Coal Mining (General Rules for Open-cut Coal Mines) Amendment Rule (No. 2) 1993 (Qld)

Queensland Subordinate Legislation 1993 No. 178 Coal Mining Act 1925 COAL MINING (GENERAL RULES FOR OPEN-CUT COAL MINES) AMENDMENT RULE (No. 2) 1993 TABLE OF PROVISIONS Section Page 1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 Amended rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 Amendment of s.1.4 (Interpretation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 Insertion of new Part 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 PART 9—HIGHWALL MINING 9.1 Highwall mining to be undertaken only in accordance with this Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9.2 Study to be undertaken before starting highwall mining . . . . . . . . . 2 9.3 Boundaries of excavation to be recorded on mine plan . . . . . . . . . . 4 9.4 Inspector to be given information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2 Coal Mining (General Rules for Open-cut Coal Mines) Amendment (No. 2) No. 178, 1993 ˙ Short title 1. This rule may be cited as the Coal Mining (General Rules for Open-cut Coal Mines) Amendment Rule (No. 2) 1993 . ˙ Amended rule 2. The Coal Mining (General Rules for Open-cut Coal Mines) Rule 1988 is amended as set out in this rule. ˙ Amendment of s.1.4 (Interpretation) 3. Section 1.4— insert— ‘ “highwall mining” means mining conducted by remote controlled equipment that drives an underground excavation into the wall of an open-cut excavation; ’. ˙ Insertion of new Part 9 4. After Part 8— insert— ‘PART 9—HIGHWALL MINING ˙ ‘Highwall mining to be undertaken only in accordance with this Part ‘9.1 Highwall mining operations must not be started until section 9.2 has been complied with. Maximum penalty—4 penalty units. ˙ ‘Study to be undertaken before starting highwall mining ‘9.2(1) The manager of an open-cut coal mine at which it is proposed to start highwall mining operations in a coal seam must— (a) undertake a risk assessment study of mining operations in the

3 Coal Mining (General Rules for Open-cut Coal Mines) Amendment (No. 2) No. 178, 1993 seam; and (b) prepare— (i) a safety management plan in relation to the operations; and (ii) a scheme for the safe entry of persons into the highwall mining excavation for equipment recovery or any other purpose. ‘(2) The safety management plan must include— (a) procedures to control hazards identified in the risk assessment study; and (b) particulars of geotechnical studies for underground and surface mine design that ensure adequate excavation and highwall stability; and (c) details of methods to be used to prevent unauthorised persons entering the excavation; and (d) ventilation arrangements for the control of gas and dust in the excavation; and (e) procedures to prevent the inrush of gas, water and other substances from old workings or other sources into the excavation or other workings or proposed workings; and (f) a scheme to ensure that old workings are not subject to spontaneous combustion; and (g) a description and the specifications of mining machinery to be used in the excavation. ‘(3) The scheme mentioned in subsection (1)(b)(ii) must include— (a) minimum qualifications of persons supervising employees in the excavation; and (b) attendance requirements for persons supervising employees in the excavation; and (c) training requirements for employees who are to enter the excavation; and (d) details of the equipment that may be used by employees and other

4 Coal Mining (General Rules for Open-cut Coal Mines) Amendment (No. 2) No. 178, 1993 persons entering the excavation; and (e) the procedures to be followed by employees and other persons before entering and while in the excavation, including, for example, the procedures for keeping records and making inspection reports. Maximum penalty—4 penalty units. ˙ ‘Boundaries of excavation to be recorded on mine plan ‘9.3 The manager must ensure that a record of the boundaries of each highwall mining excavation is made on the mine plan. Maximum penalty—4 penalty units. ˙ ‘Inspector to be given information ‘9.4 The manager must send to the inspector a copy of— (a) each plan and scheme prepared under section 9.2 not later than 14 days before the start of highwall mining operations; and (b) any amendment that is made to a plan or scheme immediately after the amendment is made. Maximum penalty—4 penalty units. ’. ENDNOTES 1. Made by the Governor in Council on 27 May 1993. 2. Notified in the Gazette on 28 May 1993. 3. Laid before the Legislative Assembly on . . . 4. The administering agency is the Department of Minerals and Energy. The State of Queensland 1993