Health and Safety Innovation Awards at NSW Minerals Council OHS Conference

A number of innovations that help eliminate manual handling injuries and improve the safety of mine workers were recognised at the 2010 NSW Minerals Council Health and Safety Innovation Awards.

The NSW Premier, Kristina Keneally, presented the prestigious award to the team from Centennial Coal’s Mannering Colliery in Lake Macquarie for the Mannering Strap Lifter at the NSW Minerals Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Conference.

Centennial Coal has taken out the top prize for the second year running.

The winners are:

• Innovation Award winner: Mannering Strap Lifter - Centennial Coal (Mannering Colliery). Innovation: machine picks up straps that are bolted to the roof of an underground coal mine, eliminating manual handling and reducing related injuries.
• People’s Choice (selected by 450 miners at the conference): Quick Detach System Stone Dust Carrier - Xstrata Coal NSW (West Wallsend Colliery). Innovation: new lift attachment that provides underground miners with a safe work position for working at height, while reducing the need for awkward manual handling.
• Highly Commended (Safety): Continuous Miner No Go Zone Indication Lights Xstrata Coal NSW (Baal Bone Colliery). Innovation: provides workers with visual indication of what areas are safe to enter near underground mining machinery in operation.
• Highly Commended (Health): Drill Rig Cable Mounted Pusher Centennial Coal (Angus Place Colliery). Innovation: reduces large amount of manual handling required for inserting cable bolts into the roof of underground mines, for example, 20,000 bolts each year at Angus Place colliery.

NSW Minerals Council CEO Dr Nikki Williams commended the high quality of the entries from both metalliferous and coal mines across the state, stating: “This year’s awards show that the industry remains at the cutting edge of innovation to improve the health and safety of our workforce.

“There is an incredible arc forming from the industry’s world leading vision on health and safety through to real safety improvements at our mine sites. These awards are a great way of officially recognising the ingenuity of our workforce at mines across NSW.”