Mine Safety Advisory Council meets in Lithgow

The peak OHS body for the State’s billion dollar mining and extractives industry, the NSW Mine Safety Advisory Council meets today in Lithgow as part of its ongoing commitment to communicate with regional mining communities in NSW.

The meeting, headed by Council chairman Norman Jennings, will focus on its goal of world-leading OHS for the NSW mining industry. Council members will also visit the state of the art Mines Rescue Services Virtual Reality Training centre at Lithgow.

The Council comprises senior officials from the CFMEU, AWU, NSW Minerals Council, Cement Concrete and Aggregates Australia, Industry and Investment NSW and two independent experts in OHS.

“The industry is committed to fostering a world-leading OHS culture in NSW mining and this Council is driving that change” said Mr Jennings.

“The Fatigue Management Plan, released yesterday by the NSW Minister for Mineral Resources Peter Primrose is an important industry document.”

The complex and related areas of fatigue and hours of work were identified as a high priority issue in the 2004 Wran Mine Safety Review. The new guide is designed to assist the industry in tackling the vexed issue of worker fatigue.

A suite of fact sheets released by the Council outline its vision and strategy for culture change. They set the agenda for enabling industry and individuals to achieve new standards in OHS, including building competence in non-technical skills, such as situation awareness, communication, teamwork and leadership.

“The Council will provide the basis for reaching this goal and ensure that all parties are moving in the same direction.  The Council has also made significant progress in addressing other important OHS issues, such as unintended negative effects of safety incentive schemes, and improved coordination for health issues”.

Information on World-leading OHS is available from the Industry & Investment NSW website at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/minerals/safety/world-leading-ohs

Photo opportunity: The Council will meet at The Bowen Inn Motel, 5 Col Drewe Drive, Lithgow. Photo opportunity 10:30-11.00 am on Thursday 3 December.