HUNTER Valley mine safety officials are investigating an incident at Mt Arthur Coal earlier this month, in which a worker suffered serious burns to his face, arm and chest.
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The 29-year-old was injured on August 10 while refuelling a diesel-powered tyre handler at the Muswellbrook mine’s heavy vehicle refuelling bay.
Other workers rushed to the scene and rendered first aid.
The man was treated by paramedics before being flown to the Royal North Shore Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
He is employed by a contractor, who provides tyre management services to Mt Arthur Coal.
During the morning, the worker drove the tyre handler, a large forklift with tyre handling attachment, to the heavy vehicle fuel bay near the mine’s workshop.
According to a preliminary report, at the fuel bay, he attached a fuel splash filler nozzle adaptor to the 800 lt/m fuel line via a Banlaw quick connect fuel nozzle.
When attached, the adaptor made a free-flowing nozzle that enabled plant to be refuelled without a quick connect coupling.
The tyre handler’s fuel tank did not have a quick connect fitting.
Once connected, the worker rested the fuel nozzle in the fuel tank of the tyre handler and went to a nearby switchboard to activate the fuel pump.
When the pump was activated the fuel nozzle ejected from the fuel tank under pressure causing fuel to spray over the tyre handler.
He then grabbed the fuel nozzle and attempted to control it as fuel continued to spray over the tyre handler, himself and the surrounding area.
At that time, the fuel ignited setting the man, the tyre handler and surrounding area on fire.
Other workers rushed to the scene and helped him to an emergency shower at the mine’s workshop to cool his burns and rendered first aid.
Mine paramedics and NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the man onsite before he was flown to the Royal North Shore Hospital by the WRHS.
Mine emergency response personnel and other workers isolated the fuel supply to the fuel bay and extinguished the fire using a fire tanker and two water carts.
The tyre handler and fuel bay sustained significant damage.
The NSW Resources Regulator has started an investigation into the incident.
And, the mine operator and contractor are cooperating with the inquiry.
An investigation report will be prepared for the secretary of the Department of Planning and Environment.
