Australian Coal Mining Industry Research Articles

Healthy Eating in the Australian Coal Mining Industry: Assessing the Efficacy of the 'Out of the Box' Workplace Health Promotion Program.

Noncommunicable diseases are the world's leading cause of death. To curb the global rise in these diseases, using the workplace as a front to disseminate health communication messages and resources has been suggested. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a workplace health promotion program, 'Out of the Box', that targeted nutrition outcomes and nutrition guideline knowledge. A 6-month workplace health promotion program was implemented within a coal mine site. Over the 6 months, there were four wellness focus areas, lasting 1 month each, including fruits, vegetables and portion controlling, label reading, alcohol awareness, and hydration promotion. The study utilized a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design, with measurements via self-reported paper-based surveys. At baseline there were 163 responses, and 106 at follow-up. At the 6-month follow-up, respondents had increased odds of recalling the current fruit (OR 1.29, p = 0.032) and vegetable (OR 1.76, p < 0.001) guidelines. Being male was associated with lower vegetable intake (B: -0.28), although this did not reach statistical significance. A nutrition-focused workplace health promotion program can be an efficacious strategy in improving knowledge of fruit and vegetable guidelines. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs over time.

Health and wellness in the Australian coal mining industry: An analysis of pre-post findings from the RESHAPE workplace health promotion program.

Non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 71% of deaths in 2021. The chronic and pervasive nature of these diseases spurs the need for novel treatment approaches, including using the workplace as a front for the promotion and dissemination of health messages and activities. Taking this into consideration, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of a workplace health promotion program that targeted nutrition, physical activity, and obesity outcomes in a New South Wales (NSW) coal mine site. A 12-week quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test study. A coal mine site in rural NSW, Australia. At baseline there were n = 389 participants, with similar numbers at follow-up (n = 420) as well as 61 participants from both timepoints (8.2% repeated measures), with 89% of participants being male. A multicomponent wellness intervention was implemented incorporating aspects of education, goal setting, and competition. Physical activity, nutrition, and weight. The mean BMI at baseline was 30.01 kg/m2, and at follow-up 29.79 kg/m2 (p = 0.39). At follow-up, participants reported 81% lower odds of engaging in the exercise category 'no moderate physical exercise' (OR = 0.09, p < 0.001), as well as 111% higher odds of meeting physical activity and exercise guidelines (OR = 2.11, p = 0.057). There were no changes to diet outcomes and no association between employment characteristics and participating in physical activity. Workplace health promotion programs can be an efficacious strategy in improving physical activity outcomes and marginally improving weight outcomes in those in the mining industry. Further research is needed to determine the true effectiveness of these programs long-term, particularly in an environment as challenging and dynamic as the mining industry.

Estimation of in-situ rock strength from borehole geophysical logs in Australian coal mine sites

This study aims to improve the conventional empirical rock strength estimation method that is widely adopted in the Australian coal mining industry and provide more accurate rock uniaxial compression strength (UCS) predictions based on artificial neural network (ANN) models. 274 laboratory-measured UCS data (sample dimension: 60 mm (diameter) × 150 mm (height)) were collected from two longwall coal mines in Australia, along with the four geophysical logs (sonic, gamma, neutron, and porosity logs) and rock density of the tested core specimens. A two-layer ANN model was developed from these data based on the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm as a base model. As compared to conventional sonic-UCS fitting equations, the mean percentage error, root mean squared error and maximum absolute error of the proposed ANN model were reduced from 34.27%, 15.23 MPa and 70.66 MPa to 20.67%, 11.02 MPa and 47.66 MPa, respectively. Further investigations were conducted by splitting the dataset based on rock lithology and mine locations, and separate ANN models were developed based on the divided subsets. Both lithology-specific and site-specific models exhibited improved estimation accuracy in comparison to the base model, indicating lithology and local geological conditions could considerably affect the estimation accuracy. Among the three types of models, the lithology-specific models yielded the most accurate predictions over the 274 data (MPE: 17.55%; RMSE: 8.84 MPa), followed by the site-specific models and the base model in descending order. Overall, all three models significantly outperformed the current empirical methods adopted in the studied mine sites. The outcomes of this study could provide more accurate UCS predictions for further geotechnical analysis in underground constructions, such as tunnel stability analysis and estimating in-situ stresses based on borehole breakout.

The Characteristics of Accepted Work-related Injuries and Diseases Claims in the Australian Coal Mining Industry

BackgroundCoal mining is a hazardous industry. The purpose of the study is to identify the nature of occupational injuries and diseases among coal miners and to determine the factors that affect the rate of injury and duration of time loss from work. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using accepted workers' compensation claims data of 30,390 Australian coal miners between July 2003 and June 2017. ResultsMusculoskeletal and fracture conditions accounted for approximately 60% of claims in all occupational groups. Cox regression analysis showed that older age and female gender were significant predictors of longer time off work. Injury types and occupations were associated with work time loss: mental health conditions, and machine operators and drivers had significantly longer durations of time off work. ConclusionFuture research can further address how these factors led to longer time off work so that coal industry regulators, employers, and healthcare providers can target interventions more effectively to these at-risk workers.

Health and wellness in the Australian coal mining industry: A cross sectional analysis of baseline findings from the RESHAPE workplace wellness program.

Overweight and obesity has reach pandemic levels, with two-thirds (67%) of adult Australians classified as overweight or obese. As two of the most significant behavioral risk factors for obesity are modifiable (diet and exercise), there exists an opportunity for treatment through workplace health promotion initiatives. As one of Australia's largest industries with its own unique workplace factors, the mining industry has previously reported higher than population levels of overweight and obesity. This represented an opportune setting to test the RESHAPE workplace wellness program. RESHAPE is an eight-step framework (based on the WHO 'Health Workplace Framework and Model') which aims to provide a sustained approach to wellness in the workplace. This paper presents baseline findings from a pilot study that aimed to implement RESHAPE at three mine sites in NSW, Australia, and investigates the issue of overweight and obesity in the coal mining industry. Across three mine sites, 949 coal miners were examined cross-sectionally on a range of workplace, wellness, health, diet, and exercise factors using a paper-based survey. This was a predominantly male sample (90.4%) with the majority (59.2%) of participants aged 25-44 years. Self-reported height and weight measures indicated that less than 20 percent (18.9%) of participants were in a healthy BMI range, while there were effectively equal numbers of overweight (40.9%) and obese (39.1%) participants. Only 3.5% of participants met the daily recommendation for vegetables (5 serves) and shift-workers had greater association with elevated BMI compared to non-shift workers (B = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.23, 2.20, p = 0.016). Poor nutrition is likely to be a key component in elevated levels of overweight and obesity within this industry, with workplace factors compounding challenges workers face in implementing health behavior change. Future studies would benefit from assessing diet and physical activity knowledge in relation to recommendations and serving sizes.

Feasibility and acceptability of strategies to address mental health and mental ill-health in the Australian coal mining industry

BackgroundTo evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of implementing a peer-based, multi-component mental health program in the Australian coal mining industry.MethodsThe multicomponent program included MATES in mining (a peer-based mental health and suicide prevention program) and supervisor training. Eight Australian coal mines participated in the research, with four mines receiving the mental health program. Primary outcome variables including mental health stigma, help-seeking behaviour and perception of the workplace commitment to mental health were measured prior to program implementation, and then again 10 months following using a paper based survey. Process evaluation of the mental health program was measured using a pre-test/post-test survey.ResultsMATES in mining 1275 miners participated in the MATES general awareness and connector training. Participants were more confident that they could identify a workmate experiencing mental ill-health; help a workmate, family member or themselves identify where to get support and were more willing to start a conversation with a workmate about their mental health. Supervisor training 117 supervisors completed the supervisor training and were subsequently more confident that they could: identify someone experiencing mental ill-health in the workplace; identify and recommend support services to a person experiencing mental ill-health; and have an effective conversation about performance issues that may be due to mental ill-health.ConclusionsOur findings show evidence to support the use of peer-based mental health programs in the mining industry, and for male-dominated industry more broadly.

The Contribution of Individual, Social and Work Characteristics to Employee Mental Health in a Coal Mining Industry Population.

BackgroundEvidence regarding the extent of mental health problems and the associated characteristics within an employee population is necessary to inform appropriate and tailored workplace mental health programs. Mental health within male dominated industries (such as mining) has received recent public attention, chiefly through observations regarding suicide in such populations in Australia and internationally. Currently there is limited empirical evidence regarding the mental health needs in the mining industry as an exemplar of a male dominated workforce, and the relative contribution to such problems of individual, socio-economic and workplace factors. This study aimed to investigate the mental health and associated characteristics among employees in the Australian coal mining industry with a specific focus on identifying modifiable work characteristics.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among employees (n = 1457) across eight coal mines stratified by key mine characteristics (state, mine type and employee commute arrangements). Participants completed measures of psychological distress (K10+) and key variables across four categories (socio-demographic characteristics, health history, current health behaviours, work attitudes and characteristics).ResultsPsychological distress levels within this sample were significantly higher in comparison with a community sample of employed Australians. The following factors contributed significantly to levels of psychological distress using hierarchical linear regression analysis: lower social networks; a past history of depression, anxiety or drug/alcohol problems; high recent alcohol use; work role (managers) and a set of work characteristics (level of satisfaction with work, financial factors and job insecurity; perception of lower workplace support for people with mental health problems.ConclusionThis is the first study to examine the characteristics associated with mental health problems in the Australian coal mining industry. The findings indicate the salience of mental health needs in this population, and the associated interplay of personal, social and work characteristics. The work characteristics associated with psychological distress are modifiable and can guide an industry response, as well as help inform the understanding of the role of workplace factors in mental health problems in a male dominated workforce more generally.

Alcohol consumption in the Australian coal mining industry

ObjectivesTo investigate patterns of alcohol use within the coal mining industry, and associations with the personal, social, workplace and employment characteristics.Design8 mine sites across 3 eastern Australian states were surveyed,...

The Economic Impact of Psychological Distress in the Australian Coal Mining Industry.

The aim of this study was to estimate the economic impact of psychological distress among employees of the Australian Coal Mining Industry. Sample data were gathered from 1456 coal mining staff across eight sites in two Australian states. Two measures were taken of work time lost over four weeks due to psychological distress: (1) full-day absences; (2) presenteeism. Lost work time was valued using hourly wages. Sample data was modeled to estimate annual monetary losses for the Australian Coal Mining Industry. For the sample, estimated annual value of time lost due to psychological distress was $4.9 million ($AUS2015) ($0.61 million per mine), and for the Australian Coal Mining Industry, $153.8 million ($AUS2015). Psychological distress is a significant cost for the Australian Coal Mining Industry. Relevant intervention programs are potentially cost-effective.

Corporate OSH management architecture in the Australian coal mining industry

AbstractManaging occupational safety and health is a substantial challenge for the Australian coal mining industry. Since the 1990s, the industry has made considerable efforts to improve its occupational safety and health performance, and the rates of fatal and other reportable injuries have declined. This decline in fatalities and injuries coincides with the development by mining companies of a variety of instruments, mechanisms and strategies that in combination form their ‘occupational safety and health management architecture’. Based on both qualitative and quantitative data, this paper examines the corporate safety architecture of five Australian coal mining companies. A key finding was the high degree of convergence of corporate safety tools and strategies to the extent that, ultimately, all five companies had a common architecture. This involved: agenda setting; systems, standards, rules and procedures; core arrangements (occupational safety and health risk management, investigation, major hazards ...

How Multi-Tasking Job Designs Affect Productivity: Evidence from the Australian Coal Mining Industry

The author studies how the Australian coal mining industry adopted multitasking job designs by eliminating two types of task demarcations: (a) the demarcation between production and maintenance stream tasks and (b) the demarcation within the production stream. Using an original dataset of Australian open-cut coal mines covering the period 1985–2005, he estimates the effect of multi-tasking on productivity and explains its effects. Results indicate that the elimination of between-demarcation would increase coal production by 27% whereas the elimination of within-demarcation has no effect on productivity. Furthermore, he finds that the relationship between coal demand uncertainty and the elimination of demarcations is weak. The author demonstrates that these patterns are inconsistent with the explanation commonly given for how multi-tasking affects productivity–that mines able to redeploy workers freely allows them to use labor fully and to adjust to demand fluctuations. The explanation that better describes the results is, rather, the elimination of redundancies: the bundling of overlapping tasks reduces duplication of effort and unnecessary waiting.

Systems modelling for effective mine water management

Concerns about the difficulties in securing water have led the Australian coal mining industry to seek innovative ways to improve its water management and to adopt novel strategies that will lead to less water being used and more water being reused. Simulation tools are essential to assess current water management performance and to predict the efficiency of potential strategies. As water systems on coal mines are complex and consist of various inter-connected elements, a systems approach was selected, which views mine site water management as a system that obtains water from various sources (surface, groundwater), provides sufficient water of suitable quality to the mining tasks (coal beneficiation, dust suppression, underground operations) and maintains environmental performance. In this paper, the model is described and its calibration is illustrated. The results of applying the model for the comparison of the water balances of 7 coal mines in the northern Bowen Basin (Queensland, Australia) are presented. The model is used to assess the impact of applying specific water management strategies. Results show that a simple systems model is an appropriate tool for assessing site performance, for providing guidance to improve performance through strategic planning, and for guiding adoption of site objectives.

Influence of variations in geometric parameters and an alternative design for improved fatigue life of a mining dragline joint

Mining dragline joints are observed to develop fatigue induced cracks in operation in field, which are further compounded by the effects of weld-generated residual stresses. A typical dragline used in the Australian coal mining industry is fabricated in situ with heavily overlapped welded joints (called clusters) having several co-eccentric side-bracings welded directly onto the three main chords that form the dragline boom. It is estimated that the fatigue crack initiation process is exacerbated by heavy overlaps and excessive rigidity created at the joint node by the current design, which is often based more on practical experience in field than following any design standards rigorously. This paper investigates the influence of variation in four geometric parameters of the current design of joint A11 of a typical BE 1370 dragline boom, and concludes that the parameter that influences stresses at weld toes the most is the eccentricity of the node. It also proposes an innovative design that stipulates welding the side-bracings onto a sleeve structure which is friction connected rather than welded to the main chords directly. This design avoids the hard points associated with welding on the highly stressed main chords and should thus increase fatigue life dramatically.

Weld-induced residual stresses in a prototype dragline cluster and comparison with design codes

The Australian coal mining industry employs a large fleet of thin-walled Circular Hollow Section (CHS) welded draglines built of several clusters along the length of the main boom, which are often very heavily overlapped with co-eccentric multiple tubular structures. Heat treatment processes for relieving thermally generated weld-induced residual stresses are usually not employed owing to the high costs and potential dragline downtime. However, it is estimated that these weld-induced residual stresses are usually within a tolerable range and are not the major motivating factor in the initiation and propagation of fatigue-induced cracking. This paper presents the simulation of welding-induced residual stresses in a CHS T-Joint, which would form the first of the four lacings welded on to the main chord of a typical mining dragline cluster. The paper compares numerically generated residual stresses during the welding process in a single weld pass with the approach used in two Standards: (i) R6-Revision 4, Assessment of the Integrity of Structures Containing Defects and (ii) American Petroleum Institute API 579-1/ ASME FFS-1 2007. The comparison attests to the observation that while residual stresses in the fused area at some points could be higher than the yield stress, they are generally not capable of inducing cracks in their own right.

NO x emissions from blasting operations in open-cut coal mining

The Australian coal mining industry, as with other industries is coming under greater constraints with respect to their environmental impacts. Emissions of acid gases such as NO x and SO x to the atmosphere have been regulated for many years because of their adverse health effects. Although NO x from blasting in open-cut coal mining may represent only a very small proportion of mining operations' total NO x emissions, the rapid release and high concentration associated with such activities may pose a health risk. This paper presents the results of a new approach to measure these gas emissions by scanning the resulting plume from an open-cut mine blast with a miniaturised ultraviolet spectrometer. The work presented here was undertaken in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia during 2006. Overall this technique was found to be simpler, safer and more successful than other approaches that in the past have proved to be ineffective in monitoring these short lived plumes. The average emission flux of NO x from the blasts studied was about 0.9 kt t −1 of explosive. Numerical modelling indicated that NO x concentrations resulting from the blast would be indistinguishable from background levels at distances greater than about 5 km from the source.

Hours of work risk factors for coal mining

This paper considers the principal variations in accident and incident risk in relation to roster design within the Australian coal mining industry. Analysing industry-wide accident and incident statistics for both a wide range of coalmine operating conditions and different roster patterns allowed for the impact of hours on shift, number of successive shifts and the type of shift to be evaluated. In general, the obtained results did not indicate any strong association between hours of work and the number of incidents or injuries. Likewise, there was no detectable change in the relative number of severe injuries between shift types.

The Nature and Consequences of Temporary and Contract Employment in the Australian Black Coal Mining Industry

Since 1997, permanent employment in the coal industry has been significantly undermined by adverse product market conditions and hostile legal and institutional change. These developments have created the climate and the capacity for the rapid expansion of temporary and contract employment. This article provides evidence of this expansion before discussing one union's response to it and the far-reaching implications of these developments for the future of employment relations in the industry.

Back extensor muscle endurance test scores in coal miners in Australia.

A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted. To collect normative data on back extensor endurance holding times and evaluate the discriminative validity of the Biering-Sorensen test in a group of coal miners in Australia. Low back pain is a common complaint among those working in the Australian coal mining industry. One test that may be predictive of first-time episodes of low back pain is the Biering-Sorensen test of back extensor endurance strength. While this test has been evaluated in overseas sedentary populations, normative data and the discriminative ability of the test have not been evaluated with coal miners. Eighty-eight coal miners completed a questionnaire for known risk factors for low back pain, performed the Biering-Sorensen test, and undertook a test of aerobic fitness. Data analysis was performed to describe the groups and to determine whether any significant difference existed between those with a past history of low back pain and those without. Significantly lower than expected holding times were found in this group of coal miners (mean 113 s). This result was significantly lower than demonstrated in previous studies (mean 138 s, t87 = 6.32, p < 0.001). When holding times for those with a past history of low back pain were compared with times for those with no history of low back pain, the difference was not statistically significant (t86 = 1.56, p = 0.12), nor was there a significant difference in fitness between those with a past history of low back pain and those without (t86 = 0.47, p = 0.64). Coal miners in Australia have lower than normal Biering-Sorensen holding times. This lower back holding time does not differ between coal miners with a past history of low back pain and those without.

Application of baby deck initiation to reduce coal damage during cast blasting

ABSTRACT The extra explosive energy used in cast blasting reduces the amount of overburden to be handled by the machinery but increases the risk of damage to the underlying coal. This damage will lead to reduced coal recovery and may negate much of the benefit sought from cast blasting. The Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre in close association with the Australian open cut coal mining industry has conducted a blast monitoring program to understand and quantify the role of cast blasting in coal damage and loss. This paper attempts to explain the mechanisms of coal damage and the influence of toe confinement on coal damage during cast blasting.

The Trend toward Total Quality Managment in Australian Coal Mining

The paper examines the trends and techniques now being adopted by the Australian coal mining industry to improve efficiency and competitiveness in the face of an increasingly difficult international and domestic coal market. Quality Assurance certification to internationally accepted standards has been gained by some operators whilst many more companies are implementing varied forms of Total Quality Control concepts. These concepts now so well established in traditional manufacturing industries, have not previously been associated with the vagaries of the coal industry but are now being pursued by many in an effort to gain or retain a competitive edge. The paper also explains some of the actual processes being undertaken by the mining companies and outlines some of the systems being developed and utilised to undertake preliminary analysis and evaluation of existing and proposed management systems prior to implementing TQC systems.