OCC Mines Rescue Teams Compete in QMRS Opencut Challenge

Mines Rescue is the specialised profession of responding to an extensive range of mine emergencies including rescuing trapped and injured miners. Recently, Mines Rescue Teams from Oaky Creek North and Oaky Creek’s Surface operations have been competing against other mine rescue teams in the QMRS annual competitions.

We spoke to Mannie Coates, Emergency Response Coordinator at OCC and Richard Leeds, Oaky Creek Surface Emergency Response Coordinator to find out more.

What are the OCC Mines Rescue and Emergency Response Teams and what do you do?

Mines rescue teams consist of 5-8 team members who follow Mines Rescue guidelines to effect emergency response actions in areas where the mine’s Safety and Health Management System has deemed it too dangerous for coal mine workers to stay or return to.

The teams respond to emergencies that can occur on site, ranging from surface fires, equipment fires, to first aid treatment.

Hostile environments can include toxic or low oxygen environments, hot and humid environments, or areas where an incident has occurred and rescue team members need to wear breathing apparatus to protect themselves from the atmosphere.

Why is it important for OCC to have a Mines Rescue and Emergency Response teams?

Essentially, to respond to all emergencies and to preserve and protect people and assets at Oaky Creek.

Mines rescue is the specialised job of rescuing trapped and injured miners and others; combating fires; and responding to other mine emergencies. Mines rescue teams are highly trained and well equipped to deal with a wide range of hazards and situations including fires, explosions, rockfalls, toxic gases, influx of water, and injuries.

Mines rescue team members are required under legislation to maintain an effective emergency capability.  The mine benefits in many ways by having highly trained and skilled workers across the shift to render assistance to injured coal mine workers, lead self escape groups to safety, and to offer advice in an emergency.

Tell us about the competitions?

Queensland Mines Rescue Service (QMRS) provides expertise in assisting the mining industry to manage risk and ensure safety in underground and surface mining. Every year they run a series of Regional, State and National competitions to test Mines Rescue Teams from different mines, including Yarrabee Mine, Dawson Mine, Gregory Mine, Newlands Mine, Collinsville Mine, Rolleston Mine and Oaky Creek.

This year, the Oaky Creek Surface Emergency Response Team (OCS ERT) came 2nd in the QLD State “Northern Challenge” and Oaky Creek North Mines Rescue Team came 6th in the national Australian Mines Rescue Competition.

What are the competitions based on?

The competitions are based on real events that have occurred at the coal mine in the past; training scenarios that are designed to test minimum equipment, guidelines and protocols and emergency deployment procedures.

What do they involve – what areas do you compete in?

Competitions involve scenarios such as first aid, extrication, fire fighting, installing Ventilation Control Devices, timbering, seal inspections, search and rescue, recon of areas, monitoring and reporting atmospheric and environmental conditions to Incident Management Teams.

Teams are assessed based on a number of different criteria including:

• Efficient preparation of mines rescue equipment
• Performance of rescue team standard procedures
• Performance of arduous tasks in a safe manner
• Effective fire fighting techniques, introduced to gas fires and advanced branch techniques
• Practical demonstration of mines rescue equipment
• Testing and use of Breathing Apparatus in a simulated rescue environments
• Understanding of hostile environments and the interpretation of atmospheres in confined spaces
• Teamwork and team safety
• Communication protocols used to ensure that information is passed on in a clear concise method to ensure correct control and decisions are made, first aid, prioritise, stabilise and treat the injured

How do you prepare for the competition?

Teams do core skill training onsite twice per month where they cover Road Crash Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Vertical Rope Rescue, Hazmat Training, Fire Fighting, and First Aid Training. They also spend around one week of training at QMRS stations before the competition.

What’s next for the teams?

OCN Mines Rescue Team is a new team, so for them to win the regional competition, come 3rd in the State comp, and 6th in Nationals is a great outcome. And for the OCS ERT to come 2nd in the State comp is truly a massive effort and we’re really proud of them.

Looking ahead, they’ll both be focusing on how their team can work best together and training hard for the State competitions next year and to ensure we’re at the top of our game should there ever be an emergency or incident at the mine – we want to be the best we can be for our coworkers.

The OCS ERT have been competing in the Open Cut Rescue Challenge for the past six years since its conception. Last year they got 3rd place and this year 2nd place so next year they are striving for 1st place!

A special thanks and congratulations to:

OCS ERT: David Pratchett (ERT Captain), Josh Flood (Vice Captain), Matt Martell, Ron McGowan, Richard Leeds, Nakia Lange, Salvatore Cutrale, Cameron Mason, Desmond Williams, Jordan Bonetti, Zeb Warren, Peter Allan, Ben Dawson, Shaun Strang, Tony Armstrong, Joseph Obermeier, Brad Lane

2022 Mines Rescue Challenge OCS Team: David Pratchett (ERT Captain), Josh Flood (Vice Captain), Jordon Bonetti, Nakia Lange, Ron McGowan, Desmond Williams, Ben Dawson (reserve), Joe Obermeier (reserve).

2022 OCN Comp team: Robbie McShane (Captain), Matt Fitzpatrick (Vice Captain), Coleman Roberts, Liam Cotterill, Sam Lindley, Tony Armstrong, Ben Ormsby.