Industry guidance and position statements

Emergency preparedness in mining and tunnelling operations - Approved Code of Practice (ACOP)

This ACOP sets out WorkSafe’s expectations for managing emergencies in mining and tunnelling operations. It provides information on developing an emergency plan and what it should contain, how to test and review the plan, and how to respond to an emergency

Ground or strata instability in underground mines and tunnels

Ground or strata instability is a major factor in mine collapse and poses a serious hazard. This guidance sets out our expectations for managing ground or strata instability in underground mining and tunnelling operations

Air quality in the extractives industry

Dust, fumes, and bacteria can all pose a risk in the extractives industry. Air quality is an important part of a health and safety management plan for all types of mining and tunnelling.

Respiratory health and silica dust levels in the extractive industry

This report from 2003 brings together two separate but related investigations, the National Dust Project and the Respiratory System Survey, each of which were carried out as part of the day to day work of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH).

Health and safety at opencast mines, alluvial mines and quarries

From the top down, safety needs to be a priority at all mines – including opencast and alluvial mines and quarries. We have produced guidance to address the risks and hazards specific to this type of mining and extraction work.

Developing safety management systems and hazard management systems for mines

Safety management systems are vital for high risk industries like mining. Building a safety management system should involve owners and workers at all levels.

Managing health risks in the extractives industry

Workers in the extractives industry are regularly exposed to health hazards in their work.
Operators are required to develop worker health principal control plans by the Health and Safety at Work (Mining Operations and Quarrying Operations) Regulations 2016.

Position statement - Application of mining and quarrying regulations 2013 to farming operations

The possibility that such work could be captured by these regulations has been raised with WorkSafe, and we have determined that this is the result of unintended “creep” of the regulations and want to assure farmers that in most cases they can continue to operate without concern.

Position statement - tunnelling operations

This position statement clarifies the tunnelling operations that WorkSafe considers are within the scope of the Health and Safety at Work (Mining Operations and Quarrying Operations) Regulations 2016. It also lays out the operations the High Hazards Unit Extractives will focus on.

Air quality

This ACOP sets out our expectations for addressing risks relating to air quality in the extractives industry