Beaconsfield Staff

> 01/10/2006
Box Flat Mine Disaster. Read our exclusive interview 34 years on with families affected by the disaster.

Australasian Mine Safety Journal

Australasian Mine Safety Journal^TM is Australia's leading source for information on mine safety across Australasia. Now distributed to more than 5000 Mine owners, safety managers and mine managers the journal keeps Australasia abreast of changes and development in mine safety.

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The journal provides a range of interesting stories and updates news items in mine safety across the region.  In 2007 we expect to produce our first mandarin language version of the journal.

The October 2006 Edition features stories on mines rescue, an exclusive update from the Beaconsfield mine site on the other side of the Beaconsfield rescue (inside the fence). In this exclusive interview, the mine site provides a range of information direct from the rescuers including the interview below.

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Beaconsfield Feature

 The Beaconsfield Mines Rescue was one of the most publicized events in Australia’s mining history. We have heard the media hype, but what was it like behind the scenes trying to manage the incident and what lessons can the industry take away? In this exclusive interview with the Beaconsfield Mine Management Team, John Ninness sought to find out a little of what went on behind the scenes and identify the lessons that may be learned by the industry.

Incident Management Team

When did the team come together to first plan the event?

The Emergency Operations Control Group (EOCG), which is made up of senior management and technical specialists began to come together in the first hour following the incident and was officially formed at 11:55pm on Anzac day. Some members of this group proceeded underground, within half an hour of being alerted to the rock fall to assess the scope of the emergency, while other members setup the control centre and began the process of collating information, notifying stakeholders, to allow us to assess our logistical requirements and respond to the emergency in the safest and quickest manner possible.

How well did the incident management team work together?

The EOCG is made up primarily from senior management, this team has worked closely for many years now, because of this and the emergency management training we received as a group, everyone combined to create a decision making body that was greater than the sum of its individual parts.  In the days following the incident Russell Giles and Ken Enwright from Mines Rescue service NSW, commented that they thought the EOCG performed better than many professionally run control groups that they had seen.

What would say were the strengths of the Team?

Each individual brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the group in many various disciplines. This diversity helped make the EOCG the strong and effective group it is.

What could the IMT done to improved the handling of the incident?

If there is one thing we learned, that would enable us to improve our performance in future it would be to ensure people are rostered to avoid fatigue and poor time usage and decisions. Ensure there are enough personnel to allow rotation – get help if necessary. Plan as though the event will go on indefinitely. Sleep is critical.

What is the overall lesson in management of incidents that you would like to share with mine managers and safety practitioners across Australia?

Have a plan, but be flexible. Every organisation has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all levels, use this knowledge and don’t be afraid to delegate job tasks. The most valuable assets in your organisation are your personnel. A good team with an open minded approach can achieve miracles.

How did you handle the media at the time? It must have been a nightmare!!!

We all agree that the public has a right to know what is going on, and we attempted to fulfil media requests to the best of our ability, using our media liaison. However some of the more zealous commercial media organisations made the job extremely difficult at times after all it was a real rescue with real people’s lives at risk, not reality TV.  There seemed to be an expectation that the media and other parties not directly involved in the rescue operation had a right to be informed every step of the way.  It was the EOCG group focus to keep the key stakeholders and families up to date with developments and not to be drawn away for media purposes.

Rescue Training

Could training have prepared you for an incident like this?

The mine has a long established training arrangement with NSW Mines Rescue, and has conducted regular training over this time. This included sending squads to Mines Rescue competitions, and to the NSWMR training facilities. Importantly, it also included EOCG training.  In addition to this we also conducted regular onsite training for our rescue teams. This certainly helped prepare us for an incident, but no one could have imagined an incident of this magnitude or duration.

How beneficial was your previous on-site training in helping you to deal with the incident?

The EOCG training we participated in along with desk top and rescue scenarios were extremely valuable as well as manuals supplied, they helped us identify the many components required in responding to an incident of this nature.

Have you revised your approach to rescue training because of the incident? YES/NO and why?

No, there were very few rescue specific skills used in the rescue due to the nature of the incident and the method of the eventual evacuation, however because we have a few new members since some took voluntary redundancy, we will be concentrating on the basics and scenarios. This approach will help give the inexperienced members a good grounding, and reinforce the knowledge of our experienced members. Concentrating on the basics are the key foundation to any rescue – good planning, communication, resources and teamwork.

Given your mining environment is hard rock, do you think this poses more challenges in rescue?

All rescue operations will have their own challenges depending on many factors. We couldn’t say there were more challenges because of the environment, but there were more than enough challenges to keep us occupied.

What rescue training has the site undertaken since the event? How did it go? (You probably didn’t need any since…lol)

We recently sent four new members of our Mines Rescue Team away to participate in a one week basic training course conducted by Mines Rescue Services NSW at Copper Mines of Tasmania in Queenstown, and we are continuing our regular onsite training and commitment to Mines rescue competitions. No matter what experience you have, regular training is vital to keeping focused and sharpening your skills.  Confined space and first aid training has continued.

Would you change the structure of your rescue team based on this experience?

No, our rescue team structure is based on the Mines Rescue Service NSW model, which has proven itself over many years, it harks back to the old adage “if it isn’t broken don’t fix it”.  The incident onsite whilst a rescue involved everyone not just rescue personnel.

How valuable do you believe rescue simulations might be to the industry?

Training is always important and a variety is important as all emergencies are different and no one can train exactly for an incident.  We can’t imagine anyone conceiving a scenario as complex as this, however we have always found evacuation scenarios to be a particularly effective tool, both for training and for identifying areas requiring improvement in our emergency procedures. No matter how prepared you are you can always improve. 

Technology

How important was Technology to you in the management of the incident?

Communications equipment in particular was vital to the rescue, also video and stills photography, survey equipment, tele-remotes for the loaders, the raise bore equipment, seismic monitoring and vibration monitoring. All this technology was important to the outcome.  Having multiple forms of communication is important so if one system is compromised there is a fallback system.

What is the type of standard rescue equipment you had on site?

Our standard rescue kit includes;

Long duration oxygen regeneration breathing apparatus

Hazchem equipment

Pneumatic lifting bags

Fire fighting equipment including foam induction branches

Gas monitors

Rope rescue equipment

First aid equipment

Air velocity and humidity monitoring equipment

Various hand tools including pelican picks and shovels

Since the incident would you recommend to other sites that they should have certain items of kit?

And what would they be?

This incident required some very specific equipment to enable a successful outcome, much of the equipment we bought in during the rescue required some modification to make it suitable for our application, because of this, and it’s hard to recommend particular kit other than normal mines rescue minimum equipment. Each operation has its own particular issues and by completing a risk assessment process you can identify equipment most suited to your application.

What types of technology did you need to bring in during the process that you didn’t have on-site? Was it all effective?

We bought in a huge range of equipment on the chance we may need it, much of it we didn’t end up needing and some didn’t perform to our requirements. We had to have a range of options to cover every conceivable eventuality. 

Psychological Preparedness

Obviously nothing can totally prepare you for an incident like this….with such wide attention and the loss of a mate. But what did you do (if anything) to keep the team strong and focused during the incident?

Strong leadership was vital to help people remain task focused; we endeavoured to keep all participants as informed as possible and had counsellors available for individual support on site twenty four hours a day from the evening of the incident. Everyone involved with the rescue knew the job we had to do, and knew it was important to remain focused on the goal.

Could you ever have been prepared psychologically for an event like this?

We don’t believe it’s possible to be fully psychologically prepared for an event such as this, however, training ensures each individual knows their role. This along with family, peer and professional support helps to make you as prepared as you can be.

What types of follow up counselling (if any) has the Team had?

Following the incident we have continued to make professional counselling available in conjunction with both formal and informal debrief sessions for all personnel.

The Community

How important did the community engagement and support during the incident….did it increase pressure on the team or was it a relief to know people were behind you?

As Terry Long from the Tasmanian Minerals Council said “There were two worlds at Beaconsfield, inside and outside the gate”, we knew the community support was there, however the single-minded focus on getting Todd and Brant out did not allow much time for anything else. Certainly, the media presence, crowds, helicopters etc did continually remind the group of the outside world interest, in both positive and negative ways.

Obviously Beaky is a small community and small communities pull together in times of crisis, but how did you try to maintain contact with the local community when the media were essentially “in the way”.

Apart from regular updates to families, local council, community groups and the media there was a flow of information both formal and informal to the community via the workforce, many of whom live locally.  Local council via the mayor Barry Easther updated and kept the community informed on updates obtained from the mine.

Has the incident had positive or negative effects for the community…..what do you think will be the effects in the longer term?

It’s hard to say at this stage because of the protracted nature of the recovery; however any event such as this has many complex issues both positive and negative. The community certainly did pull together and support each other during the rescue; the challenge now is the legacy left behind now that the media focus has moved on.

Politicization of the Event

There has been a lot of politicization of the event (as with most mine disasters or significant incidents). What do you guys think about this? Does it cause you to step lightly?

It was unfortunate that at a time of grief and concern for the lives of others, commentary was made that took advantage of the situation, was often mis-information, and often self-serving. This was a major distraction. 

Questions for Mathew (Mine Manager)

Obviously nothing can prepare you that well for an experience like this, but would you recommend any training for mine managers that might have helped you through this experience?

Being a part of the EOCG training was critical, as was more general team building activities that allow a thorough and respectful appreciation of the senior management team in particular. Media management training for those that are tasked to do this role as part of the EOCG is also very important.

The outcome was obviously positive in the rescue of the two boys….how do you think you might have handled had it not been so positive?

I do not know.

As the Mine Manager obviously there is a lot of pressure on you during the coronial inquiry and State Government investigation, How do you deal with that on a day to day basis? You must be a hell of a bloke to handle this level of scrutiny?

Inner strength and belief is important. Critically, the peer group support from the senior management team and family, for all those involved, has and continues to make a huge difference to one’s ability to push on.

Summary

The lesson for the Rescuers in the Australian Mining Industry from Beaconsfield is……

Ø      Prepare for emergencies before they happen.

Ø       Ensure people are rostered to avoid fatigue and poor time usage and decisions. Ensure there are enough personnel to allow rotation – get help if necessary. Plan as though the event will go on indefinitely. Sleep is critical.

Ø       A cohesive team can achieve the most.

Ø       Support from the mining fraternity was overwhelming.

Ø       Ensure all persons in the EOCG support the plan.

Ø       Develop back up plans and begin to implement them. (preparation of equipment, supplies and operators). Do not hesitate to get whatever resources are considered might be needed.

Ø       Involve those closest to the incident in the development of the plan.

Ø       Ensure the families are informed of proceedings early and regularly even if there is little progress, and before the media.

Ø       Give regular and accurate media briefings.

Ø       Have media briefings prepared by a person who knows how to deal with the media.

Ø       Give regular and accurate briefings to the workers/rescuers.

Ø       Ensure security both on surface and underground. May need to be persons from another mine.

Ø       Don’t give media, public or families any timeframes until certain.

Ø       Trial all equipment thoroughly in similar conditions prior to using.

Ø       Ensure recording of proceedings.

Ø       Keep decision makers free from media influence.

Ø       Ensure all documents and notes are copied and collected from individuals at end of each shift.