Sustainability website / Case Studies 2003 / Xstrata coal / Frictional Ignition at Oaky No. 1 Mine

Frictional Ignition at Oaky No. 1 Mine

Frictional ignition is a significant risk that many coal mines across the world have to manage. Frictional ignition occurs when high levels of methane in the coal seam are ignited by a spark, usually a result of the cutting tool striking the rock above or below the seam. The ignition source has to have sufficient energy and be in contact with a flammable mixture of gas for a sufficiently long period of time for the gas to ignite. Four frictional ignitions have occurred in the longwall at XCQ's Oaky No. 1 operations. With known control methods proving inadequate to reduce the risk of further occurrences, Oaky Creek Coal commenced research, trials and monitoring in an attempt to further minimise the risk of frictional ignition. The scale and nature of the research has not been previously conducted anywhere in the world. The work has seen modifications to the equipment and mining sequence, as well as increased gas drainage via both underground in-seam gas drainage and, over the longer term, surface in-seam gas drainage. Employees have been provided with training regarding frictional ignition management, which will be ongoing while the control methods are enhanced. These increased controls have reduced the risk of frictional ignition to the point where production levels have returned to that prior to the incidents. Additional or improved controls are expected to further reduce the risk.

West Wallsend and Ravensworth Operations Behavioural Management Training During the year in review, both West Wallsend and Ravensworth operations conducted a behavioural training programme for all employees. The philosophy behind this programme is that it is necessary for an individual to understand and personally commit to changing their attitude towards working safely. This knowledge enables them to change their overall behaviour where necessary. The training requires all participants to complete a questionnaire that assesses an individual's safety attitudes in respect to:

• safety control (a measure of how much 'control' an individual believes they have over their own and other people's safety);
• risk avoidance (a measure of an individual's ability to perceive a safety risk);
• stress tolerance (a measure of an individual's stress awareness, recognition of its effects and how effectively an individual copes);
• driver attitude (a measure of attitude towards safe driving and the use of all machinery); and
• quality orientation (a measure of an individual's attitude towards quality management).

Qualified facilitators conducted the training and, during the session, provided personal feedback to each individual on the results of their questionnaire. Individual results are confidential; however group results are shared and re-surveyed a number of times as the programme progresses. Following the encouraging results of these programmes, XCN intends to randomly survey attitudes across all its operations in 2004 to learn more about their attitudes to safety, and encourage greater awareness.