Metalliferous (hard rock) mining is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world because of the health and safety hazards associated with it. Every year, hundreds of miners are injured, and some of them even lose their lives due to the nature of the job. Does that mean there are no safety precautions involved, or are the miners careless? According to experts, the mining industry doesn’t have a problem with safety equipment. Instead, it needs to focus on mining safety and health related induction training to increase miners’ awareness of what they should do to keep themselves safe.
Types of mining safety induction training
There are various types of mining safety induction training programs that miners should participate in before they commence work on a mine site. One of the most recommended courses is the Standard 11 Mining induction that has been endorsed in Queensland, Australia.
- Standard 11 Training Course
The Standard 11 training course is an entry-level program offered to participants who want to make a career in mining. It teaches mining entrants the skills required to excel in this industry and includes six national units of competencies that prepare you for the job.
- How to communicate in your workplace
- How to comply with various site work procedures
- How to take part in local risk control
- How to work safely underground and follow different policies and procedures of the WHS
- How to respond to emergencies and accidents
- How to apply initial first aid to your coworkers
- Standard 11 Refresher training course
The refresher training course is a recap of the standard 11 training course that makes sure that you remember everything from your previous training program. This is a shorter course compared to the one above. However, you need to provide evidence of successfully completing the standard 11 training course or demonstrated your recent work experience in a mine to participate in this training program. Some of the documents that you may need to provide are as follows:
- Your current resume
- Completion of your experience form and skills certificate
- Previous certificate of passing the standard training course
- Supervisor training course – S123
The mine supervisor training course is usually a 2.5 day course that may extend to three days, depending on how quickly you demonstrate and understanding of the course’s learning outcomes. It prepares you to implement risk management processes and conduct health and safety investigations from time to time. This is an essential course for anyone who wants to become a supervisor in a mine. The training program has three crucial aspects that regulators think are essential for this post.
- Learn how to implement risk management processes
- Learn how to communicate information to your team
- Learn how to properly conduct health and safety investigations in your department
- Risk management course
This is a one-day course that teaches you how to conduct risk management processes within the mining industry. You need to follow the statutory mining processes set by the Safety and Health Advisory Committees. The primary focus of risk management is on four things:
- Auditing past risk management processes
- Completing reports and records
- Facilitation of risk assessment
- Identifying unacceptable risks
You will receive a Statement of Attainment once you successfully finish this course.
Taking part in these safety training programs will ensure that you keep yourself and your coworkers safe, thus reducing the number of people who get injured or die while working in the mining industry.