturbed in power transformer
- SIR No. 262: Integrated tool carrier tips over underground
- SIR No. 261: Face shovel operator crushed between ladder and handrail - fatal accident
- SIR No. 260: Autonomous truck significantly damaged by lightning strike
- SIR No. 259: Electrician injured by arc flash in low voltage switchboard
- SIR No. 258: Dinghy capsizes in dredge pond after entanglement
- SIR No. 257: Field technician collapses during exploration activities - fatal accident
2017
- SIR No. 256: Process tank roof bursts due to uncontrolled reaction
- SIR No. 255: Telehandler rollover during a lift
- SIR No. 254: Uncontrolled release of energy during removal of luffing cylinder pin
- SIR No. 253: Injured worker not discovered and treated for extended period
- SIR No. 252: Fitter struck in chest by packing plate released under pressure
- SIR No. 251: Worker seriously injured while operating a block-making machine
- SIR No. 250: Unexpected initiation of detonator and detonating cord
2016
- SIR No. 249: Drill offsider run over by tracked vehicle
- SIR No. 248: Worker seriously injured when caught in moving conveyor
- SIR No. 247: Drill fitter crushed between drill head and rod centraliser arm - fatal accident - update
- SIR No. 246: Fall from height during helicopter lifting operations
- SIR No. 245: Worker injured by low-voltage switchboard arc flash
- SIR No. 244: Failed gantry bridge crushes boilermaker working in thickener tank - fatal accident
- SIR No. 242: Tyre fitter's fingers crushed while operating hydraulic bead breaker
- SIR No. 241: Underground worker crushed between integrated tool carrier (IT) work basket and roof of excavation (backs)
- SIR No. 240: Haul truck collides with grader on active dump
- SIR No. 239: Low-voltage arc flash during switching operation
- SIR No. 238: Mobile plant interaction results in crush injuries
- SIR No. 237: Failure of crane head sheave
2015
- SIR No. 236: Near miss when a pick-and-carry crane rolls over
- SIR No. 235: Scaffolder falls from height in a process vessel at a refinery - fatal accident
- SIR No. 234: Light vehicle driven partly over edge of open stope
- SIR No. 233: Worker seriously injured by hot caustic solution while cleaning an inline strainer
- SIR No. 232: Underground operator collapses underground – fatal accident
- SIR No. 231: Falling rock damages tele-handler leading to serious injuries
- SIR No. 230: Dump truck roll-over - fatal accident
- SIR No. 229: Worker injured using high-pressure water jetting equipment
- SIR No. 228: Seriously injured when sprayed by anhydrous ammonia after failure of flexible rubber hose
- SIR No. 227: Grid mesh falls from drill mast
- SIR No. 226: Collision between an autonomous haul truck and manned water cart
- SIR No. 225: Worker seriously injured by moving parts in a modified stemming bucket
- SIR No. 224: Underground workers injured by arc flash and blast from a MCC
- SIR No. 223: Worker stung by swarm of bees during rehabilitation operations
- SIR No. 222: Worker seriously injured by falling jib attachment on integrated tool carrier (IT)
- SIR No. 221: Operator struck by rolling rock at stope draw point - fatal accident
- SIR No. 220: Driver seriously injured when crushed between prime mover and loader
- SIR No. 219: Delayed detonation of explosives in a blast hole during post-blast inspection by shotfirers
- SIR No. 218: Horseplay at a mining operation results in a serious injury
- SIR No. 217: Underground worker crushed between charge-up basket and roof - fatal accident
- SIR No. 216: Fire in processing plant laboratory
- SIR No. 215: Overloaded stemming truck rolls over
- SIR No. 214: Haul truck collides with light vehicle in a designated controlled area
- SIR No. 213: Maintenance worker pinned by bulldozer belly plate - fatal accident
- SIR No. 212: Fall from height at mobile screening plant
2014
- SIR No. 211: Freight truck driver injured in fall from trailer
- SIR No. 210: Electrician crushed between lift car and lift shaft structure - fatal accident
- SIR No. 209: Potential signal tube detonator explosion (snap, slap and shoot) during charge-up
- SIR No. 208: Bystander struck by component ejected from accumulator
- SIR No. 207: Potential for serious injury from uncontrolled rotation of rotary kiln dryer
- SIR No. 206: Forklift struck by truck while unloading
- SIR No. 205: Worker injured by moving parts on automatic rotary sample collector
- SIR No. 204: Worker seriously injured by moving parts
- SIR No. 203: Operator crushed by mast of forklift truck - fatal accident
- SIR No. 202: Fall from crane deck results in serious injury
- SIR No. 201: Loss of control following failure of steering tie rod coupling on EWP
- SIR No. 200: Fall of ground in underground mine - fatal accident
- SIR No. 199: Manned loader drives into open stope - fatal accident
- SIR No. 198: Large boulder falls onto active haul road
- SIR No. 197: Dozer loading leads to prime mover jack-knife and fuel tank rupture
- SIR No. 196: Front tyres of light vehicle over open edge
- SIR No. 195: Serious injuries sustained during wheel retraction of hydraulically extendable low loader dolly
- SIR No. 194: Crush injuries sustained from working with a suspended load - fatal accident
2013
- SIR No. 193: Crush injuries sustained from movement of tailings pipe - fatal accident
- SIR No. 192: Short circuit fault in a variable speed drive results in fire, arcing and equipment damage
- SIR No. 191: Serious high voltage (HV) arc flash incident results in equipment damage
- SIR No. 190: Serious high voltage (HV) arc flash incident results in injuries
- SIR No. 189: Toppled underground drill rig seriously injures worker
- SIR No. 188: Light vehicle struck by underground truck in decline
- SIR No. 187: Serious crush injuries caused by falling ball-mill liner plate
- SIR No. 186: Crush injuries sustained around moving machinery - fatal accident
- SIR No. 185: Serious entanglement injury sustained during calibration of conveyor belt weightometer)
- SIR No. 184: Shiploader rail clamps fail after original parts modified in unsuccessful attempt to overcome problem of rail misalignment
- SIR No. 183: Loss of brakes on dump truck
- SIR No. 182: Whirlwind carries transportable ablution block 50 metres
- SIR No. 181: Hydraulic hose failure leads to dump truck fire
- SIR No. 180: Combination extendable spreader and lifting beam fails during lifting
2012
- SIR No. 179: Serious crush injuries caused by falling mesh sheets
- SIR No. 178: Water cart loss of control at portal - inadvertent access to underground
- SIR No. 177: Burns from hydrocarbon gas fire in truck air conditioning system
- SIR No. 176: Light vehicle collides with stationary loader
- SIR No. 175: Tyre handler's fall-back arms become projectiles
- SIR No. 174: Mechanical scaling ignites flammable gas underground
2011
- SIR No. 173: Employee burnt while setting up fire scenario for emergency response training
- SIR No. 172: Runaway underground charge-up vehicle after brakes malfunction
- SIR No. 171: Fall from cantilevered scaffold platform - fatal accident
- SIR No. 170: Gold room explosion - integrated pressure strip electrowinning (IPSE) circuit failure
- SIR No. 169: Suspension component ejected under high pressure during maintenance - fatal accident
- SIR No. 168: Pressure release blows blanking plate off dozer tilt cylinder
2010
- SIR No. 167: Failure of the rope guide on a Demag overhead travelling crane
- SIR No. 166: Fall from height in a process vessel - fatal accident
- SIR No. 165: Sudden depressurisation of an ANFO charge-up kettle
- SIR No. 164: Fall from height in an ore pass - fatal accident
- SIR No. 163: Exploration employee lost in remote bush
- SIR No. 162: Fitter struck by roller shutter support bracket
- SIR No. 161: Struck by moving train - fatal accident
- SIR No. 160: Maintenance personnel crushed by excavator counterweight
- SIR No. 159: Fall through grid mesh floor - fatal accident
2009
- SIR No. 158: Fall from work basket in an underground decline
- SIR No. 157: Work platform struck by skip and dislodged into shaft
- SIR No. 156: Detonation of misfired explosive during bogging operation
- SIR No. 155: Rock fall during support cycle in a high heading development - fatal accident
- SIR No. 154: Heavy wire lifting slings fell from crane hook - employees injured
- SIR No. 153: Truck driver fell from deck of Caterpillar 777D haul truck
- SIR No. 152: Haul truck and light vehicle collision
- SIR No. 151: Crushed in a pinch point of fixed elevating work platform (EWP) - fatal accident
- SIR No. 150: Failure of escape ladderway in underground rise
2008
- SIR No. 149: Loader falling into an open stope
- SIR No. 148: Tropical Cyclone George
- SIR No. 147: Fire and entrapment hazard on mobile plant (salt harvester)
2007
- SIR No. 146: Hazard posed by cyclone draw in RC drilling
- SIR No. 145: Driller’s offsider struck by dust deflector box
- SIR No. 144: Roll-over of front-end loader
- SIR No. 143: Use of dozers for tree clearing operations
- SIR No. 142: Explosion of flammable containers at hot demo site
- SIR No. 141: Rockfall fatality
2006
- SIR No. 140: Service truck tyre failure
- SIR No. 139: Loss of control of service vehicles
- SIR No. 138: Paste fill wall failure
- SIR No. 137: Emergency response members struck by falling cylinder
- SIR No. 136: Caught between headboards of two trucks - fatal
2005
- SIR No. 135: Aluminium drill rod failure
- SIR No. 134: Detonator found inside ANFO loader
- SIR No. 133: Use of torque multiplier - fatal accident
- SIR No. 132: Mine haul truck runs over a light vehicle following a driver change
- SIR No. 131: Drill rig fire - self-rescuer failed
- SIR No. 130: Employee sprayed with rocks when a truck tyre failed
- SIR No. 129: Derailment and fall of overhead crane
2004
- SIR No. 128: Steering failures on haul trucks
- SIR No. 127: Operator tipped out of elevated work platform
2003
- SIR No. 126: Accidental initiation of explosives during blasting
- SIR No. 125: Transport of explosives underground - vehicle incident
- SIR No. 124: Tyre inflation - fatal accident
- SIR No. 123: RTA at intersection of mine road and bush track
- SIR No. 122: Dumptruck tyre failure
- SIR No. 121: Haul road stability in open-cut operations
2002
- SIR No. 120: Contamination of high pressure compressed air - plant
- SIR No. 119: Drillers offsider blasted with dust under pressure
- SIR No. 118: Grader incident - loss of control
- SIR No. 117: Underground electrical equipment - fatal accident
- SIR No. 116: Operator safety - earthmoving scrapers
- SIR No. 115: Tyre rolling down a ramp
- SIR No. 114: Wrong gas used during gas purge resulted in burns
- SIR No. 113: Drillers offsider struck by stillson type wrench
2001
- SIR No. 112: Loading service vehicle onto trailer
- SIR No. 111: Mine rescue team members collapse during exercise
- SIR No. 110: Vehicle over stope edge
- SIR No. 109: Fitting of tile boxes on drilling rigs
- SIR No. 108: Detonation of misfire in pit floor
- SIR No. 107: Multiple fuming and gas explosion
2000
- SIR No. 106: Operator trapped by suction hose
- SIR No. 105: Failure of a galvanised grade 80 chain sling
- SIR No. 104: Dislodgement of a crane load above a person
1999
- SIR No. 103: Hazards associated with dehydration
- SIR No. 102: Fatal methane gas explosion - South Africa
- SIR No. 101: Lime tanker pressure piping connection failure
- SIR No. 100: Pressure vessel entry - scalding injury
1998
- SIR No. 099: Remotely operated LHD - runaway
- SIR No. 098: Jumbo drilling rig fire - underground fire
- SIR No. 097: Radio-operated crane - uncontrolled movement
- SIR No. 096: Remotely operated LHD - brake failure
- SIR No. 095: Death of exploration worker
- SIR No. 093: Ventilation doors - fatal accident
- SIR No. 092: RC drill rig 3” sample hose connection - serious accident
- SIR No. 091: Fall of material - fatal accident
- SIR No. 090: Remotely operated machinery - rockfall - fatal
- SIR No. 089: Remotely operated LHD machine - fatal accident
- SIR No. 088: Remotely operated LHD - dangerous occurrences
1997
- SIR No. 087: Drill rod handling - serious incident
- SIR No. 086: Structural failures of large span gantry crane
- SIR No. 085: Explosion of flammable gas in underground stope void
- SIR No. 084: Loss of control of water cart - fatal accident
- SIR No. 083: Explosion of split-ring tyre assemblies
- SIR No. 082: Crushed in articulation point of LHD
- SIR No. 081: Serious burns involving disposable overalls
- SIR No. 080: Overheating radiator - burn injury
- SIR No. 079: Exploration drill hole intersection
- SIR No. 078: Blasting accidents
- SIR No. 077: Hazardous drill hole intersection
- SIR No. 076: Stormwater inflow into decline mine
- SIR No. 075: Explosion in underground magazine
- SIR No. 074: Driver killed in tractor rollover
- SIR No. 073: Conveyor belt failure
- SIR No. 072: Split wheel rim - fatal accident
- SIR No. 071: Sudden collapse of ground - sinkhole formation
- SIR No. 070: Thermal lancing of crusher concaves - serious accident
1996
- SIR No. 069: Anfo mixing vehicle fire
- SIR No. 068: Electrical test instrument - serious accident
- SIR No. 067: High voltage circuit switched to earth
- SIR No. 066: Structural failure of bucketwheel reclaimer - fatal
- SIR No. 065: Children exposed to hazards at unattended mine
- SIR No. 064: Fire on front end loader
- SIR No. 063: Remotely operated underground LHD - near miss
- SIR No. 062: Anchorage of underground scraper hoists
- SIR No. 061: Caught in a rotating drill rod - fatal accident
1995
- SIR No. 060: Uncontrolled movement of elevated work platform
- SIR No. 059: Offloading unpalleted articles
- SIR No. 058: Removal of a rise ladder - fatal accident
- SIR No. 057: Remotely operated mobile machine - fatal accident
- SIR No. 056: Uncontrolled discharge of stored energy source - fatal
- SIR No. 055: Conveyor belt - fatal accident
- SIR No. 054: Structural collapse of an iron ore stacker
- SIR No. 053: Elevated work platform - falling
1994
- SIR No. 052: Rope power shovel maintenance - fatal accident
- SIR No. 051: Failure of mast supports on drill rigs
- SIR No. 050: Trailing cable coupler - electrical accident
- SIR No. 049: Hazard alert - auger mixers
- SIR No. 048 EWP users tipped from basket
- SIR No. 047: Injuries sustained while working on drilling mast
- SIR No. 046: Contact with overhead powerline - fatal accident
- SIR No. 045: Fatal agricultural traffic accident in quarry
- SIR No. 044: Rockfall - fatal accident
- SIR No. 043: Remote control loader fire in an open stope
- SIR No. 042: Remotely operated machinery - fatal accident
1993
- SIR No. 041: Haul truck rear wheel falls off
- SIR No. 040: Near-miss underground blasting incident
- SIR No. 039: Uncontrolled movement of cherry pickers
- SIR No. 038: Uncontrolled movement of mobile unit
- SIR No. 037: Lead-acid battery explodes
- SIR No. 036: Injury sustained whilst working on drilling mast
- SIR No. 035: Safe welding practice
- SIR No. 034: Underground vehicle fire
1992
- SIR No. 033: Passenger lift - a serious accident
- SIR No. 032: Storage tank explosion
- SIR No. 031: Hot oil boiler - potential explosion
- SIR No. 030: Elevating platform operation - serious injury
- SIR No. 029: Stope draw-point (Mill Hole) - fatal accident
- SIR No. 028: Mud rush - fatal accident
- SIR No. 027: Shrink stope - fatal accident
1991
- SIR No. 026: Truck toppled over edge of stockpile
- SIR No. 025: Buried electrical cable - fatal accident
- SIR No. 024: Crane dogman survives shock from 22Kv transformer
- SIR No. 023: Underground fires
- SIR No. 022: Winding rope detachment
- SIR No. 021: Operator safety - earthmoving scrapers
- SIR No. 020: Drilling rig fire
- SIR No. 019: Explosion of drill steel subject to high temperature
- SIR No. 018: High pressure water jetting
- SIR No. 017: Caught by rock drill
1990
- SIR No. 015: Haul truck tyre explosion
- SIR No. 016: Substation transformer explosion
- SIR No. 014: Electric shock involving P and H shovel
- SIR No. 013: Tramp metal fired from jaw crusher
- SIR No. 012: Slope failure - open pit mine
- SIR No. 011: EMU mine disaster
- SIR No. 010: Cyanide poisoning
- SIR No. 009: Gold room explosion - molten metal burns
- SIR No. 008: Rock bolting underground - fatal accident
- SIR No. 007: Chemical handling - caustic burn
1989
- SIR No. 006: Safe use of radiation gauges
- SIR No. 005: Split ring tyre assembly explosion - fatal
- SIR No. 004: Welding equipment electrocution - fatal accident
- SIR No. 003: Compressed air hose connection - fatal accident
- SIR No. 002: Conveyor belt - fatal accident
- SIR No. 001: Pressurised gearbox explosion
Petroleum Safety
2018
- SIR 02/2018: Inadequate electrical isolation leads to electric shock from a potentially fatal ‘floating neutral’ situation
- SIR 01/2018: Gasket rupture at processing facility results in gas leak
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
- SIR 06/2013: Collapse of mobile lighting tower results in equipment damage
- SIR 05/2013: Use of wrong tool results in serious arm injury
- SIR 04/2013: Overused and poorly maintained generator catches fire
- SIR 03/2013: Travelling block on work-over rig strikes derrick crown when derrickman in basket
- SIR 02/2013: Diver’s umbilical fouled during mast raising
- SIR 01/2013: Fall from height incident on offshore platform
2012
- SIR 03/2012: Failure of substituted fitting on drilling rig causes uncontrolled descent of derrick
- SIR 02/2012: Travelling block on drilling rig falls following failure of repaired turnbuckle
- SIR 01/2012: Poorly designed flooring leads to slip and scalding by hot drilling fluid
2011
- SIR 02/2011: Worker permanently disabled after being struck by falling handrail
- SIR 01/2011: Hand injury sustained during tong jaw change-out
2010
- SIR 03/2010: Excavator damages buried small bore pipe in compressor station
- SIR 02/1010: Excavator damages coating of buried pipeline in compressor station
- SIR 01/2010: Vibration-induced fracture of small bore pipework
2009
WorkSafe
Reports
Last updated 22 Dec 2023
First published 22 Dec 2023
Last modified: